Westminster Food & Nutrition Forum

***Full-scale policy conference taking place online***

Key stakeholders and policymakers at this timely conference will discuss key issues for agriculture policy and funding in the UK.

Why this is relevant now - the context:

It takes place with:

• negotiations taking place on the UK’s withdrawal agreement with the EU
• policy developments including:
  
  • the Agriculture Bill, which outlines the expected changes to the new payments systems along with the new Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme
  • the Future for food, farming and the environment policy statement, outlining further information about England’s agricultural policy
• the Future Farming Resilience Funding scheme which aims to provide guidance and support services as the transition into the new payment system begins
• DEFRA announcing a range of support measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including:
  
  • financial support for English dairy farmers who have suffered heavy losses as a result of the pandemic and the Farming Minister announcing those affected will be able to apply for funding from the 18th June
  • temporary relaxation of UK competition law to encourage collaboration across the dairy industry - allowing farmers to share resources and intelligence so as to keep production flowing
  • extension of application deadlines for the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS), Countryside Stewardship (CS), and Environmental Stewardship (ES)

Key areas for discussion:

• Practicalities - looking at:
  
  • the Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme
  • payment for public goods in areas like environmental and animal welfare standards
  • support during the transition period
• Farm finance - including:
  
  • the impact of any changes
  • further support that might be needed for the sector to reach net-zero emissions
  • sustainable practices in devolved nations
• The overall payment process and what lessons can be learnt from the direct payment system under CAP
• Monitoring and measuring environmental standards and disseminating best practice
• The evolving regulatory landscape - looking at:
  
  • food security and productivity
  • options for creating a system that promotes sustainability, stewardship, and efficient and competitive farming
• Issues for smaller farms and those with limited adaptive capacity
• The COVID-19 pandemic - with discussion expected on:
  
  • extra support needed for the food supply chain
  • strategies in place to support farmers with the workforce shortages
  • how payments systems can adapt to events such as COVID-19

The agenda:

• Priorities going forward for agricultural policy and the Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme
• The vision for the ELM scheme: productivity, funding and local delivery
• Practicalities of a new system - monitoring, environmental standards, external challenges, and learning from Payments by Results pilot schemes
• Case study: supporting sustainable farming in Wales
• Implementation issues - farming regulations, food security, finance, and towards net-zero emissions

Policy officials attending:

Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stakeholders.

It’s certainly the case with this one. Places have been reserved by parliamentary pass-holders from both Houses of Parliament, and officials from Defra; the Environment Agency; the Committee on Climate Change; DAERA; MHCLG; BEIS; Cabinet Office; the National Audit Office; the Natural Capital Committee; the Office for National Statistics and the Welsh Government.

This is a full-scale conference taking place online***

• full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording to refer back to
• information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
• conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
• speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
• opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
• a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials, is made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
• delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
• networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!

Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference

***Full-scale policy conference taking place online***

This conference  which is bringing together key stakeholders and policymakers to discuss the priorities for developing a new wide-ranging National Food Strategy for England.

The agenda:

• Stakeholder perspectives on the development of an overarching food strategy:
  
  • What makes a good food system - with Professor Tim Lang, Professor of Food Policy, City, University of London
  • Maintaining a competitive and secure food manufacturing industry - with Ian Wright, Chief Executive, Food and Drink Federation
  • Agricultural standards and our food values - with Minette Batters, President, NFU
  • Engaging small business and retailers in the future food strategy - with Edward Woodall, Director, Government Relations, ACS
• Food we can trust - making it happen- with Emily Miles, Chief Executive Officer, Food Standards Agency
• Providing a sustainable and healthy National Food Strategy
  
  • Improving healthy choices within the food industry - with Alison Tedstone, National Director, Diet, Nutrition and Obesity, Public Health England
  • A business perspective on the future of the food system and the National Food Strategy - with Stefano Agostini, Chief Executive Officer, Nestlé UK&I
  • Working with the natural environment to deliver a sustainable strategy - with Tanya Steele, Chief Executive Officer, WWF
  • Consumer priorities for a food strategy - with Sue Davies, Head, Consumer Protection and Food Policy, Which?
  • Engaging with children, families and those with less access to fresh and affordable food - with Claire Pritchard, Chair, London Food Board & CEO, Greenwich Cooperative Development Agency

Policy officials attending:

Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stakeholders.

It’s particularly the case with this one. Places have been reserved by parliamentary pass-holders from both Houses of Parliament, and officials from Defra; Defra - Northern Irleand; DAERA; BEIS; the Committee on Climate Change; DHSC; the Food Standards Agency; Food Standards Scotland; MHCLG; the National Audit Office; the National Food Crime Unit; DFID; the Department for International Trade; Crown Commercial Services; The Scottish Government and the Welsh Government. 

This is a full-scale conference taking place online***

• full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording to refer back to
• information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
• conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
• speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
• opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
• a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials, is made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
• delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
• networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!

Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference

***Full-scale policy conference taking place online***

This conference is bringing together key stakeholders and policymakers to discuss the way forward for policy and industry practice on children’s food and nutrition in England.

