The Guardian view on the future of farming: let's think about food | Editorial

The British food system, as well as individuals' diets, needs to be balanced. Price is not the only factorOne of the many effects of the coronavirus in the UK has been to dramatically raise awareness of our food system - that is, the set of arrangements that determines how we shop and eat. Compared with education, health or housing, food is rarely thought of as an area of public policy in which everyone has an interest. But it is. And one of the consequences of recent shortages, as well as the new and welcome emphasis on the "key" roles performed by food industry workers including fruit pickers and supermarket employees, has been to open more people's eyes to this.It is too soon to predict with any confidence that the fragility of supply chains that has been revealed in recent weeks, as well as renewed warnings about the risks to humans from animal viruses, and the light shone on the agricultural labour market, will lead to lasting changes. It is not too soon to assert that, among the many issues raised by the pandemic, questions about the future of food cannot be safely ignored. Continue reading...