Support for British farming

We welcome the balanced and considered approach to the proposed new School Food Standards, which maintains the ambition to improve children’s nutrition while recognising the practical realities facing schools and caterers, including pupil acceptance, meal uptake, cost and implementation.

We are now awaiting the final guidance and legislation in October and, behind the scenes, are already developing a new menu cycle to help customers prepare for the changes. Clear guidance, appropriate funding and continued collaboration across the wider food industry will be essential to ensure the standards can be implemented successfully.

Food should be recognised as a critical part of the UK’s national resilience, alongside energy, fuel and water. Recent global events have highlighted the importance of a secure and reliable food system, and there is a real opportunity for government and industry to work more closely together to strengthen preparedness for future challenges.

The UK’s food sector demonstrated during COVID how effectively it can collaborate in times of crisis, and greater coordination between government and food businesses would help ensure robust planning and resilience for the future.

For the full interview on BBC Radio 4, listen here (fast forward to 2:35:35): https://lnkd.in/e9JWuP6g