News
Letter from Secretary of State George Eustice in response to the FDSC Covid-19
Recovery
Plan
2 September 2020
The Rt Hon George Eustice, Secretary of State for Environment has written to Ian
Wright and
Terry Jones, industry co-chairs of the Food and Drink Sector Council in
response
to the FDSC: Covid-
19 Recovery Plan, published this summer. The Minister was very positive about
the response of the
food and drink industry to the unprecedented challenges of Covid-19 and keeping
the nation fed. He
expressed the governments continuing commitment to supporting the industry, and
welcomed the
recommendations from the report, specifically noting the reduction of VAT on
food out of home, the
importance of exports and foreign investment in long term recovery, and
advocacy
for British food
and the British food industry.
Read
the letter »
Food and Drink Sector Council to broaden its representation of the industry
24 February 2020
Iain Ferguson CBE, steps down as industry Co-Chair of the Food and Drink Sector
Council
(FDSC) on 28th February at the end of a two-year term. Iain was the inaugural
Co-Chair of the
FDSC in 2018 when it was established as the first industry group to represent
the entire agri-food
chain from farm to fork.
The FDSC is an industry-led partnership with Government which aims to increase
the productivity
and sustainability of the UK food and drink industry. Under Iain's
Co-Chairmanship, the FDSC
provided expert advice to Government during the preparations for the UK's exit
from the EU. The
FDSC's working groups have also developed innovative policy recommendations to
Government,
most recently with the publication of the Agricultural Productivity Working
Group's report. The FDSC
is also providing expert advice on behalf of the agri-food industry to the
development of the
Government's National Food Strategy.
Iain's successor as industry Co-Chair will be appointed over the coming months.
This
appointment will form part of a wider process to broaden the representation of
the industry on the
FDSC and its working groups.
Terry Jones, Director General of the National Farmers Union, and Ian Wright CBE,
Chief
Executive of the Food & Drink Federation, will Co-Chair the FDSC on behalf of
the agri-food industry
during this transition period.
Iain Ferguson said: “This is a vital period for the agri-food industry as we prepare for future
trading relationships outside the European Union, and respond to the growing
environmental and
social pressures on the food system. Collaboration between the industry and
government has never
been more important.
I am delighted that the Food and Drink Sector Council has demonstrated the value
of
bringing the agri-food industry together to work with government. It has
created
the foundations on
which the industry can unite and help to build the thriving, sustainable food
system we all need for the
future.”
More Information
For any media enquiries please contact: info@fdsc.org.uk
Last reviewed: 18 Feb 2021