The first meeting of the Farming and Food Partnership Board

The Farming and Food Partnership Board met for the first time yesterday, bringing together leaders from farming, food and retail. 

The board is chaired by  Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds, with Farming Minister Dame Angela Eagle as Deputy Chair.

It brings government and industry together to improve farm productivity and profitability, strengthen food system resilience and support national security.

This post sets out what was discussed, what was agreed and what will happen next, including work on growth plans for the horticulture and poultry sectors.

Purpose of the board 

The Farming and Food Partnership Board exists to increase farmers' and growers’ profitability and productivity, stimulate growth in the sector and strengthen food security. It will provide oversight and a forum to address issues.

Farmers and growers continue to face significant pressures, including rising input costs and disruption from international events such as conflict, extreme weather and supply chain pressures.

In this context, members agreed that strengthening domestic production is essential to national food security and economic stability. Closer partnership across the supply chain, from farm to fork, will support this. 

The board builds on the work of Baroness Minette Batters’ Farming Profitability Review, which highlighted the need for a stronger focus on farm profitability and closer collaboration between government and industry.

The board works alongside the Food Strategy Advisory Board (FSAB), which considers the UK’s wider food system and the outcomes sought by the government’s food strategy.  

The Partnership Board will not duplicate work covered by the Environmental Improvement Plan and other boards. Instead, it will focus on how sustainable farming can support investment and growth, including opportunities to attract private finance. 

The board will look across the whole supply chain, with a clear focus on improving farm profitability, while recognising that good land management supports long-term resilience. 

Alongside this, existing government support will continue to help farmers deliver environmental outcomes and build resilient businesses, including through environmental land management (ELM) schemes. 

Attendees and future membership  

The first meeting brought together a small group from across the supply chain to help shape future membership and how the board will work. It included: 

• Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) 

• Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) 

• British Retail Consortium (BRC) 

• Food & Drink Federation (FDF) 

• Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) 

• National Farmers’ Union (NFU) 

• UK Hospitality (UKH) 

During the meeting, members put forward names to fill the remaining places, which the Secretary of State will now consider. The board is expected to have up to 15 members.

Full membership and how the board will operate will be agreed and published on GOV.UK. 

Topics of discussion 

At the first meeting, members brought together experience from across the supply chain to build a shared understanding of the main challenges and opportunities. 

They will use smaller groups and experts from the sector to take forward more detailed work. 

Members also set some early priorities. These included completing the work to establish membership, preparing terms of reference, and agreeing the outcomes the board will work towards in the short and long term. 

A GOV.UK page for the Farming and Food Partnership Board will be published in the summer. It will bring together information, updates and documents in one place.

Sector Growth Plans 

Sector Growth Plans will be a central part of the board’s work.  

Where possible, Sector Growth Plans will be developed with existing industry groups, using their experience, rather than creating new structures. 

The first Sector Growth Plan will be for horticulture, with poultry to follow. Both sectors have shown potential to increase domestic production quickly.

The Horticulture Expert Growers Group, working with others including the UK Fruit and Vegetable Coalition, and the Environmental Horticulture Group, has been invited by the board to start work immediately on the first Sector Growth Plan for the horticultural sector.      

Each plan will: 

• set out the main barriers to growth and profitability, including regulation where relevant, and how these could be addressed 

• look at how costs and returns are shared across the supply chain 

• identify ways to increase productivity and sell more produce in the UK and overseas 

Sector Growth Plans will reflect the wider context in which farmers and growers operate, considering both market signals and the direction of government policy.

For example, policy steers from the Farming Roadmap (once published) and the Land Use Framework, as well as ongoing environmental commitments and legal duties.   

Next steps

The board will meet again at the start of summer, and updates will be shared on the Farming Blog as work progresses.

We will also share opportunities to get involved through consultations, surveys and events.

A new GOV.UK page for the board will be published in due course. By subscribing to the Farming Blog, you can stay up to date and be notified when new posts are published.