Brexit

The impact of the UK’s departure from the European Union upon food systems, both nationally and internationally, is unprecedented and to a large extent unknown.

The scale of change extends from new governance of land use and agriculture, to new trade laws with the potential to affect competition, supply and demand, and standards, as well as implications for supply chains including migrant labour and traceability.

N8 AgriFood, through its research projects and the expertise of its academics across the programme, has been shedding light on how the effects of Brexit will be felt across the food system, identifying risks and opportunities from field to fork. Our experts have been engaging with Government, Industry and NGOs to give an evidence-based insight in to how new policies and legislation will shape the resilience of future food systems.

N8 AgriFood brought academics and industry together at an invitation only workshop to discuss potential impacts on agri-food supply chains post Brexit. Attendees included Defra, WHICH?, HM Treasury, NFU, RSPCA and other non N8 academic institutions. The event was hosted by Newcastle Chair Professor Mark Reed and Leeds Chair Professor Fiona Smith, who were both subsequently invited to present the outcomes regarding the impacts of leaving the EU on food systems to Defra. A policy insight was created from the workshop to advise Government addressing 3 key recommendations:

The role of private actors in relation to World Trade Organisation rules.
Embedding longevity into measures designed to deliver environmental public goods.
Embedding waste prevention strategies into the agri-food supply chain.

The full recommendations can be found below.

Here are further outputs of the expertise we have shared:

Policy Insight - Key challenges for AgriFood Supply Chains Post-Brexit

This policy insight was created by N8 AgriFood following a workshop hosted by the programme which brought together academics and industry to discuss potential impacts on agri-food supply chains post Brexit.

Policy Brief - Resilience of Fresh Fruit and Vegetables supply chains in the face of Brexit.

A policy brief created by N8 AgriFood in partnership with the IKnowFood programme, using fresh fruit and vegetables as a case study of the potential risks to supply chains by leaving the EU.

Advising on the post-Brexit Agriculture Bill

Professor Bob Doherty, one of N8 AgriFood’s Chairs, was invited by Government to sit on a roundtable group in Westminster and help draft amendments to the Agriculture Bill. Read his recommendations here.

Local Food Supply Chain Resilience: The Brexit Effect

The Universities of York and Lancaster joined forces for first study of supply chain resilience to constitutional change in the face of the UK’s exit from the European Union – with the findings presented before MPs and Lords at the House of Commons