Spring is meant to be a season of renewal. Yet for our food system, renewal is no longer a nice idea – it is an urgent necessity. As some of us indulge in a chocolate egg hangover, we should confront a harder truth. Much of the UK’s food system is dangerously exposed, deeply unfair and unfit for the shocks that lie ahead.
In his work for the National Preparedness Commission, Professor Tim Lang has warned of these vulnerabilities. His call to move from ‘just in time’ to ‘just in case’ is not a theoretical ask: it is a practical blueprint for a more resilient future. The ‘just in time’ model, borrowed from Toyota’s production lines, has delivered narrow efficiency, but at the price of fragility. Given the injustice embedded in today’s industrial food systems, we might more honestly describe it as ‘unjust in time’.
Against a backdrop of conflict, genocide and humanitarian crises, some commentators have advocated intensifying oil production to protect food supplies. This is profoundly misguided. The priority must be peace, not reinforcing outdated, fossil fuel-dependent food systems.
Doubling down on oil entrenches twentieth-century practices, is short-sighted, accelerates climate risk and locks us into power structures that are neither resilient nor fair. In 2026, we should not be figuratively eating crude oil in every meal.
Choosing future-proof systems
The stakes are high. Clinging to failing models will only deepen vulnerability, so what we need now is deliberate reinvestment in food systems designed for the future.
First, we must turn away from fossil fuel dependency and instead double down on renewable energy. An agrifood system powered by renewables is not only cleaner – it is more resilient, less exposed to shocks and will save costs in the long run. Responsible grocery businesses should lead this transition, so that every meal contributes to a sustainable future, rather than relying on finite, polluting resources.
Second, we must rediscover local pride. Governments have a critical role to play by supporting community-owned enterprises and promoting localised public procurement. Farmers and growers should be producing good food for local hospitals – helping patients eat well and recover faster – and for schools, so children can access nutritious, locally grown food and learn better because of it. A resilient food system needs multiple routes to market, not an over-centralised supermarket model.
Third, we must back horticulture. Government support should be directed towards a horticulture growth strategy rather than further industrial poultry expansion. British-grown fruit and vegetables, alongside wholegrains, nuts and pulses are essential to public health and environmental sustainability. This is where public demand will be heading, and the food sector must meet it.
Fourth, we must make land available for new entrants. Supporting the next generation of farmers and growers is vital. Expanding initiatives like a Community Right to Buy across the whole of the UK and incentivising young people to enter agriculture, especially horticulture, will rebuild skills, resilience and hope in rural economies.
With key government elections on the horizon, now is the time to advocate for just and resilient food systems. Those of us working across food and farming must champion values worthy of a food system fit for the future. Peace. Renewable energy. Pride in place. Real agency for communities. Let’s throw in better access to land, more beans and more vegetables too.
The question is simple: who is ready to step up?
Dan Crossley is executive director at the Food Ethics Council
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