Food Strategy white paper published

Tue 14 Jun 2022

The Government has set out its Food Strategy for England.

The white paper policy document, published by Defra on 13 June, acknowledges the vital role that the agri-food sector will play in delivering ‘healthier, more sustainable and affordable diets for all’.

The strategy has been informed by an independent review the Government had previously commissioned, as well as wider consultation with interested parties.

It had been widely anticipated that the strategy would put matters of addressing healthy eating through regulation centred on specific foodstuffs at its core.

However, according to Shouler & Son’s rural professionals, the focus of the strategy appears to have moved away from this as its main focus in taking account of recent world events.

Tim Harris, professional rural associate at Shouler & Son, explains, “The national food strategy is one of a number of recent government policy announcements that affects all aspects of domestic farming and food production.

“While the white paper is very much a ‘big picture’ view, the impact of conflict in Ukraine and the ripple effects on global energy costs, food supply and production since the beginning of the year appear to have re-shaped the Government’s headline thinking in the published document.”

For more information on Shouler & Son’s rural services and professional advice see shoulers.co.uk/pages/agricultural-services.