An increase in ambition is needed by the UK Government to match the scale of challenges in a number of food policy areas, from our diets, environment, public health, poverty to the post-Brexit agricultural transition.
An increase in ambition from policy-makers would match and respond to the growing movement of people interested in changing the food system, as seen through the Food and Farming Countryside Commission’s ‘Food Conversation’ engagements with food citizens. Eating Better’s forthcoming Public Attitudes Survey also shows that 78% of people across the UK want to see healthier food in schools and hospitals, whilst 75% think that in order to produce enough food, we have to protect nature and biodiversity.
This demonstrates an opportunity for the new Government to tap into growing enthusiasm for changing our food system, and help make the UK a leader on food. Labour made a number of promises in its manifesto on food, farming and the environment such as introducing a land-use framework, making environmental land management schemes ‘work for farmers and nature’ and introducing free breakfast clubs in every primary school. For Eating Better, our top 3 priorities for the new UK Government are:
1. A food plan. The UK Government should, at the earliest opportunity, introduce a new Food Bill which implements the recommendations put forward in the National Food Strategy. It should set a target for meat and dairy reduction and enable better production of meat and dairy. As evidenced in Eating Better’s Better by Half Roadmap, this is a key mechanism for joining up Government policy on food security, farming, public health, net zero, biodiversity and land-use.
2. Procurement. Reforming public procurement could deliver multiple benefits across the food supply chain and public health. Encouragingly in their manifesto, Labour committed to half of all food purchased across the public sector to be locally produced or ‘certified to higher environmental standards’.
The UK Government should redesign the Government Buying Standards for Food (GBSF) to ensure that taxpayer money is spent on food that is both healthy and sustainable. The updated procurement standards should be legally-binding to ensure they are followed, and include a commitment to reduce the amount of livestock products sourced and served in the public sector. It should also commit to introducing minimum standards for sustainability and animal welfare for animal-sourced foods e.g. organic, pasture-fed or certified sustainable fish.
3. Agricultural Budget. Without the support to transition, nature and animal-friendly farming will not become the mainstream in the UK. We call for an increase in the UK Government agricultural budget (and devolved budgets) for the new Parliamentary term.
Funding should be directed towards farmers in, or transitioning to, just climate-resilient farming systems, including producing more vegetables, pulses and legumes, more small-scale and new entrant farming enterprises, the infrastructure needed for a more localised food system, and providing advice and support for all farmers.
The UK is behind where it needs to be in fixing our food system, and ensuring healthy and sustainable diets that are affordable to all is the norm. With a new UK Government, the time is right to adopt some fresh ideas and transform our food system, with Eating Better and its members excited to make ambitious, joined-up food policy a reality.