Our farmers have had an incredibly difficult few years. The government could do more to help - it spends £2bn per year on catering for the public sector including schools, hospitals and the armed forces and could easily buy more quality, high welfare British produce.
Government ministers are considering new policies for food at the moment. We need you to write to your MP now to make sure the law is changed in favour of high-quality farmers.
Every year a quarter of the population eat a meal in the public sector. Using higher welfare, quality British produce would be a win-win for the public, for British farmers and for our environment. The way we produce food contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, so buying food that's better for the environment and nature would help tackle climate change.
At the moment, public sector meals are supposed to include healthy, higher-welfare and British produce, but the rules aren’t enforced and are often ignored. In fact, Sustain estimates that the standards aren’t followed 50% of the time. In early 2022 the government will publish a plan for new policies on food and this is their opportunity to change our ineffective buying rules. Please join us in calling for a new Food Bill, which would make a change in the law possible, and ensure public sector catering supports high-quality British producers.