Key areas for discussion:

• The Childhood Obesity Plan - next steps for implementation of, including:
  
  • addressing the key challenges for nutrition in the early years and school,
  • insights from successful case studies, and industry initiatives aimed at reducing the incidence of childhood obesity and malnutrition,
  • best practice in promoting healthy and sustainable attitudes to food and reducing childhood inequalities, and
  • what more can be done to support children and families to reach and maintain a healthy weight.
• The Marmot Review 10 Years On and recent government commitments - with discussion expected on:
  
  • what more can be done to reduce variation in access to nutritious food, and identify and support at-risk groups by placing health equity at the heart of policy,
  • next steps for product reformulation and calorie labelling to improve the nutritional content of food and encourage behaviour change, and
  • options for developing the of the UK sugar levy.
• Community-based solutions - including discussion on:
  
  • what is being done at a local level and across primary care to provide to identify malnutrition and promote healthy weight management,  and
  • supporting children susceptible to malnutrition throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and assessing initiatives such as the recently announced free school meals voucher scheme, and
  • how provision of food in schools may need to change going forward and the support that may be needed to introduce the necessary measures.
• The out-of-home sector - assessing what is being done to provide healthier choices and better inform consumers, areas of innovation and further action that could be taken.

Developments that are relevant to the discussion:

• The recently launched free school meals voucher scheme aiming to continue providing meals to children eligible for them whilst they stay at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Inequalities policy and developments, including:
  
  • new National Child Measurement Programme data showing obesity prevalence to be highest among children living in the most deprived areas of England;
  • the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care reaffirming his ambition to reduce inequality through prevention in his key priorities for 2020, and
  • publication of Health Equity in England: The Marmot Review 10 Years On.
• Implementing Advancing our health: prevention in the 2020s - food labelling, reformulation, improving nutritional content, and supporting individuals to achieve and maintain a healthier weight;
• The independent Time to solve childhood obesity report from the former CMO and its calls for action across industry and the public sector to meet 2030 obesity reduction targets;
• Development of the independent National Food Strategy for England - with an interim report due in the spring; and
• PHE’s latest progress report on results of the sugar reduction programme highlighting variation in reducing the sugar in food between at-home and the out-of-home sector.

The agenda:

• Progress to date and implementing Chapter 3 of the Childhood Obesity Plan;
• National Food Strategy and developing a food system that encourages healthy and sustainable diets;
• Nutrition in early years and school - improving attitudes to food, and supporting children and families to achieve and maintain a healthy weight;
• Prevention, identification, and management of obesity and complications of Covid 19;
• Innovative approaches to reducing childhood obesity and malnutrition:
  
  • Reducing inequality in access to healthy and nutritious food and helping at-risk groups;
  • Moving beyond the sugar reduction programme - reformulation and calorie labelling; and
  • The out-of-home sector - creating healthier choices and supporting consumer choice.

Policy officials attending

Our forums are known for attracting strong interest from policymakers and stake holders.

It’s certainly the case with this one. Places have been reserved by officials from DHSC; Defra; Food Standards Scotland; the Welsh Government; and the Department for International Trade.

This is a full-scale conference taking place online***

• full, four-hour programme including comfort breaks - you’ll also get a full recording to refer back to
• information-rich discussion involving key policymakers and stakeholders
• conference materials provided in advance, including speaker biographies
• speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish, using the Cisco WebEx professional online conference platform (easy for delegates - we’ll provide full details)
• opportunities for live delegate questions and comments with all speakers
• a recording of the addresses, all slides cleared by speakers, and further materials, is made available to all delegates afterwards as a permanent record of the proceedings
• delegates are able to add their own written comments and articles following the conference, to be distributed to all attendees and more widely
• networking too - there will be opportunities for delegates to e-meet and interact - we’ll tell you how!

Full information and guidance on how to take part will be sent to delegates before the conference

Note that due to COVID-19 restrictions this conference will be conducted online.

The format will mirror physical conferences organised by the Forum with speakers presenting via webcam, accompanied by slides if they wish. 

The conference will be chaired and there will be opportunities for delegate questions and comments.

We will be contacting all participants in advance of the conference with full information and guidance on how to take part.

This conference is bringing together stakeholders from across the food sector with policymakers to examine the future of the UK food supply chain.

Areas for discussion include:

• Fairness and the future of regulation in the grocery supply chain;
• Supply chain practices and supporting small stakeholders;
• Progress towards net-zero emissions, and the impact on the sector; and
• Trading relationships and the evolving role of UK regulators.

The seminar takes place with:

• the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs highlighting the need to improve transparency and support greater fairness in a complex supply chain as a key part of the Agriculture Bill, which is currently progressing through Parliament; and
• the Prime Minister confirming that the UK would reject any regulatory alignment in future trade talks with the EU.

Speakers

We are pleased to include keynote contributions from:

• Christine Tacon, Groceries Code Adjudicator;
• Rebecca Sudworth, Director of Policy, Food Standards Agency; and
• Anthea McIntyre, Former MEP; Shadow Rapporteur, Unfair Trading Practices in the Food Supply Chain and Member, Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development.

