Friday bites
A carefully curated newsletter containing the most important stories from the past week.
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Ministers meet to discuss extreme weather
Ministers from Defra and the Department for Health and Social Care along with officials from the Environment Agency joined Burnham to discuss the immediate threat from wildfires and pressure on water supplies
Farming enters ‘climate doop loop’
The brown fields and dry rivers have told their own story, but the data crunchers at the Met Office have now confirmed what we can see with our own eyes
Citizens demand food system change
As new Prime Minister Andy Burnham continues to set his agenda for government, public polling has shown overwhelming support to put a healthy, fair and more sustainable food system at the heart of his plans
Burnham sets out plan for government
Andy Burnham sets out plans for government, including business rates relief, food security, food policy and support for the hospitality sector
Courage in the face of obesity
The UK Government must be “more courageous” in order to prevent obesity in future generations, said a group of MPs this week
Egg challenge not quite cracked
UK food businesses continue to lead the way in sourcing cage-free eggs from laying hens, however reaching 100% compliance remains a step too far for many
Winds of change
For a festival that began life a decade ago effectively as a knowledge sharing hub for a small group of progressive farmers, Groundswell has evolved into something altogether more sweeping in scope and scale
Deforestation law finally lands
As visitors to London Climate Action Week events struggle to keep cool amid record-breaking June temperatures, the UK Government has finally moved to tackle a key driver of global warming – deforestation
Eagle lands….and then leaves
Dame Angela Eagle turned up at an organic farm last week, wellies at the ready. Rumour had it the Defra minister for food security and rural affairs was going to launch an organic action plan aimed at boosting domestic production
In need of repair
The Food Foundation’s annual ‘Broken Plate’ report rarely makes for comforting reading, but this year’s snapshot of the health of the UK food system may be the most dispiriting yet.
