Sir Graham Brady is Chairman of the 1922 Committee and is MP for Altrincham and Sale West.
Britain is the sixth largest economy in the world and despite the big economic hit caused by Covid lockdowns we now know that we bounced back better than many of our competitors. Figures give Britain a similar performance to France and a stronger rebound than Germany, the eurozone’s largest economy.
Levels of employment have grown, and we still have job vacancies of more than 800,000 almost double the figure of 406,000 in 2010. A further increase in the minimum wage last month means that the lowest paid earn £9,000 more than in 2010.
In spite of this, too many people wake up and go to bed hungry in the UK. Children going to school hungry, unable to learn.
In fact, nearly one in five people in the UK are facing food insecurity, a complex crisis but one compounded by a cost-of-living crisis prompted by soaring inflation, a consequence of lockdowns and Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
Every politician I know hears from constituents struggling to put food on the table. We all agree this is unacceptable. But when it comes to solutions – it’s a different story.
There are important debates to be had on food banks, free school meals and welfare reform. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister and Chancellor are correct to say that bringing down inflation and driving growth is the only long-term solution.
But as we look ahead to 2024, I’d like us to focus instead on a common-sense – some might say ‘conservative’ – solution that politicians and supporters of all parties can get behind.
Millions of people are hungry. Yet three million tonnes of good-to-eat food is wasted on our farms every year. That is equivalent to seven billion meals, enough to feed every single person in the UK thrree meals a day, plus a snack, for a month.
The Government has established principles – called the Food Waste hierarchy – which states that surplus food should be used to feed people first before it is sent to animal feed or energy.
But that’s not happening. Instead, most of it is either ploughed back into the ground or is sent to the Anaerobic Digestion (AD) industry. As a result, the UK is lagging other countries in redistributing our surplus food.
The United States redistributes threee times more of its surplus than we do, and France and Spain redistribute twice as much. All three of those governments provide financial support for surplus food redistribution organisations in their respective countries.
This isn’t farmers’ fault. While they are eager to support food redistribution initiatives, the significant costs of labour, packaging, and transportation often deter them from acting. Meanwhile, subsidies provided to the AD industry – worth £750 million a year – create an imbalance, allowing AD plants to acquire and in some cases pay for farmers’ surplus food, further disincentivising farmers from diverting it to charities.
And this is where common sense should kick in. Farmers cannot do this alone, and the solution is straightforward: investing a relatively small amount in covering the redistribution costs for farmers would unlock a vast reservoir of food that could be channelled to organisations like FareShare, the UK’s largest food redistribution charity. With over 1,500 organisations on their waiting list, FareShare is ready to receive surplus food from farms and deliver it directly to those in need.
I’m patron of the Counselling and Family Centre in Altrincham and I support Stockdales, a charity supporting children and adults with learning disabilities in Manchester. These aren’t food charities, but they find themselves on the frontline in the cost-of-living crisis and would rather concentrate their efforts and resources on delivering their core services, such as counselling, family support, and activities for individuals with learning disabilities, rather than purchasing food for their clients.
FareShare has calculated that £25 million could facilitate the delivery of 42,500 tonnes of surplus food, equivalent to 100 million meals, to those affected by the rising cost of living. This is good nutritious surplus food from British farms. The cost represents just 3.3 per cent of the subsidies received by the AD industry.
And this isn’t a hypothetical argument or a matter for charity; it’s a sound economic investment. A 2018 pilot program funded by the Government proved that the scheme works, and research by the University of Hertfordshire revealed that for every £1 spent on food redistribution, FareShare generates almost £6 worth of social value. The scheme more than pays for itself and would result in £143 million in social benefit to the UK.
This means that diverting surplus food from farms not only addresses food insecurity but also generates economic benefits for local communities.
The idea of redirecting farm surplus to feed hungry families is gaining momentum, with 130 MPs from across the political spectrum endorsing Government support for FareShare. The public is also supportive, with over 114,000 people signing a petition in favour of this initiative. This widespread support reflects the growing realisation that we can address food insecurity and food waste simultaneously, creating a win-win situation for society.
It’s fitting that this common-sense solution to food insecurity and food waste has its roots in Conservative values, championed by my colleague Michael Gove during his tenure as Environment Secretary. This initiative aligns perfectly with the Conservative principles of resourcefulness, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship.
While retailers have made strides in reducing food waste (under the leadership of His Majesty The King, FareShare and The Felix Project recently launched The Coronation Food Project), the bulk of surplus still originates at the farm level. Hence, our focus should be on addressing this root cause. That’s why I’ve wholeheartedly embraced this campaign and, alongside many colleagues, penned a private letter to the Prime Minister urging the Government and industry to collaborate effectively in providing the necessary funding to make 2024 the pivotal year for diverting surplus farm food to those in need.
This concerted effort will not only alleviate food insecurity but also help turn an environmental problem into a social good.
