United Kingdom

image:the library of congress

Yesterday Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs launched the government’s new 20-year food and farming strategy. The strategy was co-ordinated by DEFRA , although it integrates policy on food across every government department for the first time since the second world war.

It acknowledges that the way we produce and consume food in Britain is unsustainable to our planet and to ourselves. This is shown by formally linking how the UK’s food production and distribution affects much more than the countryside and environment but our health, social equity and food security.

Benn believes that Britain needs to grow more food in a more sustainable way, using less water and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in response to climate change and growing world populations.

“We know we are at one of those moments in our history where the future of our economy, our environment, and our society will be shaped by the choices we make now.”

The ‘Food 2030′ strategy emphasises that consumers should lead the way by buying “greener” food, wasting less and growing more of their own: “People power can help bring about a revolution in the way food is produced and sold.”

Supermarkets also play a key role in the way we buy and consume our food, as well as holding a big slice of power. This issue is not officially addressed in this strategy.

This food and farming strategy is a positive start in raising awareness of such pressing issues which affect us all, although it does not deal with the crucial issue of consumption or address the dangerous amount of greenhouse gas emissions that come from our high meat and dairy consumption. This contradicts the report ‘Setting the Table’ from the Sustainable Development Commission, which advises the government, that concluded that the UK should cut its consumption of meat and dairy from intensive grain-fed systems.

So, not a bad start for 2010, but let’s see what real action is taken.