Countryside Alliance Wales backs Senedd Members Food (Wales) Bill calling for a Wales Food Strategy

Last November the Senedd Member for Monmouthshire, Peter Fox MS, tabled a motion asking the Senedd to agree the introduction of the Food (Wales) Bill and after securing enough votes in the chamber, he is now on target to bring it forward. However, we need your support for this next phase. The Bill is now at the consultation stage, which was launched by Peter Fox MS during this year's Royal Welsh Show.

Peter Fox MS has set out an ambitious yet realistic Bill for the Welsh Government to chew over, setting out what is needed to improve our sustainable food chain and enhance food security in Wales. The Countryside Alliance has met Peter Fox MS on two occasions to discuss the plans and progress of the Bill, and are now urging you to get involved.

The Food (Wales) Bill is a positive step forward and an opportunity for the Welsh Government to come good on the First Ministers' intentions, and willingness, to work with other parties on an issue that can benefit the people of Wales. Food security in Wales, and indeed for the rest of the UK, is important and this Bill is the perfect opportunity to put it on the agenda of the Welsh Government.

The Bill as set out by Peter Fox MS will:

• Place a duty on Welsh Ministers to produce an annual Food Strategy for Wales to tackle food poverty and malnutrition, to ensure the sustainable growth of the food sector to create jobs and attract investment, and to ensure that sustainable local food producers have access to adequate support and incentives.
• Establish a Wales Food Commission to co-produce and deliver a more integrated and resilient food system strategy in collaboration with stakeholders.
• Deliver a more sustainable, localised food system, requiring local authorities and other public services to develop community food plans to strengthen public procurement and create better infrastructure to link food producers and consumers.
• Require Welsh Ministers to report annually on levels of food production in Wales, and to develop a set of indicators to show the contribution of the food sector to ensuring food security.
• Aim to eliminate all forms of food waste and mandate supermarkets and other relevant shops to donate unwanted food to charities and food banks to help the most vulnerable in society.
• Strengthen statutory requirements on food labelling, such as country of origin labelling for food consumed at home and food consumed in foodservice/hospitality settings, as well as the sustainability of food produced in Wales.

The Countryside Alliance is very happy to be able to support the Food (Wales) Bill. You can show your support by completing the consultation, which can be found here.