The Hope Farm Statement
Food and farming in the UK are at a critical inflection point.
In the aftermath of World War II, the UK government asked farmers to intensify production,
maximise yields and produce food as cheaply as possible – and they did this very well. However,
we know now that this policy has come at a significant societal and environmental cost, while
increasingly trapping farmers themselves in a supply chain vulnerable to global price shocks,
climate threats and geopolitical crises. These costs, both visible and hidden, are paid by us all –
by the environment, through our taxes, and in the health and wellbeing of present and future
generations. Right now, farmers are struggling with the impacts of climate change, are not
receiving a fair price for their produce, and more and more households face food poverty and
insecurity, while good food is wasted.
It does not have to be like this. We have an opportunity - and in some cases a legal obligation – to
ensure that everyone in the UK has enough healthy, nutritious, and sustainable food, and to
tackle dietary inequalities; to provide a clear direction, fair reward, and reliable, long-term
package of support to the farmers to produce the healthy food we need; to ensure a healthy and
flourishing countryside and natural environment; to address the climate and biodiversity crises,
and to safeguard high animal welfare.
Over the past year, a group of leaders from farming, business, civil society, research, and
government has met to reflect on how we can play our full part in leading the transition. We
ourselves are inspired by the citizens involved in the UK-wide Food Conversation, who are clear
in their call for governments across the UK and businesses to act for fairer, greener, healthier
food and farming. And we know that pivoting from the current system to a new one will require
clear and courageous leadership; strategically aligned policies; and supportive regulation.
Together, we are calling for the next UK Government as a matter of urgent national priority
– starting in its first 100 days – to implement a bold national food and farming strategy for
the UK, drawing on the wealth of evidence available, including in the National Food
Strategy.
Our six core recommendations are:
1. Legally binding targets and policy coherence: the adoption of clear and legally
binding national food systems targets designed to deliver sustained progress against
a coherent set of long-term food system objectives which should include: access to
healthy, sustainable diets; the safeguarding of food resilience; tackling and adapting to
climate change; protecting and restoring nature; ensuring water security; and ending
household food insecurity. These targets should be underpinned by an effective cross-
cutting governance structure to ensure policy coherence and be aligned with nature
and climate targets already set out in law;
2. Increased public as well as private sector funding to support farmers with the
transition to more sustainable practices: a guaranteed agricultural budget
commensurate with the scale of the task until 2029, sufficient to invest in a just
transition to sustainable farming and food resilience; food production in harmony with
nature, based on regenerative and sustainable farming systems; and the protection and
restoration of nature and action on climate to which the UK is committed by law; and
the development of reliable and secure income streams for farmers from private
sources, paying them for their work to further create and enhance public and private
services, focused on climate, natural capital and social outcomes;
3. Robust public procurement standards, coupled with tighter regulation on unhealthy
food: robust, mandatory nutrition and sustainability standards for all public food
procurement, setting a target of [at least] 50% local procurement with high
environmental standards. This would be coupled with the implementation of existing
regulations on the statute books concerning unhealthy food advertising and volume
promotions, noting that the right policy framework and incentives will stimulate action
from the public as well as private sector to shift to healthier, more sustainable foods;
4. Multifunctional land use framework: a multifunctional land use framework to
support local decision-making that meets climate, health, nature, and food resilience
goals, includes targets for sustainable food production, and which helps to mediate
decisions with other sectors (such as housing and energy);
5. Fair and consistent standards: the application of high standards that encourage fairness
with a strong and straightforward regulatory framework that covers all sectors
and ensures fair dealing between retailers and intermediaries and farmers. This would
be linked to a coherent trade strategy built around core standards for environmental
sustainability, animal health and welfare, and that covers imported food; designed to
ensure that domestic food production is not undermined by imports produced to lower
standards;
6. Measurement and disclosure frameworks for accountability: based on a common
measurement framework which enables decision-makers to assess the impacts of their
policies and delivery for climate, nature, health, and social capital; coupled with
mandatory public reporting by food companies of sales data on health and
sustainability metrics.
Signatories 08.05.2024
Anna Taylor (CEO, The Food Foundation)
Andrew Selley (CEO Bidfood)
Bas Padberg (UK Managing Director, Arla UK)
Beccy Speight (CEO, RSPB)
Edward Davey (Head, World Resources Institute Europe UK Office)
Helen Browning (CEO, Soil Association)
Henry Dimbleby (author of the National Food Strategy)
Hilary McGrady (CEO, National Trust)
James Mayer (CEO, Danone UK & Ireland)
James Perry (Co-Chair, COOK)
Jeremy Oppenheim (Founding Partner, SYSTEMIQ)
Martin Lines (CEO, Nature Friendly Farming Network)
Patrick Holden (Founding Director, Sustainable Food Trust)
Paul Polman (Former CEO, Unilever)
Richard Watson (CEO, Nestle UK and Ireland)
Sue Pritchard (CEO, Food, Farming and Countryside Commission)
Tanya Steele (CEO, WWF-UK)
Shaun Spiers, (Executive Director, Green Alliance)
William Kendall (Farmer & Board Member)
