NEWS RELEASE
Date: 6 October 2008
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Government announces new council of food policy advisors
The establishment of a new team of advisers on food policy from the farm to the fork has been announced today by Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for the Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs.
The Council of Food Policy Advisers will include expertise from every sector of our food system – from production to retail, and from regulation and distribution to consumption.
It will advise government on food affordability, security of supply and the environmental impact of food production, and contribute to the drawing up of a policy for food security and supply which is expected to be published later this year.
Speaking at a Chatham House event on global food security, Mr. Benn said:
“With rising prices and increasing demand across the globe, we can’t take our food supply for granted. Our food supply needs to be reliable and resilient and able to withstand shocks and crises.
“Our food supplies must remain secure, and we must have a strong, thriving, environmentally sustainable farming industry in this country that continues to produce a significant proportion of our food.
“The expert team will draw in expertise on every aspect of our food system, providing advice from the farm to the fork. It is time for a more strategic approach to food policy, and the Council will provide that strategic oversight and ensure our policies support a sustainable food system that provides safe, affordable and healthy food.”
The Council of Food Policy Advisors will advise the Secretary of State as a member of the new National Economic Council. It will cover food production, supplies, prices, distribution, consumption, and related aspects of food policy.
The Council will report to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs but will also work closely with the Department of Health and the Food Standards Agency.
In July the Cabinet Office published the Strategy Unit report “Food Matters: Towards a strategy for the 21st Century” which drew together evidence about long-term trends in food production and consumption, and proposed new objectives for future food policy:
Also in July, Defra published a discussion paper, “Ensuring the UK’s food security in a changing world.”
- Hilary Benn was speaking at the “Food Security in the 21st Century” conference organised by Chatham House.
- To view the Cabinet Office report “Food Matters: Towards a strategy for the 21st Century” go to www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/~/media/assets/www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/strategy/food/food_matters1%20pdf.ashx
- To view the Defra discussion document “Ensuring the UK’s food security in a changing world” go to www.defra.gov.uk/foodrin/foodstrategy/documents/Ensuring-UK-Food-Security-in-a-changing-world-170708.pdf
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Page published: 6 October 2008