Henry Dimbleby, the author of a landmark review of England’s food system, has called for “much bolder” action to address climate change and obesity after government proposals were leaked.
“We’re moving forward but it’s not radical enough,” Dimbleby, the founder of the Leon restaurants, told the Financial Times.
He called for new measures and targets to be enshrined in law, adding: “We need to be much bolder if we’re going to shift the food system into a different mode of production.
“I think at the moment the unsustainable food system is going to cause much more harm than it needs to before it changes.”
Ministers are expected to unveil the food strategy white paper today following Dimbleby’s review last year.
A version leaked to the national press last week was met with disappointment by organisations such as Greenpeace and the Soil Association, which called its approach “really negligent”.
Dimbleby said that around half of his ideas had been taken up, including the proposal to produce a framework setting out how different areas of English land should be used — a move he said was an “absolutely critical part of the environmental transition”.
He said he was pleased to see ministers adopt his advice to establish a food data service and require at least half of food procured for the public sector to be cultivated locally or to higher standards, such as organic.
“On the environment it definitely takes us forward but there is a big gap still on trade, where they haven’t explained how they are going to protect our standards from cheap imports,” he said. “A lot of this stuff needs to be put into statute for it to work.”
Boris Johnson said the food strategy “sets out a blueprint for how we will back farmers, boost British industry and help protect people against the impacts of future economic shocks by safeguarding our food security.
“Harnessing new technologies and innovation, we will grow and eat more of our own food — unlocking jobs across the country and growing the economy, which in turn will ultimately help to reduce pressure on prices.”
