Environment Secretary will today (4 January)
announce measures to improve transparency in food labelling and
make sure high-quality British food stands out from the
crowd.
The plans, to be announced at the Oxford Farming Conference, will
empower consumers to make informed decisions at the supermarket
shelf and online, while backing British farmers producing food to
world-leading standards of taste, quality and animal welfare.
Plans will include a consultation on proposals to make food
labelling clearer, such as highlighting when imported products do
not meet UK welfare standards, and help ensure food produced to
the highest standards is consistently labelled. The Environment
Secretary will also speak with major online retailers to identify
ways to better support online customers to understand the origin
of their food products at the point of purchase, including the
option of a Buy British Button.
This forms part of the government’s broader support for farmers
across the whole supply chain, with the Environment Secretary
also set to announce the biggest upgrades to the government’s
farming schemes since the UK left the EU.
The Environment Secretary will say:
“British farmers take pride in producing food that meets, and
often exceeds, our world-leading animal welfare and environmental
standards.
“British consumers want to buy this top-quality food, but too
often products produced to lower standards overseas aren’t
clearly labelled to differentiate them.
“This is why I am proud to announce that we will consult on
clearer food labelling so we can tackle the unfairness created by
misleading labelling and protect farmers and consumers.”
The improvements to the farming schemes announced today include
additional support for farmers and landowners who choose to
create, maintain and upgrade permissive footpaths, cycle paths
and bridleways on their land.
This will reduce barriers to accessing green spaces and encourage
more people to get out and explore England’s countryside,
farmland and woodland, giving them a greater understanding of how
our food is produced and improving physical and mental wellbeing.
Farmers who provide greater access to their land will receive
funding through new actions on offer in the government’s farming
schemes next year. The revised 2024 offer will also see the
expansion of the popular Educational Access scheme to create more
opportunities for young people to learn about and engage with
farming, forestry, food production, wildlife and the wider
landscape.
This delivers on key commitments in the Environmental Improvement
Plan to improve access to nature and sits alongside a host of
actions to support farmers to maintain current levels of food
production while delivering positive outcomes for the
environment.
Farmers will continue to receive support under the scheme for
items including maps, way markers and fencing to mark out
permissive access and help people enjoy farmland and woodland
responsibly.
The Government also continues to work with farmers and landowners
to stress the importance of all visitors to the countryside
following the Countryside Code, which includes rules such as
following local signs, cooperating with farmers when animals are
being moved, keeping dogs under control and in sight, and taking
all litter home.
