Top food and farming experts assembled to help feed Wales’ future

• members appointed to Expert Working Group to develop the National Food Strategy for Wales
• Terms of Reference published, setting out four pillars for a resilient and sustainable food system
• plans to fast-track early action on school food, edible horticulture and the meat supply chain

The group is chaired by Simon Wright, owner of Wright's Food Emporium in Llanarthne, who was appointed in July following the announcement of the strategy at the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show. Since then, Wright has worked with key figures in the sector to help develop the Terms of Reference, which set out the rationale, objectives and working methods for the strategy going forward.

The strategy will be built around four pillars: health and wellbeing, food security, economy and rural development, and environment. Together, these will guide a whole-system approach to food policy in Wales, from producer to plate; retail, health, education, public procurement and the circular economy.

Joining Simon Wright on the Expert Working Group are:

• Ian Rickman, FUW
• Sarah Gould, Lantra
• Tim Lang, City University London
• Deiniol ap Dafydd, Blas ar Fwyd
• Catherine Smith, Chair, Hybu Cig Cymru
• Sue Pritchard, Chief Executive, Food, Farming and Countryside Commission
• Sam Kemp, Torfaen Food Partnership
• Shea Buckland-Jones, Head of Policy and Advocacy, WWF Cymru
• Dr Rhian Hayward, Wales Board Member, Food Standards Agency
• A representative from NFU Cymru

Members have been selected to represent the breadth of the Welsh food system, spanning agriculture, horticulture, retail, hospitality, red meat processing, public health, food poverty, environmental policy and food safety.

The group will meet regularly to identify shared challenges and opportunities across the food system, recommend early, practical interventions ahead of the final Strategy, and design ways for the public to help shape and own the strategy's development. Final adoption of the recommendations will remain the responsibility of Welsh Ministers.

To make early progress, three groups will focus on food in schools, expanding edible horticulture in Wales, and the security of the Welsh meat supply chain. These sub-groups will draw on additional external expertise to identify quick wins alongside the longer-term work of the strategy.

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."

Chair of the Expert Working Group, Simon Wright 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."