Westminster Food & Nutrition Forum

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.

This conference will be a timely opportunity to examine the direction of policy and what it means for the UK’s food, drink and farming sector at a time of significant change and uncertainty.

The discussion

• Competitiveness - latest thinking on promoting and protecting UK brands globally - including developing trade with evolving markets such as China;
• Support - what is needed by the industry, across the UK, to adapt to any regulatory changes following the UK’s exit from the European Union - including for SMEs;  
• Workforce - ensuring the sector has access to the workforce it needs, with the right skills and that it is seen as an attractive career destination;
• Research - examining the Sector Deal and other mechanisms to provide support with investment and commercialisation of world-leading UK food research and innovation;
• Supply chain management - improving transparency, safeguarding standards and contingency planning for cross-channel capacity and Irish border issues;
• Sustainability - engaging the food industry and the public with land management and stewardship options in the context of developing UK environmental policy and international commitments; and
• International relationships and trade - the impact of any future tariffs and checks on exporting agri-food businesses, customs requirements on importing businesses following the UK’s exit from the European Union; learning from Australia’s diverse exporting experience and particular emerging issues for the meat and live exports sector.

Context

• Government no-deal guidance papers in areas including pesticides, GM products, exporting animal products, breeding animals, fishing and food labelling regulations;
• Findings and recommendations from the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee on The impact of Brexit on the processed food and drink sector;
• The development of a Sector Deal by the Food and Drink Sector Council - focusing on exports and innovation;

• The recently published Fisheries Bill, which includes proposals on access to fish in UK waters, fishing opportunities and quotas and protection of the marine environment;
• The Agriculture Bill, which includes measures to increase transparency in the supply chain and proposes a move towards a system of payment for ‘public goods’ - such as environmental and animal welfare standards - over the agricultural transition period in England between 2021 and 2027; and
• The independent review on factors that should determine future distribution of agriculture funding between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The timely conference will assess next steps for science and innovation in agriculture.

It will be an opportunity to examine the impact of new legislation being introduced as the UK leaves the Common Agricultural Policy, including an Environment Bill and the recently published Agriculture Bill. The seminar also comes as the UK Government prepares a number of no deal guidance papers including on animal breeding, pesticides, GM products and plant variety rights.

Delegates will discuss what these developments mean for productivity, and for those working in the agriculture and food sectors - including the commitment to increase productivity and invest in research and development in areas such as soil health, alongside a system of payment for ‘public goods’ in areas such as water quality, emissions, biodiversity, and animal welfare standards.

Further sessions assess priorities for science and key developments in UK agriculture - drawing on what can be learnt from advances in other industries and moves towards automation.

Attendees will consider the future use of data in agriculture, and further developments in agri-tech, along with priorities for improving the utilisation of technology and to support knowledge transfer in the agriculture sector and prospects for promoting UK science and innovation internationally.

This seminar focused on the latest policy developments and next steps for tackling obesity in England.

 The key discussion points were:

• Assessing progress - opportunities for prevention and driving changes to consumer behaviour - where are we now and what’s working?;
• Next steps - new approaches to tackling obesity and the way forward for policy, including digital opportunities and roles across all sectors;
• The industry perspective - developments in the food and drink sector on producing and promoting healthy alternatives;
• Practicalities - focusing on issues around product reformulation, portion sizing and labelling;
• Marketing policy - assessing developments in food advertising policy and the impact of policy proposals for further restrictions on HFSS food promotion;
• Priorities for improving public health - including the rates of severe obesity in children leaving primary school, inequalities and tackling obesogenic environments; and
• Case study example - tackling obesity in London, with the seminar coinciding with the launch of the London Childhood Obesity Taskforce.

This seminar focused on the next steps for food labelling in the UK looking at industry standards, transparency in the supply chain and promoting British produce.

The key discussion points were:

• Front and back of pack and menu labelling - the direction of policy development, with government expected to consult on criteria to be applied and how changes would be enforced;
• Implementation challenges - and burdens across the supply chain, and options for supporting producer and industry compliance;
• UK labelling post-Brexit - including opportunities for greater clarity, looking at allergens, animal welfare standards, and nutrition and health claims;
• Geographical indicators - and the future of country of origin labelling and protected name schemes, and implications for food placed on the EU market after the withdrawal date;
• Consumer information - understanding what nutritional and other information consumers find important and issues around higher welfare cost choices, and assurance markers; and
• Promoting British produce - both domestically and abroad, and learning from international experience.