Annual report 2024/25

The range and quality of work being undertaken across the Sustain alliance is impressive. As has been our readiness to respond to emerging developments such as the 25-year farming roadmap, 10-year NHS health plan, the national Food Strategy and the transition to a new government following the 2024 General Election.

This year, our events in parliament, at political party conferences in the autumn, at the sustainable farming gatherings Oxford Real Farming Conference and Groundswell, and engagement with the new cohort of MPs, Select Committee Chairs and Ministers, resulted in our policy recommendations being taken up in influential processes.

We also faced significant challenges, not least the intense downward pressure on government budgets due to international trade disputes and global conflict. HM Treasury budget decisions contributed to tense relations between the new government and farmers. Sustain played a key role in encouraging third-sector environment and conservation groups to respond in a way supportive of farmers, focusing on the need to retain environmental farm payments and prioritise farm profitability through fair dealing and diversification in the supply chain.

Sustain’s powerful ability to link practice to policy, and local to national, came strongly to the fore this year. Our innovative Bridging the Gap programme launched 10 pilots to demonstrate how to make nature-friendly food affordable and accessible to diverse communities, through schemes such as fruit and veg vouchers and school food procurement. Our Recipe for Change campaign set out how millions of pounds generated from new levies on unhealthy food could drive reformulation and pay for beneficial initiatives. The Sustainable Food Places network, now in its 10th year, grew to 114 places implementing food system change at a local level, with local authority areas in London and the North East demonstrating their progress through our Good Food Local benchmarking. Such work has generated great interest from MPs and the Defra Food Strategy team.

We have been making progress on many fronts. Sustain has also restructured and welcomed new senior staff to the team, strengthening our approach to both operations and impact. It is now time for our alliance to decide on our shared priorities for the next strategy period. We have a treasure chest of tried-and-tested practical and policy solutions to some of the most difficult challenges that face our society and our planet. As an alliance, we are ready to step up with renewed confidence to put these centre-stage in policy-making at local and national levels.