Introduction to Food and Drink
The UK food and drink industries contain many world leaders, but the need to secure competitive improvement has never been more important. Defra continues to work closely with individual sectors and key businesses to foster and promote greater competitiveness and to remove obstacles to growth. Defra also works with the sector to help achieve sustainable development, through the widespread adoption of best practice, and to help work towards better regulation of the industry.
Latest
Our food and drink information:
- Food policy - availability, access and affordability of our food; Council of Food Policy Advisors
- Beef labelling - guidance and information for the compulsory EU beef labelling
system.
- Competition - in the grocery retailing sector.
- Eggs and poultry - including regulatory and market information, and links to other poultry-related organisations.
- Food sponsorship - information for the food and drink industry.
- Help with exporting/importing - exports and trade in various products and services, including services to exporters and other export promotion work. Also Illegal
imports and Don't bring me back: Personal food imports campaign.
- Help with marketing - incentives the Regional Development Agencies offer to improve marketing at home and abroad.
- Milk and milk products - milk production and marketing policy
- Organic food production - the organic sector, including certification and imports
- Regional and local
foods - provides information on the regional and local food and drink sector as well as guidance on European Union regulations for the protection of food names on a geographical or traditional basis
- Wine - the English and Welsh wine industry, EU legislation, reform of the EU wine regime, wine management committee, notice to growers, frequently asked questions and contacts
- Innovation, technology
transfer and research grants - information on Defra programmes
See also
- Public information film: Don't bring me back: Personal food imports campaign. A new film launched to highlight the risks travellers face if they bring illegal food products into the UK. A campaign site is also launched on Directgov website.
- Food safety and standards issues are the responsibility of the Food Standards Agency. Food information previously held on this site can now be found on the Food Standards Agency website.
- Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative (PSFPI)
The PSFPI supports the Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy for England with its aim of delivering a world-class sustainable farming and food sector that contributes to better environment and healthier and prosperous communities.
- Food Industry Sustainability
Strategy (FISS)
The Food Industry Sustainability Strategy (FISS), drawn up with the aid of a Stakeholder Group, sets out how all those involved in the food and drink industry beyond the farm gate in England can help achieve sustainable development. The FISS was launched by the Secretary of State on 26 April 2006.
Reports
Page last modified: 6 January 2009
