The farming and food industry has three key challenges: to compete successfully with the world’s best; care for the environment; and build public confidence in what it produces. The industry needs to achieve these aims to be sustainable, and for everyone else to see real improvements in the quality of life.
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The Government’s Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy was published in December 2002 and builds on the new vision set out in the Curry Report. The Strategy identifies how the Government will work with the whole of the food chain to secure a sustainable future for English farming and food industries, as viable industries contributing to a better environment and healthy and prosperous communities.
Consumers are demanding not only good value and guaranteed quality, but safer and more traceable food. They are concerned about nutrition, the environment, choice and animal welfare.
The dynamism of the food economy masks a number of important environmental, social and health issues. Carbon emissions resulting from food transport are one result of the trade system, which contributes to climate change. There is an immediate concern about people’s access to affordable healthy food. In addition, poor town planning and short-term approaches to regeneration are leading to the gradual erosion of retail diversity and high street competition. Research also suggests that jobs in the food sector are poorly paid and hard work, whether as a waiter, chef, shopkeeper, farmer or technician. A significant proportion of premature deaths due to cancers and cardiovascular disease can be tackled directly by dietary means.
