A Letter To David Davis MP
This morning, alongside 84 other organisations and on behalf of our supporters, we have signed a letter to David Davis and Theresa May to stress the important implications of Brexit on food and farming. We urge the government to adopt common-sense food, farming and fishing policies that are good for jobs, health and the environment, when they plan for the UK’s exit from the European Union. Here is the letter in full:
David Davis MP
House of Commons
London SW1A 0AA 14th July, 2016
Dear David Davis MP (copied to Theresa May PM),
We are writing to you in your role overseeing the new government unit, which will lay the groundwork for a British exit from the European Union. Our group of 85 signatory organisations works across a wide spectrum of food issues, including farming, countryside, environment, fishing and marine environment, poverty, trade, animal welfare and public health, together representing the interests of millions of people. We met this week to discuss the implications of the EU Referendum for food and farming.
A large proportion of the UK’s current food, farming and fishery policies is covered by EU competence, and re-thinking this creates many opportunities. Better food, farming and trade policies can help to cut greenhouse gas emissions from farming and food industries by 80% by 2050, and promote healthier diets to combat heart disease, cancers, diabetes and obesity and to promote oral health. Such policies can also support a vibrant and diverse economy, good jobs and working conditions, ethical and sustainable production methods, international development, improved animal welfare, more farmland and marine wildlife and restored farmland biodiversity, as well as enhancing the beauty of the countryside and protecting the environment (in particular fresh water and soils), while providing a safe and traceable food supply.
Crafting good food and farming policies is also essential to help heal the rift that has so far characterised the EU Referendum process, as well as to combat the disenfranchisement and distrust in the political process that so many of our fellow citizens have expressed.
We therefore suggest that the new unit, under your leadership, should:
Ensure, in concert with the devolved administrations, that fair, healthy, humane and environmentally sustainable food, farming, fishing and land management are central to the post EU Referendum strategy for the UK.
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Food, farming and fishing policies, and the sectors’ compliance with strong environmental protections, designed explicitly to achieve public good, must be the bedrock principle for any post EU Referendum negotiations.
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Public spending on subsidies, research or other support must be directly linked to public goods.
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The role of migrant and seasonal labour in food production needs to be tackled head on.
Ensure that new trade agreements build on, and do not undermine, progress achieved over several decades and under several governments.
There are many examples, to name but a few: local and sustainable food in public sector food buying, which can help lead the way in investing in quality British production; environmental legislation that protects natural environments, wildlife and habitats; the living wage and better working conditions; millions of food jobs supported in the world’s poorest countries; food labelling and marketing controls; animal welfare standards; tackling food waste; support for organic production methods, and new approaches to reducing farm antibiotic use. While more progress is needed in all of these areas, we are seriously concerned that such considerations may be over-run by a drive for new trade deals at any cost, and pressures to de-regulate. Conducting Environmental and Health Impact Assessments as part of the preparation for new trade deals should be a critical step in the process.
We therefore urge you to ensure that:
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The unit’s terms of reference include public health and sustainability.
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Food, farming and fishing makes up one of the Options Papers being developed by your unit.
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The unit includes officials with food, farming and fishing, public health and sustainability expertise, including from e.g. DEFRA, DfID, BIS, FSA, FSS and DH, and from the Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland governments and administrations.
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You draw on expertise outside the civil service to support your fact-finding and development of options. We are ready to support you in this and our networks include some of the UK’s best academics on food policy, experts on key issues and other well-informed stakeholders.
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Respect for scientific advice on environmental and public health matters is prioritised, for example when advising on environmental legislation and fishing quotas.
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Consideration is given to the wealth of policy work that our organisations and others have done in recent years, to inform your food and farming Options Paper. Examples include:
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Square Meal: Why we need a new recipe for farming, wildlife, food and public health (Square Meal group) – foodresearch.org.uk/square-meal/
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Plenty: Food, farming and health in a new Scotland (Scottish Food Alliance) - foodcoalition.scot/uploads/6/2/6/8/62689573/plenty_complete.pdf
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The Wellbeing of Future Generations Act (Welsh Government): thewaleswewant.co.uk/about/well-being-future-generations-wales-act-2015/well-being-goals
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Important principles, processes and legal requirements that are already enshrined in UK policy or have been upheld in EU negotiations, often with the strong support from the UK, are built upon. For example: the need for policy to further international development objectives; legislation to protect species and habitats and to ensure fishing at sustainable levels (Maximum Sustainable Yields – MSY); drives to reduce waste in commercial fisheries; climate change targets; the precautionary principle, and the Sustainable Development Goals (Agenda 2030 for which the Cabinet Office oversees domestic implementation), especially to support the most economically vulnerable in the UK and internationally.
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Important policy initiatives already underway are not further delayed, nor undermined, such as the Childhood Obesity Strategy; the 25-year Environment Plan; implementation of the national pollinator strategy; and the devolution of power and responsibilities to UK cities and local administrations.
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The highest standards of transparency in policy development are upheld, as this will be key to winning support and building public trust.
We would really value an opportunity to meet with you, at your earliest convenience, to discuss these issues and to explore how we can support the new unit in its important work.