Sir Graham Brady is Chairman of the 1922 Committee and is MP for Altrincham and Sale West.
Britain is the sixth largest economy in the world and despite the big economic hit caused by Covid lockdowns we now know that we bounced back better than many of our competitors. Figures give Britain a similar performance to France and a stronger rebound than Germany, the eurozone’s largest economy.
Levels of employment have grown, and we still have job vacancies of more than 800,000 almost double the figure of 406,000 in 2010. A further increase in the minimum wage last month means that the lowest paid earn £9,000 more than in 2010.
In spite of this, too many people wake up and go to bed hungry in the UK. Children going to school hungry, unable to learn.
In fact, nearly one in five people in the UK are facing food insecurity, a complex crisis but one compounded by a cost-of-living crisis prompted by soaring inflation, a consequence of lockdowns and Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
Every politician I know hears from constituents struggling to put food on the table. We all agree this is unacceptable. But when it comes to solutions – it’s a different story.
There are important debates to be had on food banks, free school meals and welfare reform. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister and Chancellor are correct to say that bringing down inflation and driving growth is the only long-term solution.
But as we look ahead to 2024, I’d like us to focus instead on a common-sense – some might say ‘conservative’ – solution that politicians and supporters of all parties can get behind.
Millions of people are hungry. Yet three million tonnes of good-to-eat food is wasted on our farms every year. That is equivalent to seven billion meals, enough to feed every single person in the UK thrree meals a day, plus a snack, for a month.
The Government has established principles – called the Food Waste hierarchy – which states that surplus food should be used to feed people first before it is sent to animal feed or energy.
But that’s not happening. Instead, most of it is either ploughed back into the ground or is sent to the Anaerobic Digestion (AD) industry. As a result, the UK is lagging other countries in redistributing our surplus food.
The United States redistributes threee times more of its surplus than we do, and France and Spain redistribute twice as much. All three of those governments provide financial support for surplus food redistribution organisations in their respective countries.
This isn’t farmers’ fault. While they are eager to support food redistribution initiatives, the significant costs of labour, packaging, and transportation often deter them from acting. Meanwhile, subsidies provided to the AD industry – worth £750 million a year – create an imbalance, allowing AD plants to acquire and in some cases pay for farmers’ surplus food, further disincentivising farmers from diverting it to charities.
And this is where common sense should kick in. Farmers cannot do this alone, and the solution is straightforward: investing a relatively small amount in covering the redistribution costs for farmers would unlock a vast reservoir of food that could be channelled to organisations like FareShare, the UK’s largest food redistribution charity. With over 1,500 organisations on their waiting list, FareShare is ready to receive surplus food from farms and deliver it directly to those in need.
I’m patron of the Counselling and Family Centre in Altrincham and I support Stockdales, a charity supporting children and adults with learning disabilities in Manchester. These aren’t food charities, but they find themselves on the frontline in the cost-of-living crisis and would rather concentrate their efforts and resources on delivering their core services, such as counselling, family support, and activities for individuals with learning disabilities, rather than purchasing food for their clients.
FareShare has calculated that £25 million could facilitate the delivery of 42,500 tonnes of surplus food, equivalent to 100 million meals, to those affected by the rising cost of living. This is good nutritious surplus food from British farms. The cost represents just 3.3 per cent of the subsidies received by the AD industry.
And this isn’t a hypothetical argument or a matter for charity; it’s a sound economic investment. A 2018 pilot program funded by the Government proved that the scheme works, and research by the University of Hertfordshire revealed that for every £1 spent on food redistribution, FareShare generates almost £6 worth of social value. The scheme more than pays for itself and would result in £143 million in social benefit to the UK.
This means that diverting surplus food from farms not only addresses food insecurity but also generates economic benefits for local communities.
The idea of redirecting farm surplus to feed hungry families is gaining momentum, with 130 MPs from across the political spectrum endorsing Government support for FareShare. The public is also supportive, with over 114,000 people signing a petition in favour of this initiative. This widespread support reflects the growing realisation that we can address food insecurity and food waste simultaneously, creating a win-win situation for society.
It’s fitting that this common-sense solution to food insecurity and food waste has its roots in Conservative values, championed by my colleague Michael Gove during his tenure as Environment Secretary. This initiative aligns perfectly with the Conservative principles of resourcefulness, social responsibility, and environmental stewardship.
While retailers have made strides in reducing food waste (under the leadership of His Majesty The King, FareShare and The Felix Project recently launched The Coronation Food Project), the bulk of surplus still originates at the farm level. Hence, our focus should be on addressing this root cause. That’s why I’ve wholeheartedly embraced this campaign and, alongside many colleagues, penned a private letter to the Prime Minister urging the Government and industry to collaborate effectively in providing the necessary funding to make 2024 the pivotal year for diverting surplus farm food to those in need.
This concerted effort will not only alleviate food insecurity but also help turn an environmental problem into a social good.