So, a new week and a new government sitting for the first time: The PM and Cabinet seem to have got off to a very active start, including the new Defra secretary, Steve Reed MP, who wasted no time in releasing a video yesterday setting out his five key priorities for the department:

1. Clean up rivers, lakes and seas

2. Create a roadmap for a zero waste economy

3. Support farmers to boost food security

4. Ensure nature recovery

5. Protect communities from flooding

Daniel Zeichner MP, who spoke at our first Big Tent last year, has also been appointed as Defra Minister. You can watch the speech he gave us.  

Last night also saw Chris Stark appointed by Ed Miliband (the Energy and Net Zero Secretary) to head up ‘Mission Control’ to deliver clean power by 2030. Chris was chief executive of the UK’s Climate Change Committee until earlier this year – it’s unclear whether he will retain his role as CEO of the Carbon Trust, which he began in April. Watch our webinar with Chris Stark on agri-food and climate policy. 

This is also a good time to re-watch our webinar with Jill Rutter, on Government for an agri-food revolution: Lessons from Whitehall. Jill spent many years as a top civil servant, and talked to us in September about; how Whitehall has previously dealt with large and complex problems; when this has worked or not worked; and how Whitehall could be more effectively used for tackling the net zero challenge. 

Here is a recap of what the Labour Party promised in its manifesto on food, farming and environment:

🚜 Introduce a land-use framework

👩‍🌾 Make environmental land management schemes ‘work for farmers and nature’ 

🥕 A recognition that ‘food security is national security’

🏥 Half of all food purchased across the public sector to be locally produced or ‘certified to higher environmental standards’

🌳 Act to meet Environment Act targets, and work in partnership with civil society, communities and business to restore and protect the natural world

🌳 Introduce a carbon border adjustment mechanism 

💷 Enable the Bank of England to give due consideration to climate change in its mandates

🌲 Three new National Forests in England, plant ‘millions of trees’ and create new woodlands 

🌼 Expand nature-rich habitats such as wetlands, peat bogs and forests

♻ Reduce waste by moving to a circular economy 

🌊 Put failing water companies under special measures, give regulators powers to block the payment of bonuses to executives who pollute waterways and bring criminal charges against persistent law breakers. Impose automatic and severe fines for wrongdoing and ensure independent monitoring of every outlet

🧒 Free breakfast clubs in every primary school