Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to empower local community initiatives, farms, and schools to implement practical food and nature education; and how her Department is measuring their impact.

The food strategy recognises the key role that regional and local food systems can play in supporting delivery of the growth, health, sustainability, and food security/ resilience outcomes. Defra wants to create an environment that champions UK food cultures and celebrates British food. Connecting local communities can be a key vehicle for achieving this outcome and for harnessing a stronger food culture. As we develop the food strategy, we will be considering how we can better support local and place-based initiatives, to deliver the changes needed to deliver our outcomes. The Government will consider the approach to monitoring and evaluation as we develop the outcomes and delivery mechanisms.