I'm on holiday this week, so I've lined up Dan Crossley, Executive Director at Food Ethics Council, for a this guest blog post.
The RSPB is among ten organisations that have come together to call for a more integrated approach to policy across food, farming, the environment and public health. In a new report, 'Square Meal: why we need a new recipe for the future', we set out a different vision for food and farming. The Food Ethics Council is a fellow contributor to Square Meal report.
Summer is in full swing in the UK. People are out enjoying the sunshine. Schools are shut. Parliament is closed. Commuter trains are quieter than normal. Life rumbles on at a slightly slower pace.
In contrast, our food and farming systems continue apace – and the challenges posed by ‘business as usual’ in the way our food is produced and consumed aren’t getting any smaller.
Thirty three percent of under 18s in the UK are overweight or obese; many hundreds of thousands of our citizens are struggling to be able to afford to eat and we’ve lost 44 million pairs of breeding birds in less than 50 years.
That’s why I have a food-related summer plea – which comes in three parts
Firstly, when you’re tucking into your next summer meal, pause for a minute and think about what’s gone into making that burger, salad or sandwich.
Think about the water needed for the ingredients to grow, the ecosystem services (like pollinators) that the ingredients depend on, the energy needed to process it, the labour that’s gone into growing and making the food and the oil needed to transport it all.
For a few minutes, try putting yourself in the shoes of one of those key ‘actors’ that have helped make your meal – whether it be a farmer, the land, a food manufacturer or a retailer. How does that make you think differently about the food you’re eating?
Secondly (if that’s got you thinking more about food), please look at our recently published Square Meal report.
Spoiler alert…. It’s a bunch of NGOs (and academics) calling for, amongst other things, an overhaul of food and farming policy, a long-term vision, more joined-up policy around food and farming, greater collaboration and strong leadership from government.
So, what’s new, you might wonder?
Well for me, what’s exciting and hugely powerful is that it’s the first time the 10 organisations involved have come together in this way (to list them in full, it’s the Food Research Collaboration, the RSPB, the Food Ethics Council, Sustain, the Wildlife Trusts, the Soil Association, the National Trust, Eating Better, Friends of the Earth and Compassion in World Farming).
We have our differences, but we’ve put them to one side here, because we all want food and farming systems that deliver for people, animals and the environment – for the long-term.
Thirdly, please go beyond summer reading and actively join in the Square Meal debate. If you care about your natural environment, your health and wellbeing, the welfare of animals, and the fair treatment of those working in producing and selling our food, we’d love to hear your views.
We shouldn’t underestimate the power of our collective voices. If we all come together and show government how public health, conservation, and social and environmental concerns and their solutions go hand in hand, imagine how much better our food and farming systems could be.
The Food Ethics Council works to build fair and resilient food systems that respect people, animals and the planet, by helping food businesses, government and civil society address ethical concerns at the heart of decision-making about food and farming.