The Food Conversation is underway. Find out more here.

Today, after months of discussions, citizens involved in the UK’s biggest ever conversation on the future of nature publish their recommendations in the People’s Plan for Nature.

Led by RSPB, WWF and the National Trust, the plan is the result of the first ever UK-wide citizens’ assembly for nature. It calls for a fundamental change in the way we value nature in the UK – including embedding nature into decision-making and demanding stronger legislation and clear targets.

Among the far-reaching recommendations were a number related to food and farming, such as:

• An overhaul of current farming subsidy systems to prioritise sustainable and nature-friendly farming
• A universal quality standard label in supermarkets showing the source and nature impact of products
• A national conversation on how and why we should change our diet to support nature, and food hubs to help people access local produce.

The plan also focuses on other areas including enshrining access to nature as a human right, and urgently restoring rivers and wetlands, investing in wastewater infrastructure, and establishing Marine National Parks. It also calls for greater government accountability with the creation of a permanent Assembly for Nature made up of NGOs, industry and public expertise.

Governments, businesses, communities and charities are being urged to respond to the recommendations to deliver transformative change.

FFCC Chief Executive Sue Pritchard, who addressed the penultimate gathering of the assembly, welcomed the plan, saying, “With food price increases and empty supermarket shelves dominating headlines, it is both timely and important to see the People’s Plan for Nature recommend a ‘national conversation’ about food.”

She added that “We plan to respond, and over the next few weeks we’ll be saying more about a major new project we are launching which takes up this recommendation from the People’s Plan.”

Calling for immediate action from every part of society, the People’s Plan for Nature now hopes to create a groundswell of support and is calling for people to back their recommendations by adding their voice to the conversation.