Sustain Annual Conference

Join us and representatives from across the food and farming sector for the #Sustain2021 Annual Conference: Keeping Food on the Political Plate, via Zoom.

Book now 

Given the context of the ground-breaking Food Strategy White Paper being published early next year, the conference will be a timely opportunity for the sector to come together and put pressure on the Government to establish a Food Bill. Under the backdrop of supply chain fragilities, public health issues, and the climate and nature emergency, the Food Strategy White Paper is an opportunity for the Government to take decisive and bold action to set a framework for long-term change.

We are thrilled to announce the following speakers on the day, with more to follow:

• Baroness Rosie Boycott – Cross-bench peer in the House of Lords, former chair of the London Food Board and all round food policy expert.
• Neil Parish MP, Chair of the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and Conservative MP for Tiverton and Honiton
• Daniel Zeichner MP, Shadow Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries and Labour MP for Cambridge
• Andrew Selous MP, Conservative MP for South West Bedfordshire
• Pete Ritchie, Director, Nourish Scotland
• Greg Parsons, Co-Founder, South West Food Hub
• Rob Percival, Head of Food Policy, Soil Association

Our agenda will unpack some of the recommendations put forward by the National Food Strategy and beyond, and will include:

• We will be focusing on why dynamic procurement models are the perfect solution to many challenges in our food system, including how they support local economies, champion sustainable and healthy food, and are resilient in the face of global supply chain issues, as we experienced this year.
• We will assess the need for mandatory government buying standards for public sector food, to support local farmers and ensure the best of British food is served in our schools, hospitals and armed forces.
• We will hear from investors and business leaders on why they are calling for mandatory business reporting, and how this will help level the playing field and coincide with the retail sector’s campaigns around sustainability, transparency and consumer choice.
• We will hear from representatives from Scotland, who will discuss Scotland’s Good Food Nation Bill and what learning points we can gather from this as we move into next year.
• We will finish with our keynote panel session chaired by Baroness Boycott, alongside our keynote speakers Neil Parish MP, Daniel Zeichner MP and Andrew Selous MP, who will focus on the next steps Parliament should take to deliver a transformative food system.