Manx farming leaders say the island’s food security is now under serious strain, citing a stagnant agricultural budget, rising production costs and increasingly volatile global harvests.
Speaking to Manx.News at the Royal Manx Agricultural Show, Murray Cringle, President of the Manx National Farmers’ Union, and Sarah Comish, the Union’s Secretary, said the island is now 95% dependent on imported food, leaving households exposed to international supply shocks.
Comish said the agricultural budget has not increased in 15 years, leaving it “around £6 million adrift of where it should be.”
She stressed that the budget was originally designed to keep food affordable, support farms through crises and protect national food security, but political recognition of the risks “has not moved forward” in recent years.
Falling Yields
The union representatives pointed to severe crop reductions in the UK and Europe, with some UK yields predicted to fall 40–60% this year.
Cringle warned that the impact will be felt directly in household staples: “If cereal harvests come down, logic says costs go up.”
Local conditions are adding further pressure. A prolonged dry spell has hit grass growth and winter feed supplies, while the dairy sector is now operating below the cost of production, despite rising retail milk prices.
Cringle said the reality for dairy farmers is stark: “Twice a day, every day, you’re milking cows knowing it’s costing you money to do it.”
Pressures Facing Farmers
The MNFU also highlighted the mental health impact of sustained financial and operational pressure. Their campaign, launched last year, aims to make it easier for farmers to talk openly about stress and isolation, issues traditionally kept quiet within the industry.
Comish said farmers remain deeply committed to their work: “They’re not there for the money. They love what they do. But the responsibility and financial pressure is a lot of weight to carry.”
Both said the Manx public is supportive of local farming, but warned that without meaningful government action, the island risks losing the very systems that keep food available, affordable and resilient.
