A Green Future for Food would transform our relationship with land, agriculture and animals to everyone’s benefit. A transition in the food industry would see society place much greater importance on animal welfare and increase opportunities for food to be produced through sustainable farming methods.
Greens would ensure producing food supports employment by moving away from intensive farming towards smaller-scale, more people-focused food production and land management that respects nature is in the hands of local communities and workers across the food system.
Animal welfare
- The party would guarantee the principle of animal sentience is legally recognised, meaning the welfare needs of animals would be of utmost importance in formulating and implementing relevant government policy.
- The Greens would advocate to end factory farming and prohibit the routine use of antibiotics for farm animals.
- The party would implement a complete ban on cages and close confinement and deliberate mutilation of farm animals.
Transition for farmers
- The Green Party wants to help farmers move away from industrial methods of farming to more sustainable, agroecological methods of land use. This would include organic farming and the promotion of widespread agroforestry, mixing trees with crops and pastures.
- Greens want to see a shift in research priorities towards farmer-led initiatives, agroecological approaches and innovation in crop species and varieties.
- The overweening power of supermarkets and multinational companies needs to be reined in. We would strengthen the power of the Groceries Code Adjudicator, making the post a true ombudsman role, and promote local and regional distribution systems linking producers and small independent businesses.
- Grants would be given to farmers to improve their farm buildings and infrastructure and they would be encouraged to expand and replace lost hedgerows through subsidies.
Improve food production
- Greens would establish a Food and Agriculture Research Council to research sustainable and health-promoting methods of food production and distribution.
- We would invest in researching how to reduce methane emissions from livestock and the conservation and development of high-quality soils, which would provide the foundation for everything we grow.
- Greens want to incentivise changes in food consumption to promote the benefits of healthy diets, based around locally and sustainably sourced food. We would introduce clear labelling on meat products to indicate carbon emissions, animal welfare and farming methods.
Greens demand government invests in sustainable farming methods ahead of COP
- Natalie Bennett: “A flourishing ecosystem starts with healthy soils”
The Green Party is urging the government to invest in farming systems to minimise the agriculture sector’s carbon footprint and limit the damage done to wildlife.
The call comes ahead of the UK-led COP later this year which will be held in Glasgow and will be key to delivering climate action.
Natalie Bennett, Green Party peer in the House of Lords, said:
“The government has adopted the principle of ‘public money for public good’, but Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMS) are still sketchy, with experts expressing concern about their ability to actually improve practices. The long-delayed Environment Bill is also far too weak to deliver what is needed. There’s a risk that we could see small areas of the UK cosseted for, while highly destructive systems that destroy our soils, decimate our wildlife, pollute our air and waters, and feed into processed, unhealthy foods continue to occupy much of our countryside.
“A flourishing ecosystem starts with healthy soils- a rich ecosystem of fungi, bacteria and invertebrates which, when not destroyed by pesticides and artificial fertilisers, and well managed for pest reduction, is the basis of sustainable farming.
“We also need to end the food waste of growing huge acreages simply to feed animals kept in horrendous conditions on factory farms, and produce far more of the vegetables and fruit that we need for a healthy diet. This provides a great opportunity for the development of large numbers of small businesses and cooperatives, producing food near to where it is eaten, strengthening food security and increasing prosperity in every community.
“Green councillors are already supporting great projects to do that, including Community Supported Agriculture and urban food growing on allotments, community plots and gardens that can be another important source of food security while improving public and nature’s health. Greens have also been at the forefront of defending county farms- a crucial first rung on the ladder for many farm businesses.”
