Senior leaders from farming, food and retail met for the inaugural Farming and Food Partnership Board, which the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said marked a “clear shift in how British agriculture is led and supported”.
Chaired by Environment Secretary, Emma Reynolds with Farming Minister Dame Angela Eagle as deputy chair, this board “brings government and industry together to drive a more productive, profitable and resilient food system”, Defra said.
“Building on Baroness Batters’ Farm Profitability Review, the Board will put farm productivity and profitability at the centre of decision making, championing homegrown produce and strengthen the nation’s food supply chain.”
There were representatives on the board from:
- The Agriculture and Development Board;
- Agricultural Industries Confederation;
- British Retail Consortium;
- Food and Drink Federation;
- Institute of Grocery Distribution;
- National Farmers’ Union;
- UK Health Hospitality.
The representatives from these organisations met for the first time to shape the board’s mission, ways of working, and sector growth plans.
The input from these groups will inform its future membership and priorities.
Secretary Reynolds said: “The first Farming and Food Partnership Board meeting marks a major moment for British farming, bringing the whole food chain together to deliver real change for farm and food businesses.
“We are working with industry to boost productivity and profitability, support innovation, drive growth and make it easier for the whole supply chain – from farm to fork – to succeed.”
According to Defra, the board will complement the Food Strategy Advisory Board (FSAB), supporting wider work to drive change across the food system.
It’s early work will focus on targeted sector growth plans, which will be lead by industry and co-designed with the government, to tackle barriers to growth, unlock investment, accelerate technology uptake and boost farm returns.
The first sectors that will be focused on are the horticulture and poultry sector, Defra said.
This is because of their potential to drive growth and increase domestic production.
Work on the horticulture sector plan will begin immediately, with poultry to follow this summer.
In addition. subgroups may be established to bring together experts from across government and industry to tackle key challenges and deliver realistic improvements in farm profitability.
