A People's Food Policy
As Brexit negotiations begin, England is being urged to develop a progressive food policy in advance of leaving the EU.
- A coalition of grassroots food and farming organisations has launched ‘A People’s Food Policy’ – a comprehensive proposal for a more just and sustainable food system in England.
- Scotland is already in the process of adopting national food policies and is currently developing a ‘Good Food Nation Bill’, while England has yet to make any progress.
'A People’s Food Policy' is a ground-breaking manifesto outlining a people’s vision of food and farming in England that is supported by over 80 food and farming organisations. The report draws on 18 months of extensive, nation-wide consultations with grassroots organisations, NGOs, trade unions, community projects (including the TM Permaculture Group), small businesses and individuals. It has resulted in a set of policy proposals and a vision for change that is rooted in the lived experiences and needs of people most affected by the failures in the current food system.
It’s widely acknowledged that agriculture is one of the sectors that will be faced with the most uncertainty as a result of the UK leaving the EU. Rising food prices is an issue that has already been repeatedly reported on in the context of Brexit, while migration restrictions are set to have an enormous impact on the availability of workers in the agricultural sector.
In the face of this uncertainty, the report argues that policy, legislative framework and a food act is needed that, “integrates the compartmentalised policy realms of food production, health, labour rights, land use and planning, trade, the environment, democratic participation and community wellbeing.”
You can read the full manifesto here...
