Local Roots, National Vision: What the New Food Strategy Means for Place-Based Change

Yesterday, the UK Government released a new policy paper, A UK Government Food Strategy for England: Considering the Wider UK Food System, setting out its vision for a more resilient, healthier and more sustainable national food system.

Framed around the idea of building “good food cycles”, the paper highlights the importance of joined-up food systems that support health, nature, livelihoods and local economies. Crucially, both the paper and its accompanying press release recognise local food partnerships as essential to delivering this vision—pointing to them as best-practice models already making change happen.

“Our Sustainable Food Partnership in Bradford is already working across the district to create a joined-up and more sustainable local food system,” said Cllr Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s Portfolio Holder for Healthy People and Places. “We are pleased to see this collaborative, place-based approach being recognised at the national level.”

This recognition matters.

For years, the Sustainable Food Places network has championed the power of place-based change. Across more than 120 towns, cities and counties, local food strategies and partnerships are tackling food insecurity, promoting sustainable procurement, improving public meals, and connecting food, health, climate, nature and the economy. Now, the Government is clearly stating: this local action is vital.

Vera Zakharov, Sustainable Food Places Local Action Coordinator, says:

‘We are pleased to see Sustainable Food Places and other locally-rooted initiatives referenced in their role contributing toward the Food Strategy’s 10 Outcomes, particularly in strengthening community skills and knowledge, enabling healthier, more diverse and sustainable supply chains, enlivening food culture and strengthening community resilience to system shocks. This announcement marks an important step towards realising our Network’s and wider food movement’s vision for a healthy, sustainable, equitable food system for all. We look forward to embedding the role of food partnerships in the Food Strategy's implementation plan.’

A Strategy Shaped by Local Voices

This shift reflects what many in the movement already know: national food challenges—health inequalities, climate breakdown, poor access and unsustainable supply chains—require local solutions.

That’s why, earlier this year, Sustainable Food Places submitted a briefing to the DEFRA Food Strategy Team, outlining three key ways to unlock the full potential of local action:

1. Explicit Recognition
   A strong UK Food Strategy must combine national leadership with local action—encouraging every city, town and region to develop a food strategy, with local partnerships as core delivery vehicles.
2. Clearer Mandating and Support
   Government should build on proven frameworks, like the Sustainable Food Places Awards, to benchmark progress, collect local data, and ensure national accountability.
3. Policy Tools That Empower Local Action
   National policies—such as mandatory food standards in public procurement, and stricter rules on unhealthy food marketing—must align with and enable local change.

What Comes Next?

While the policy paper and its supporting statements show encouraging intent, the work ahead lies in making these ambitions real.

As the Government moves forward with the next stages of its National Food Strategy, Sustainable Food Places are ready to help shape implementation and will continue to seek out opportunities to work with DEFRA and other government departments to:

• Support the rollout of the Good Food Cycle vision
• Champion policy alignment across national, regional and local levels
• Ensure community-led priorities shape next steps

We will also platform examples of good practice from our network ready to be scaled and replicated, including leadership set by devolved nations such as the Wales Community Food Strategy, the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022,and the Northern Ireland Food Strategy Framework.

Local Partnerships Are Critical Infrastructure

Crucially, we will be working together to ensure that local food strategies and partnerships are not only recognised, but resourced, supported, and scaled.

The Sustainable Food Places network already spans over 120 partnerships—each with its own story, priorities, and roadmap for better food. A meaningful national strategy must not only support these partnerships, but also enable more places to develop inclusive, effective food strategies of their own.

Because food partnerships aren’t just “nice to have”—they are critical infrastructure. They unite councils, public health teams, farmers, community organisations, schools, businesses, and residents around a shared vision for food that works for everyone.

And if we want a food system that nourishes people and planet, we need the local plans and partnerships that can actually deliver it.

🔗 Read the UK Government Food Strategy Policy Paper
🔗 Read the Government Press Release
🔗 Read our strategy briefing to DEFRA