This is more than a warning, and agriculture sits on a knife edge as result; it should come as no surprise that amongst the ecosystems listed by the report as critical to our survival are soils, pollination, food production, water quality, carbon storage and erosion control, all of which farming, and the wider food industry, need to succeed.

When given sufficient financial support and advice, farmers can, and already are, adopting nature-friendly approaches which breathe life back into soils, clean up our waterways, sequester carbon and bring wildlife, including pollinators, back. But the responsibility cannot rest solely on the farmer or grower themselves. Instead, all actors across the supply chain – from governments and financial services to food producers, manufacturers and consumers – have a role to play in the transition to a more sustainable, nutritional and resilient food future.

Industry leaders, whether that be high street banks or food manufacturers, are already acting on this responsibility, recognising that with over 70% of the UK farmed, there is simply too much at stake to not invest. For example, the Jordans Farm Partnership sees Jordans Cereals empower their oat farmers to adopt 10% of their land for nature. Over an area the size of Oxford, their farmers are now working together with The Wildlife Trusts - who provide practical advice and incentive to recover lost wildlife and habitats - and LEAF on sustainability. The result? A more resilient product fit for supermarket shelves of the future, which, in turn, helps to tackle climate change impacts and bring much loved species such as barn owls, bees and corn buntings back too.

As recent events have proven, investing in these mixed farming systems, quality advice, and the infrastructure needed is no longer a nice to have. The collapse of invertebrate populations threatens the pollination services on which crops depend, and, without natural solutions, society’s first defence against heavy rainfall and flooding will be lost. Put simply, farmers must be supported to restore natural habitats on their land if we are to succeed in keeping nutritional food on the shelves.

And, as flood waters rise, so too does the need, and consumer appetite, for change. Businesses must do the right thing – ensuring a fairer deal that provides farmers and landowners with a consistent return on their investment to recover the natural world whilst producing healthy food.

This won't happen without far stronger, effective regulation. The two supply chain regulators – Groceries Code Adjudicator and the Agriculture Supply chain Adjudicator– must be strengthened and merged to create a coherent, independent enforcer of legally binding codes. One which can investigate and act on abusive practices wherever they occur in our supply chains.

Without this, the critical role farmers play for the nation – producing nutritious food, recovering declining wildlife and tackling climate change - will be undermined at the farm gate. And, with food businesses so vulnerable to the nature and climate crisis, we must ensure that Government policies work to make the entire supply chain fit for the future too, with joined up thinking and cohesive support.

From the Land Use Framework and 25 year Farming Roadmap to the National Food Strategy, these policies should empower all to play their part. Together, the efforts of farmers, food businesses and governments must provide a step change in the food we eat and how it is produced. It’s time we all stepped up to the plate.

This article was originally published in Business Green