Yours sincerely (in alphabetical order by organisation),
Jenny Rosborough, Campaigns Manager, Action on Sugar
Christopher Jones MBE, Coordinator, Agricultural Christian Fellowship
Jonathan Pauling, Chief Executive, Alexandra Rose Charity
Baroness Sue Miller, Chair, All Party Parliamentary Group: Agroecology
Sharon Hodgson MP, Chair, All Party Parliamentary Group: School Food
Emma Rose, Coordinator, Alliance to Save Our Antibiotics
Patti Rundall OBE, Policy Director, Baby Milk Action
Jacqui Mackay, National Coordinator, Banana Link
Dr Elizabeth Mitchell, Chair, Belfast Food Network
Dr Sue Christie, Vice Chair, Belfast Food Network
Pat Thomas, Founder Director, Beyond GM
Peter Brown, Director, Biodynamic Association
Katharine Jenner, Chief Executive, Blood Pressure UK
Shaun Spiers, Chief Executive, Campaign for the Protection of Rural England
James Treasure-Evans, International Policy Manager, Concern Universal
Professor Graham MacGregor, Chair, Consensus Action on Salt and Health
Philip Lymbery, Chief Executive, Compassion in World Farming
Sue Dibb, Coordinator, Eating Better Alliance
Ricarda A Steinbrecher, Co-Director, Econexus
Barbara Young, Co-Chair, Environmentalists for Europe
Stanley Johnson, Co-Chair, Environmentalists for Europe and Former Conservative MEP
Dr Mick Horton, Dean, Faculty of General Dental Practice (UK), Royal College of Surgeons
Professor Simon Capewell, Vice President for Policy, Faculty of Public Health
Barbara Crowther, Director, Policy & Public Affairs, Fairtrade Foundation
Pippa Woods CBE, Chair, Family Farmers’ Association
Ian Eggington-Metters, Interim Director, Federation of City Farms & Community Gardens
Niki Charalampopoulou, Managing Director, Feedback: The global food waste campaign
Helen Crawley, Coordinator, First Steps Nutrition Trust
Dan Crossley, Executive Director, Food Ethics Council
Anna Taylor, Executive Director, Food Foundation
Victoria Williams, Director, Food Matters
Professor Tim Lang, Founder, Food Research Collaboration, City University
Professor Corinna Hawkes, Chair, Food Research Collaboration, City University
Geoff Tansey, Curator, Food Systems Academy
Mark Driscoll, Head of Food, Forum for the Future
Jonathan Porritt, Co-Founder, Forum for the Future
Clare Oxborrow, Senior Campaigner, Friends of the Earth: Land, Food & Water
Joe Mann, Director and Food Teacher, Fun Kitchen
Lawrence Woodward, Director, Future Sustainability
James Campbell, Chief Executive, Garden Organic
Nick Dearden, Director, Global Justice Now
Liz O’Neill, Director, GM Freeze
John Sauven, Executive Director, Greenpeace
Oliver Dowding, Agricultural Spokesperson, Green Party of England and Wales
Professor Ralph Early, Professor of Food Industry, Harper Adams University (Food Science & Agri-Food Supply Chain Management)
Robin Ireland, Chief Executive, Health Equalities Group
Dr Richard Marsh Chief Executive Institute for Food, Brain and Behaviour
Professor Sylvia Tilford President Elect Institute of Health Promotion and Education
Emily Howgate Coordinating Director International Pole & Line Foundation
Allison Ogden-Newton Chief Executive Keep Britain Tidy
Ed Hamer Spokesperson Landworkers Alliance
Rosie Boycott Chair London Food Board,
Greater London Authority
Jerry Percy Executive Director Low Impact Fishers of Europe (LIFE)
and Chief Executive New Under Ten Fishermen’s Association
Carmel McConnell MBE Founder Magic Breakfast
Carrie Hume Director of Conservation Marine Conservation Society (MCS)
and Campaigns
Professor David Haslam Chair National Obesity Forum
Marc Stears Chief Executive New Economics Foundation
Pete Ritchie Director Nourish Scotland
Alan Schofield Chairman Organic Growers Alliance
Nic Lampkin Director Organic Research Centre
Paul Moore Director Organic Trade Board
John Meadley Chair Pasture Fed Livestock Association
Keith Tyrell Director Pesticides Action Network UK
Ruth West Co-Founder / Director Real Farming Trust
Sara Jayne Stanes Chief Executive Royal Academy of Culinary Arts
Alison Swan-Parente Director School of Artisan Food
Stephanie Wood Director School Food Matters
Dr Jonathan Rae Head of College Schumacher College at Dartington Hall Trust
Professor Annie Anderson Chair Scottish Cancer Prevention Network
Patrick Krause Chief Executive Scottish Crofting Federation
Paul Stuart Interim Chief Executive Send a Cow
Helen Browning Chief Executive Soil Association
Laura Stewart Director Soil Association Scotland
Caroline Bennett Founder / Director Sole of Discretion
Shane Holland Executive Chairman Slow Food in the UK
Rend Platings Coordinator Sugarwise
Kath Dalmeny Coordinator Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming
…Sustain coordinates the following alliance activities, involving many national and community organisations:
Better Jobs for Better Farming and Land Use
Campaign for Better Hospital Food
Campaign for a Sugary Drinks Duty
Children’s Food Campaign
Sustainable Fish Cities
Tom Andrews Programme Manager Sustainable Food Cities Network
Patrick Holden Chief Executive / Founder Sustainable Food Trust
Tom Wills Policy Officer Traidcraft
Richie Alford Co-Chair UK Food Group
Dr Angela Wright Co-Chair UK Food Group
Modi Mwatsama Director, Policy & Global Health UK Health Forum
Diana Holland Assistant General Secretary
for Food & Agriculture Unite the Union
Dave Prentis General Secretary UNISON
Professor Kevin Morgan Professor of Governance University of Cardiff, Geography & Planning
& Development
Vicki Hird Director of Policy & Campaigns War on Want
Stephen Trotter Director for England Wildlife Trusts
