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Organic Farmland Set For 10% Expansion In Push To Unlock Growth
By 2036 organically farmed land across England could nearly triple from 3.4% to 10% under a new government action plan that sets out measures to help producers meet rising demand within a £3.9bn organic market. Launched on 14 October by Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle, the Organic Action Plan for England is designed to increase domestic organic production, strengthen farm businesses, and improve access to the expanding organic food and drink market. The 10-year growth
Outdoor Melon And Aubergine Trials Point To Potential Opportunities For UK Growers
A climate-resilient seed project has demonstrated the potential for watermelons, melons, and aubergines to grow at scale outdoors in the UK, highlighting opportunities to diversify domestic production under a changing climate. Crops more commonly associated with warmer climates have delivered encouraging results at Asthall Manor, near Burford in Oxfordshire, where an experimental growing initiative is exploring ways to strengthen the resilience of the UK’s food system, report
Westfalia Fruit Prioritises Future Of Avocado Category With New Sustainability Roadmap
Avocado specialist Westfalia Fruit has unveiled an updated global sustainability strategy as it bids to lead on the issues that matter most for the future of the category, from water and climate to biodiversity. Image: Westfalia Fruit The plan sets out four priorities across the business worldwide: efficient water use, carbon management, waste reduction, and biodiversity protection. It builds on a successful rise in renewable electricity use across the company’s operations
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Sarah-Jayne Gratton
Why Burnham Must Hear Jenney’s Warning Before EU Reset Hits Britain’s Global Food Supply
Prime Minister Andy Burnham is preparing to pursue closer European ties at the UK-EU summit in Brussels on 20 November, promising lower costs and less paperwork for farmers and food businesses. But Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) chief executive, Nigel Jenney, has repeatedly highlighted a danger that those ambitions must address: additional barriers for essential fresh produce arriving from outside the EU. Farmers Guardian reports that food exports will be at the forefront of
British Carrots Face The Heat As Growers Explore New Varieties And Market Opportunities
British carrot growers are looking to varieties from hotter climates as they seek to strengthen supply resilience and develop new commercial opportunities in a sector worth £242 million in 2025. More than 70 carrot trial plots at the British Carrot Growers Association’s annual Demonstration Day offered a timely opportunity to compare established and emerging varieties under UK growing conditions. More than 300 growers and industry representatives attended the event near York,
Cyberattack Hits French Supermarket Refrigeration And Forces Food Disposal
Hundreds of French supermarkets have been affected by a cyberattack targeting refrigeration systems, forcing some stores to discard food and prompting an investigation into spoilage and reported fires. French finance minister Roland Lescure told Parliament on 13 October that around 700 of the country’s 10,000 supermarkets were affected. He said France’s food supplies were not at risk, but described the incident as “a wake-up call for everyone”. Reuters reported that hackers r
EU–UK Reset Summit Confirmed: Fresh Produce Industry Must Make Its Voice Heard
Fresh produce businesses have a fresh opportunity to press for changes to the UK–EU Reset after Brussels confirmed that the next summit will take place on 20 November — with agrifood rules among the areas under review. The European Council announced on 12 October that its President, António Costa, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will welcome Prime Minister Andy Burnham to Brussels for the second EU–UK summit. Leaders will assess progress since the first
Ireland Imports Around 83% Of Its Fruit And Vegetables As Growers Face Mounting Pressure
Around 83 per cent of the fruit and vegetables consumed in the Republic of Ireland are imported, putting the future of domestic growing and the resilience of fresh produce supplies firmly in the spotlight. The estimate, highlighted by the Climate Change Advisory Council and reported by The Irish Times, comes as Ireland’s commercial vegetable grower numbers have fallen from more than 600 in the 1990s to fewer than 70. However, the import figure requires context. Bord Bia’s sen
New Research Shows Climate Risks And Slowing Productivity Put Fresh Produce Supplies Under Pressure
Europe’s food systems remain among the world’s most resilient, but slowing agricultural productivity growth, rising input costs and climate pressures are threatening their long-term strength, according to new research. Economist Enterprise’s Resilient Food Systems Index, supported by Cargill, assesses 60 countries across affordability, availability, quality and safety, and responsiveness to climate risks. Its European report examines 14 countries, including the UK, Spain, Fra
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