Today sees the launch of the new report, From the Ground Up, an ambitious look at how food could be transformed to be fairer, healthier and more sustainable.  The report builds on the work of the Citizen Advisory Council (CAC), a group of citizens who have been working with Defra to help shape The Good Food Cycle, a food strategy for England. 

In late 2025, the CAC ran What Works Here  Inquiries in four very different regions of England: Cornwall, York and North Yorkshire, Liverpool and Merseyside, and the North East. The CAC met more than eighty people, with different connections to food systems; those who grow, catch, make, sell and share food for a living, and those with responsibilities for the health and prosperity of their regions – doctors, council leaders and mayors.  

In every region, people are already creating real value for their communities through food. From providing healthy food for schools to prescribing food to combat illness to building better food economies and protecting families at risk of food insecurity through food banks – people across the country are making great strides to keep food close to where it is produced and reduce costs to individuals and the public purse.  The report shows that regional enterprises are constantly innovating and coming up with new and effective approaches.  

Some key areas of change that citizens want to see: 

• Power and money devolved to places with long-term funding, devolved budgets and investment to rebuild local infrastructure 
• Procurement reformed so schools, hospitals and prisons can prioritise healthy regional and UK produce  
• Government legislation to set a clear direction of travel for the future food system 

The CAC is not short of ambition for a country in which healthy, good food, sustainably produced, is within reach of everyone, and producers are paid fairly. This report is an important step towards ensuring beacons of good practice around the country provide inspiration for how the food economy could work and help to shape the development of a better food system in future.  

Sue Pritchard, Chief Executive at FFCC says:

“Citizens want a country where healthy, good food is within reach of everyone, where local businesses, farmers and growers are paid fairly for producing food more sustainably. In this report they show us many inspiring examples, led by local councils, businesses and community groups. Now, citizens and regional leaders alike want the leadership and resources to deliver the food economy the nation needs for a more resilient and prosperous future for all.” 

Anna Taylor, Executive Director at The Food Foundation says:

“Citizens should play an important role in shaping the future of the UK’s food system. This report demonstrates the innovation and enterprise that is already going on at local level and calls on government to support these projects to thrive and scale so that they can continue to support the communities that rely on them. Lasting change will only be possible if the lived experience of people up and down the UK are truly listened to in order to establish durable policies that work on the ground.”