A few weeks ago Defra Secretary of State Caroline Spelman told the House of Commons that the UK was still importing substantial amounts of indigenous food (produce that could be grown in season in the UK).

Latest figures indicate that with a total value of approximately £15 billion these items account for nearly half of the total of food, feed and drink imported.

The figures might alarm some, but does the coalition Government have a strategy to address the concerns of farmers?

NFU President Peter Kendall has warned that the UK's food gap will widen further unless the Government takes action to reverse the trend.

He said: "2011 will see the new Government laying the policy foundations that will be critical to whether Britain's farmers can rise to the food production challenge of the next 20 years."

With our population set to grow from today's 62 million to over 70 million by 2030 there is clearly a worry that without such change the UK will become ever more dependent on imported produce.

Mr Kendall said: "If we're going to ensure food supplies for UK consumers it is in our national interest to produce more in the UK. What worries me is the Government's commitment to ensuring that local food supply here at home is encouraged and enabled."

Meanwhile, Defra Secretary of State Ms Spelman was described as "The fox dressed as the lamb" by organisers of The Oxford Real Farming Conference.

Critics said her vision was deeply flawed and focused chiefly on large scale industrial agriculture.

Conference chair Sir Crispin Tickell said: "There is no such thing as a free market in food or anything else. Governments have a major responsibility in determining the degree and character of regulation and the right incentives and disincentives"