Westminster Food & Nutrition Forum

The conference takes place in the context of the Resources and Waste Strategy which sets out the Government’s approach to reducing food and plastic waste - including setting a target of eliminating avoidable waste of all kinds by 2050.

Attendees will consider what more can be done to develop and innovate food packaging.

It follows the launch of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee inquiry into plastic food and drink packaging - which seeks to assess the impact of government plastic reduction measures, barriers to innovation and whether more funding and support is needed.

We expect latest thinking on what is needed to increase the recyclability of packaging and on reducing packaging whilst maintaining the shelf-life of products.

Delegates will also assess the impact of strategies aimed at changing business practice and consumer behaviour looking at the role of producer responsibility, industry-led schemes and taxation policy going forward.

Discussion will reflect key issues from the recent consultations on a plastic packaging tax, reforming UK packaging producer responsibility, the ongoing Courtauld Commitment 2025, and the UK Plastics Pact.

Delegates will also discuss the challenges associated with the proposed DRS - including design of collection points, potential increased costs and duplicated waste collections - as well as the impact on business and local authorities, with the recent consultation on DRS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Further sessions will consider whether there should be more alignment on what is able to be recycled across the UK following the consultation on consistency in household and business recycling collections in England - and what more can be done to engage consumers, and support local authorities and environmental services organisations to improve the efficiency of their recycling services.

Delegates will discuss what more retail, the food and farming industries, and food redistribution organisations need to do to drive behaviour change and food waste reduction, as well as how to manage unavoidable food waste.

It comes with the Food Surplus and Waste Champion putting increasing pressure on the food industry - by asking them to sign up to a pledge committing to reducing food waste - which includes the Food Waste Reduction Roadmap - ahead of a progress review in November.

This seminar will discuss the next steps for improving farming productivity in the UK - with discussion on priorities for land management, innovation, skills and the impact of policy developments.

At a time of considerable change for farming in the UK with Brexit potentially having an impact on market access, welfare standards and future subsidy arrangements - delegates will discuss how best to promote and improve productivity on farm both through policy and through innovative technology and practice.

With the Agriculture Bill outlining movement towards a system of payment for ‘public goods’ in areas such as environmental and animal welfare standards - attendees will discuss how productivity fits into this mix and how best to design a payments system that promotes sustainability, stewardship and enables efficient and competitive farming.

With the 25 Year Environment Plan also looking at ways to improve soil health and incentivise sustainability and the draft Environment Bill considering the enforcement of environmental standards, further sessions will look at what more can be done to ensure farmers are equipped with the knowledge and expertise to deliver effective sustainable land management drawing on examples of best practice domestically and from international stakeholders.

Delegates will also discuss the challenges and opportunities for driving wider technology use on farms, including how to improve the translation of research from industry and academia to the farmgate - including SMEs and small farms - and the opportunities for cross sector collaboration in both boosting research and improving take up.

Following recent commitments by the Secretary of State to more investment in research and development and the importance of technologies such as AI, drones, robotics and data, the seminar also considers the role of innovative and disruptive technology in improving farm productivity.

This conference will be a timely opportunity to discuss next steps for tackling childhood obesity in England.

At a key time for decisions on the future direction of policy, it is bringing policymakers together with stakeholders in public health and the food and drink industry.

Delegates will consider the issues in the context of responses to consultations on the second chapter of the Government’s Childhood obesity plan for action - looking at TV and online advertising, in-store placement and promotion of HFSS products, the sale of energy drinks to children, and calorie labelling in the out-of-home sector.

We expect discussion on practicalities and implementation issues, as well as the expectations of businesses of different scales within the food sector, and of other stakeholders in public health, education, local authorities and families.

They will consider how advertising policy and regulation might develop across the range of media and online platforms and the timelines for any changes - and assess progress through the voluntary sugar reduction and calorie reduction programmes.

With the new Change4Life campaign launched we expect discussion on latest thinking on making healthier choices easier, drawing on research findings, latest innovative approaches and insights on consumer habits and attitudes.

The agenda will bring out latest thinking on the role of schools and other education settings in encouraging healthy lifestyles and behaviours, and how leadership and action in this area should be measured.

We expect discussion on investment of the Soft Drinks Industry Levy revenue, the priorities for the forthcoming update of the School Food Standards, and the cross-government School Sport and Activity Action Plan.

The discussion will be informed by the Whole Systems Approach to Obesity programme - which worked with 11 local authorities to help deliver coordinated actions on childhood obesity - and the Trailblazer programme which is supporting local authorities to develop plans to reduce child obesity.

Sessions examine the way forward for collaboration, looking at best practice in the development of local approaches to support children and families in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.

The seminar will also discuss how public and private sector bodies can work together to improve prevention and delivery of support - drawing on experience from across local government, the NHS, schools, parent groups, the third sector and industry.

This conference examines key issues for the future of food regulation across the UK.

Delegates will assess the ongoing implementation of the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) Regulating Our Future (ROF) programme - which aims to modernise the regulatory system for food to improve flexibility and the ability to respond to technological change, and cater for an evolving and increasingly diverse sector.

Sessions bring out discussion on:

• Local responsibilities, powers and resources;
• Impact on environmental health professionals, including accreditation;
• Issues for businesses - evidence of compliance, data sharing and online registration;
• Rapid response - surveillance, horizon scanning and traceability; and
• Consumer engagement - confidence in UK food supply chains, composition and safety of food.

Delegates will also look ahead to next steps for implementation in light of updated priorities outlined by the FSA including:

• The scaling up of online food business registration;
• Moving towards a risk-based approach to regulation with the segmenting of food businesses;
• Changing the regulatory relationship between businesses and local authorities through the Primary Authority National Inspection Strategy;
• Examining the future funding model for food regulation; and
• Developing a framework for the statutory food hygiene scheme in England.

Further discussion focuses on the future relationship with food regulation in Europe and beyond, looking at the potential impact of Brexit on food regulatory systems, and the supply chain, as well as the outlook for new markets - the impact of any future trade deals on food standards, and next steps for policy.

It takes place with continuing political and diplomatic developments, including the Government’s draft agreement for withdrawal and preparations for a potential no deal scenario.

We also expect discussion on plans for replacement of risk functions currently undertaken by the European Commission and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), as the FSA has consulted on potential amendments to food and animal feed law.

This conference focuses on the future of the UK agriculture sector - and will be an opportunity for stakeholders to engage with policymakers on key issues at a pivotal point in the Brexit process.

It is timed to discuss the impact on the sector of changes proposed in the Agriculture Bill which is currently being debated in Parliament - including moves towards a system of payment for ‘public goods’ in areas such as environmental and animal welfare standards.  

Delegates will also examine the practicalities of the agricultural transition period in England between 2021 and 2027, looking at how best to support farmers during this time and future funding - and will be informed by the upcoming review on the future distribution of agriculture funding between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Following the closed consultation on Environmental Principles and Governance post-Brexit, and with the draft Environment Bill recently released, attendees will also assess the role of UK agriculture in protecting the environment, security of food supply and what more can be done to support productivity in the sector.

Further sessions look at possible new approaches to regulating farming with the recently published Review of Farm Inspection and Regulation.