Lewes District Food Partnership was pleased to attend the Sustain Annual Conference 2025, which brought together people across the nation working in sustainable food systems to hear an inspiring set of talks from experts, change-makers and peers a critical time for systems change in food.
The UK government has committed this year to develop a new food strategy – a huge opportunity to see the implementation of measures recommended by advocates of sustainable food and farming.
While eyes were on national policy, the conference also highlighted local action as the starting point and building blocks to creating the sustainable, resilient and equitable food systems that our communities need.
Food resilience starts with tackling food insecurity
The event opened with a rousing keynote speech by Tim Laing, Professor of Food Policy, who sketched a stark context: 15% of households in the UK are food insecure, while there are a multitude of risks to food supply in the UK, including global conflict, the weaponization of food, climate change and fragile, just-in-time supply chains. Furthermore, his work with the National Preparedness Commission shows that these risks are underappreciated: of the 89 national risks identified by the national risk register, only one relates to food.
The food sector is not only the UK’s largest employer, but it serves a vital and immediate need for our country. Tim therefore argues that it is only right that serious steps are taken to defend food. Different approaches must also be explored, for example: the right to food movement; forging new allies in different sectors; and (as a result of the Government’s new food policy framework), a joined-up, multi-level strategy with new legislation to back it up.
Tim also highlighted that to achieve food system resilience, it is poverty and inequality that must be addressed first and foremost.
Reflecting on this speech, Dee Woods of IFAN said that when we think of food, it is not only about feeding people, but feeding them well, while taking care of the planet. This ensures that we account for the health and environmental impacts that cannot be separated from food.
She called for people to value the basic things: local food, batch cooking, cooking for others, and robust community-led responses to hunger and poor nutrition.
Watch the speech and discussion here.
A new food strategy for the UK
Session 1 focused in on how to secure the new food strategy that we need, and a food system that works for everyone. The four goals that the government has set out include:
- An improved food system so that it provides more easily accessible and affordable healthy food to address ill health through diet.
- Maintaining food security by building resilience.
- Reducing impact of farming food production on nature, biodiversity and climate, and helping farmers in that transition.
- Ensuring that the food sector – UK’s biggest manufacturing sector – contributes to economic growth.
Looking at lessons learned from previous food strategies and policies, Anna Taylor, Executive Director the Food Foundation and Baroness Walmsley, Chair of House of Lords Committee on Food, Diet and Obesity recommended the following if the forthcoming national strategy is to deliver the ambition that it promises:
- A range of voices feed into the strategy to secure a breadth of support and sense of ownership by those who have been involved in the process.
- Strong leadership is a precondition for success – changes to food haven’t happened previously because of political changes and instability.
- Coordinated strategies. Previous food policy attempts have been piecemeal, and not implemented, monitored or followed up.
- Commitments should be mandatory vs. voluntary.
- Policies should not rely too much on personal responsibility. This ignores that people are unable to make the ‘right’ or healthy choice because of factors such as price and availability.
Mandatory business reporting is a quick win that does not face industry backlash. This would require food businesses above a certain size to report on metrics such as health, so that we can track whether the industry is moving in right direction. Primary legislation should also be passed to set out expectations of a food system, set ambition and establish processes to scrutinise progress.
Children’s health was noted by Baroness Walmsley as a huge priority, from a young age as food preferences are laid down early.
Anna Taylor noted that the easiest way to make money in the food system is to sell food that isn’t good for us, however policy can change this harsh reality of the commercial environment. She recommends a re-examining of the core idea that tax measures, alongside subsidies for healthy food, can move the incentives and outcomes.
Community food projects: making change on the ground
Session 2 provided opportunity to hear directly from community projects, such as councils, Food Partnerships, retailers and initiatives that have been changing food locally over the past 4 years. Sustainable Food Places.
In Wales, Food Sense Wales spoke about their aims to co-create a positive food culture, catalyse a revolution in local and sutainable procurement and co-create food policy and legislative framework through. They are doing this through a network of food partnerships, by piloting and scaling up innovative approaches, advocating for and developing good food policy, telling success stories within food system.
Gateshead Council is one of implementors of the Good Food Local North East exercise, a regional approach to building better local food systems. They reported on the progress made at the end of year one of three of the programme, including the benefits of sharing, advocating and creating consistency through a framework.
Devon County Council spoke about a cross-sector collaboration to their Food Partnership. Finally, a greengrovers in Carrickfergus, near Belfast, showed how they have been able to drive change through community.