💡With current geopolitical turmoil exposing our need for more resilient systems – many of which rely on land – the government’s new #LandUseFramework has come at a good time. The priority now is implementation and delivery.
👉Watch the webinar & more on our land use work: ffcc.co.uk/conversation...
📈By layering different data sets, they’re able to identify co-benefits and trade offs – optimising land use across climate, nature, health, energy, food and more.
🌱At our recent webinar ‘The Land Use Framework: next steps for implementation’ Carolyn McKenzie Director of Environment & Planning, @surreycc.gov.uk draws on the approach they’re already taking at the county level.
🏡What are the practical steps towards taking a multifunctional approach to land?
🚨Watch the webinar and find out more here: ffcc.co.uk/conversation...
“These realities highlight why we need to loosen the grip of hydrocarbons on our food system”.
> giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
What Guy says 👇🏼
My periodic reminder for when people get huffy about “subsidising” farmers with payments for public goods, industries are benefiting from public money to do bad things. www.theguardian.com/business/202...
🆕New blog: The road to food security ffcc.co.uk/conversation...
🌍As global instability exposes fragility in the UK’s food system, Dr Charlie Taverner explores how matching the ambition of the green energy transition could build resilience and set us on the path towards a more hopeful food future.
💚 Ensuring all children can eat healthy food in schools is something we know citizens care deeply about. Looking forward to seeing the findings from consultation and the government’s response.
🔗 More findings from the Citizen Advisory Council at ffcc.co.uk/food-strategy
💡The Council were incredibly impressed, particularly by its governance and financial model. There are no shareholders, all income is reinvested into food and schools, and the leadership is accountable to students.
🌱 There is also pioneering work happening at the regional level. Back in November the Food Strategy’s Citizen Advisory Council heard from @foodforthoughtschools in Liverpool about how they get healthy, nutritious food to children in schools through a good food culture.
⭐ This new intervention builds on lots of the excellent work going on across the UK to improve food in schools – the latest being the School Food Project by @foodfoundation.bsky.social, @chefsinschools.bsky.social, @biteback2030.bsky.social, @schoolfoodmatters.bsky.social & the Jamie Oliver Group.
👏 Very good to see the government scrap high-sugar and other unhealthy food from school menus – and launch a consultation on new School Food Standards for England 👉 news.sky.com/story/high-s...
🍋It’s this vital lived experience that is helping to ensure Defra's Food Strategy is grounded in people’s everyday lives.
➡️Listen to the full episode ffcc.co.uk/conversation...
👉More from the Citizen Advisory Council ffcc.co.uk/food-strategy
🥦The Council ran citizen-led research in the What Works Here Inquiries, focusing on what’s already working to make good food possible in communities across the country - as well as what’s getting in the way.
🍎FFCC’s Head of Food Futures Mhairi Brown speaking on @foodfoundation.bsky.social's Pod Bites podcast about why citizen research matters, and the impact the Citizen Advisory Council is having on the Food Strategy.
🌱“The citizens saw lots of things working everywhere they went: they saw real energy and passion in each place, and were so struck by the collaboration and partnership.”
👂Listen to FFCC's Head of Food Futures Mhairi Brown on @foodfoundation.bsky.social Pod Bites podcast: ffcc.co.uk/conversation...
🚨We're hiring - apply here: ffcc.co.uk/conversation...
Most recently, he served as Chair and Trustee of the Soil Association for eight years and currently sits on the Council of the National Trust.
Find out more about our work 👉 ffcc.co.uk/about-us
Martin brings a wealth of experience spanning business, civil society, and environmental stewardship. He has held chief executive roles across private and public sectors and built a distinguished portfolio of non-executive and chair positions.
📣New chapter for FFCC
This month marks a significant milestone in the life of FFCC. As we enter a new three year strategy, we bid a fond farewell to Dame Fiona Reynolds as Chair (who will stay on as a Commissioner), and warmly welcome Martin Nye to lead FFCC into its next phase.
👉Read the full The Telegraph article by Felix Pope here: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03...
➡️ Find out more about work of the Citizen Advisory Council: ffcc.co.uk/food-strategy
🗣️The Citizen Advisory Council are working with Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to identify the conditions for regional food systems to thrive through the ‘What Works Here Inquiries’. Their final report will be published later this summer.
We now need central government to do more to enable local leaders to deliver this kind of change – while also working towards more coherent, joined-up national food policy.
🌍Blaenau Gwent is a great example of what place-based change can look like: a local government taking decisive action to improve the health of its residents.
🍏It’s also great to see the council exploring opportunities to promote local produce and healthy food instead of takeaways. This is what citizens want: healthy, sustainable food that supports the local economy.
👏💪Blaenau Gwent shows strong local leadership on food – with the council backing plans to restrict advertising of ultra-processed food across all local authority properties.
See more from what citizens really want: ffcc.co.uk/food-strategy
Read the article: www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/03...
🍏During the ‘What Works Here Inquiries’, citizens identified some of the conditions needed to help ensure good, local food is more easily available to people and communities both in Yorkshire and across the UK.
🎥 Full film & report here: ffcc.co.uk/food-strategy
🛑But as Dominic points out, that’s not the case for much of the UK. In many communities, the food offer is shaped by what’s cheap and heavily marketed, rather than what’s fresh or locally produced.
🍳 At YOLK.farm in Yorkshire, there’s a strong sense of connection between producers and community around them, helping smaller supply chains and local food economies flourish.
