Food security in decline, £1 billion export/import deficit, worst performing yields of 28 countries

Devizes: 2024, United Oilseeds launches an initiative to revitalise the oilseed rape (OSR) industry in the UK.

“The UK’s food security on edible oils has halved in less than a decade and is now down to less than 20%. During the same period, the cost to the UK economy between past export levels and current import needs is £1 billion. In relative terms UK oilseed rape yields have declined more in the past few years than any of the EU 27 member states. This should be deemed as an emergency. Oilseed Rape in the UK needs a reboot, and United Oilseeds intend to lead it.”

These are the frank words of United Oilseed’s Managing Director, James Warner who instigated and is championing an industry-led “reboot” of OSR production in the UK.

“United Oilseeds intends to lead this process from the front, but it will need the combined efforts of the whole industry if it is to be successful. If we all pull together and get it right, we can be optimistic of a bright, sustainable future for oilseed rape, and increased food security for the nation,” added James.

Beginning with an open letter to its 4,500 farmer cooperative members the reboot has since gathered pace, with representatives from 41 organisations spanning the industry joining the first reboot meeting late in 2024. Subsequent meetings split representatives into 3 groups focusing on innovative breeding, agronomy, and policy reform. James explains what is being proposed:

“We cannot continue to attempt to grow OSR as we did before 2013 and expect a different outcome. We need to go through every aspect of growing OSR from the drilling date to the genetics, from pest monitoring to post-harvest activity, and from alternative treatments for CSFB to potential policy changes. About United Oilseeds United Oilseeds is the UK's leading break crop specialist and was founded over half a century ago. It is one of the UK's largest farming co-operatives and specialises in the sale of oilseeds and other break crops to farmers. It provides highly successful crop marketing services for its farmers, regularly achieving much higher than average market prices.

Already the reboot is seeing action with the Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) pushing forward requests to government for policy changes such as updating the SFI to provide a payment for flowering crops alongside and is capturing attention across the board. Coverage of the reboot campaign is widespread across the agricultural press and it’s even made it into the fortnightly satirical and current affairs news magazine Private Eye!