ABSTRACT
A food systems approach considers not only the production and consumption of food, but also the complex web of activities involved in getting food to plates, as well as the impact all of these activities have on the natural environment, human health and societies more broadly. Issues around the governance and economics of food production as well as its sustainability, both in terms of the environment and human health and wellbeing, must be addressed. This chapter considers the UK food system, including the actors within it, key relationships among them, and the power structures that underpin these. It also discusses tensions arising between a fully reserved UK international trade policy and devolved agri-food policies. The farm structure and relative importance of agriculture differ significantly across the UK’s four regions. Hence, regional goals for the future direction of the agri-food sector do not necessarily match up with each other, nor with the UK government’s post-Brexit vision of the country as a liberal, free-market player on the international trade stage. This raises serious questions about the future of a ‘sustainable’ UK food system: its governance, its future role in rural communities, as well as its impact on the environment and animal welfare.
