One month into my role as food security minister, I wanted to take the opportunity to speak directly to those who grow, make, move, sell and serve our food.
I have discussed the opportunities and challenges ahead with leaders from across the sector, through chairing the Food Strategy Advisory Board and the Farming and Food Partnership Board and meeting the chiefs of British food businesses. The new government is clear about the need to create good growth in every postcode. I know that our food sector has the power to make this vision and opportunity a reality.
As a recently appointed minister, there is no substitute for getting out, listening and learning, and that’s why I spent my first weeks out across the country meeting people at the heart of our food system – from nature-friendly farms in West Sussex and Surrey, where I got my hands dirty examining soils drying through the heatwave, to tomato growers on the Isle of Wight and APS salads, grown from a Borough Market stall into a thriving British business.
I have also attended agricultural shows across the nation, learnt about the power of co-operatives from Arla and seen production at Jordans Cereals.
I have seen firsthand the innovation and ambition that runs throughout our food system, an ambition we need to harness. This ambition supports our health, drives economic growth, creates opportunities for communities and underpins national resilience.
Of course, our food system also faces significant challenges. Many households continue to feel pressure on their budgets and want assurance that healthy food remains affordable.
Businesses across the supply chain are managing rising costs and ongoing uncertainty, while global events have reinforced the importance of food security and resilience under environmental pressures. During the recent heatwaves, while many people focused on staying cool, thousands of others continued working in fields, factories, warehouses, transport networks and stores to keep food moving.
These challenges are real, but so too is the sector’s determination to address them.
Addressing the industry’s challenges
It is now more than a year since the publication of the government’s Good Food Cycle. Its ambition remains clear: a food system that is healthier, more affordable, more sustainable and more resilient.
That ambition cannot be delivered through a single policy, or by any one organisation. It is reliant on collaboration across government, industry, local leaders, charities, civil society and consumers themselves.
Over the past year, important progress has been made. This government has backed agricultural innovation, with significant investment through our Farming Innovation Programme in research, technology adoption and productivity improvements. We have introduced targeted tariff reductions on everyday food items alongside action on energy costs, helping to ease pressure on household budgets.
We are investing in local authorities to help unlock the potential of the public sector’s £4.9bn annual food and catering spend, supporting more sustainable procurement practices. We have also set out longer-term direction through the country’s first ever Farming Roadmap and reforms to essential farming schemes.
At the same time, we are working across government to improve access to healthier and more affordable food and put more money in people’s pockets. This includes the expansion of free breakfast provision in primary schools and helping families through measures such as the uplift in Healthy Start payments that began in April. Alongside cutting VAT on domestic electricity bills and capping single bus fares at £2, these measures will help give families breathing space.
And the new 20% business rates discount for the hospitality sector shows our commitment to backing the hospitality at the heart of our high streets, giving them more confidence to invest, grow and thrive.
These are important steps forward, but there is more to be done together. By bringing together experts, industry leaders and citizens, we have ensured the different voices needed to deliver our Good Food Cycle are at the table.
Looking ahead, my focus is on delivery. After my first month in post, I am optimistic we have all the ingredients for success: expertise, citizen insight and the shared commitment needed to succeed. Now we must turn that shared ambition into action and build a food system fit for the future.
Stephen Morgan, minister for farming and food security
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