The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is developing a new food strategy to ensure good food for everyone. The Citizen Advisory Council (CAC) was established in May 2025 to ensure citizen voices are at the heart of this strategy, bringing together 30 people from across the UK with lived experience and diverse perspectives on the food system.

The What Works Here Inquiries are a pioneering example of how citizen-led work can inform government policy. This report brings together the results from the York and North Yorkshire Inquiry. It draws on citizens' diverse knowledge and experience as well as the deep understanding of the regional food system contributed by local leaders, farmers, researchers, and business owners.