Better farming education could safeguard UK food security
7th July 2025
The NFU is calling on the government to strengthen the future of the UK’s food security by improving the quality of how farming and food production-related subjects are taught in schools.
With the curriculum under review for the first time in over a decade, the NFU is urging ministers to update subject content to better reflect the realities of modern farming and food production, particularly within STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects such as the popular GCSE biology award.
Better education will not only support healthy, informed food choices from a young age but also help close the skills gap by opening up new career pathways for young people at a time when the sector urgently needs skilled professionals in science, engineering and environmental management, the union explained.
As one of the key asks for the government, the NFU calls for an urgent review of GCSE Biology subject content and related subjects to better reflect food, farming and food security.
The union is also seeking the government’s commitment to improving the quality of food education in all schools.
‘Food security is national security’
NFU vice-president Rachel Hallos said: “The NFU is proud to call for an education system that gives the next generation a wider awareness of where their food comes from and the exciting career opportunities throughout the farm-to-fork journey.
“The government has repeatedly said that ‘food security is national security’. If it truly believes that, now is the time to act. This curriculum review is a once-in-a-generation chance to improve how young people learn about food and farming, and we want to see that reflected across subjects like biology, geography and food technology.
“By improving the quality of food education now, we can secure a future where our children become the scientists, engineers and innovators who drive sustainable food production and environmental management.
“Young people deserve to leave school with a fair understanding of the many benefits British farming has to offer.”
Ms Hallos added that the NFU’s view is shared both by teachers and by tens of thousands of people across the country. “It’s time the curriculum caught up,” she concluded.
Read more rural news.