Further speakers include: Professor David Barling, University of Hertfordshire; Jessica Burt, Mills & Reeve; Sue Davies, Which?; James Elliott, Green Alliance; Dr Liz Goodwin, World Resources Institute and London Waste; Dr Anna Macready, University of Reading; Duncan Swift, Moore UK; and Katrina Walsh, The International Meat Trade Association

Baroness Neville-Rolfe, Member, House of Lords European Union Select Committee and Jessica Burt, Associate, Food Law, Mills & Reeve have kindly agreed to chair this seminar.

Engagement with policy officials at this conference

This Westminster Food & Nutrition Forum conference has attracted particularly strong interest from policymakers. It will be an opportunity for stakeholders to engage with officials who have reserved places from: Defra; BEIS; the Committee on Climate Change; the Department for International Trade; DFID; DHSC; the Food Standards Agency; the Crown Commercial Services; HM Revenue & Customs; Food Standards Scotland; DAERA Northern Ireland; The Scottish Government and the Welsh Government.

The agenda

• Progress on ensuring fairness in the grocery supply chain;
• Key stakeholder issues for supply chain regulation - regulation, climate change, and fair trading:
  
  • Prioritising consumer protection, meeting consumer demand, and the future regulation of the grocery retail sector;
  • Incentivising UK agriculture, supporting the path to net-zero emissions, and creating a consistent regulatory framework;
  • The future food regulatory framework and supply chain consistency as the UK moves away from regulatory alignment; and
  • Identifying supply chain risks, enabling flexible supply chain systems, and opportunities for innovation.
• Opportunities and challenges for the supply chain from future trading relationships;
• Priorities for meeting 2050 net-zero emissions targets, ensuring a just transition, and reducing waste across the supply chain;
• The European regulatory context - fair trading practice in the EU and globally; and
• The evolving role of UK regulators,

The policy context

• Provisions in the Agriculture Bill and the EU Directive on Unfair Trading Practices aimed at promoting fair dealing across the food supply chain;
• The Grocery Code Adjudicator’s response to the statutory review assessing GCA performance and the ongoing 2020 Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) Survey;
• Targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2050 across the UK;
• The launch of UK-hosted UN climate conference COP26 by the PM;
• The Committee on Climate Change 2019 Progress Report - calling for more to be done across the UK to prepare for climate change;
• The CCC’s Land use: Policies for a Net Zero UK report advising agricultural and land use policies for delivering the 2050 net-zero emissions targets;
• The unveiling of the UK Government’s ‘Points-Based’ Post-Brexit Immigration System - whereby visas are awarded based on those with specific skills, qualifications, or professions, in a bid to attract the highest talent to the UK and to end the reliance on ‘cheap labour’; and
• The expansion of the Seasonal Workers Pilot to boost the agricultural workforce.

This conference focuses on the regulatory landscape and market prospects for new and emerging novel foods.

Areas for discussion include:

• The regulation of foods that are emerging or newly classified as novel foods - as well as latest developments;
• The role of novel food methods in producing sustainable food and next steps for addressing food system challenges;
• The regulatory response to new product developments in food, nutrition, and health - including the impact of Brexit; and
• Priorities for driving forward innovation and research looking at the potential of novel foods in meeting demand for increased production of healthy food.

It comes with:

• An independent review being carried out for Defra as part of the development of a National Food Strategy looking at challenges such as food security and utilising technology;
• Proposals in the European Parliament for plant-based products to be banned from using meat designations;
• Insect food products receiving novel food status and requiring approval from January 2020; and
• The Food Standards Agency’s recent confirmation that cannabinoids (CBD) foods in the UK will need pre-market authorisation and companies will have to follow novel food processes following the European Commission’s update earlier this year to classify products including CBD as novel, as a history of consumption cannot be demonstrated.

Speakers

There will be keynote contributions from:

• Professor Peter Gregory, Chair, Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes;
• Ruth Willis, Regulated Products Risk Assessment Team Leader, Food Standards Agency; and
• Kathryn Miller, Innovation Lead, Food and Nutrition, Innovate UK.

Further speakers include: Sam Jennings, Institute of Food Science and Technology; Professor Huw Jones, Aberystwyth University; and Sharon Morey, Campden BRI - as well as Sian Edmunds, Burges Salmon; Mike Harlington, Cannabis Trades Association; Dr Nick Rousseau, Woven Network.

The agenda

• Emerging trends in novel foods;
• The potential for novel foods - priorities for research and innovation;
• Managing the introduction of new and emerging novel foods - food safety, the use of descriptors, and developing a regulatory framework;
• The role of novel food methods in producing sustainable food and addressing wider food system challenges;
• Novel food regulation post-Brexit - convergence, opportunities, and priorities:
  
  • The evolving European regulatory landscape;
  • Opportunities for novel foods from biotechnology;
  • Food sector innovation, safety assurance and market access; and
  • Nutritional health claims in novel foods - latest developments.
• Next steps for novel food regulation in the UK.

Westminster Food & Nutrition Forum conferences typically attract strong interest from policymakers. This seminar will be an opportunity for stakeholders to engage with officials from BEIS; CCC; Defra; DFID; DHSC; DIT; Food Standards Agency and the Welsh Government.