A new Expert Working Group has been appointed to help shape the National Food Strategy for Wales, with its terms of reference setting out four areas for a resilient and sustainable food system.
The group is chaired by Simon Wright, owner of Wright’s Food Emporium in Llanarthne. He was appointed in July after the strategy was announced at the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show and has since worked with sector figures on the group’s terms of reference.
The strategy will cover health and wellbeing, food security, economy and rural development, and the environment. Its whole-system approach will include food production, retail, health, education, public procurement and the circular economy.
The group includes Ian Rickman of FUW, Sarah Gould of Lantra, Tim Lang of City University London, Deiniol ap Dafydd of Blas ar Fwyd, Catherine Smith of Hybu Cig Cymru, Sue Pritchard of the Food, Farming and Countryside Commission, Sam Kemp of Torfaen Food Partnership, Shea Buckland-Jones of WWF Cymru, Dr Rhian Hayward of the Food Standards Agency and a representative from NFU Cymru.
Members will identify shared challenges and opportunities, recommend early interventions and develop ways for the public to help shape the strategy. Three sub-groups will focus on food in schools, edible horticulture and the security of the Welsh meat supply chain.
Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability, Llyr Gruffydd, said: “I want to thank all those who have agreed to serve on this Expert Working Group. Their breadth of experience, from our farms and fisheries to our schools and communities, reflects the scale of ambition we need to transform our food system for the better.”
Simon Wright, chair of the Expert Working Group, said: “I’m pleased and excited that so many respected voices from across Welsh food and farming have agreed to join this work.
“We will be working with stakeholders and communities across Wales in a national mission to achieve a more prosperous, healthier, environmentally friendly and secure future for Welsh food.”
The group is expected to report on at least one of its initial priorities before January 2027, publish draft proposals in summer 2027 and present its final report to Welsh Ministers by autumn 2027. One further independent member is to be confirmed.
