The report, produced by the EAT-Lancet Commission, made up of experts from more than 35 countries, places greater emphasis on regional and cultural tailoring of dietary recommendations.
In the UK, this reinforces the importance of translating global recommendations into local food systems that reflect our farming systems, consumer preferences, and the broader food supply chain.
UK agriculture is well-positioned to meet these expectations while maintaining high standards of food quality and safety.
“We need the government to back British farming and, as the EAT-Lancet report lays out, demonstrate greater cross-departmental collaboration.”
NFU President Tom Bradshaw
Resilient food system
Building on the work of its last report, published in 2019, the report finds that the updated PHD (planetary health diet) allows flexibility with many foods, cultures, dietary patterns and individual preferences; it is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes, with moderate amounts of fish, dairy and meat. It says a shift to this pattern could avert approximately 15 million deaths per year.
Protein is a vital macronutrient, essential for a healthy, balanced diet. UK farmers produce a diverse range of high quality protein sources, from red meat, dairy and eggs, to legumes and other crops, which are nutrient-dense and central to the nation’s food security. The NFU’s recently published Sustainable Protein Action Plan demonstrates how UK government and supply chain support can enable an increase in the uptake of protein crops, supporting soil health, biodiversity, and a more resilient food system.
The report states that a “just transformation requires building coalitions with actors from inside and outside the food system, identifying bundles of actions, developing national and regional roadmaps for implementation, unlocking finance for the transformation, and rapidly putting joint plans into action”.
Coordinated policies needed
Responding to the report, NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: “The British farming industry is recognised as one of the most efficient and sustainable on the planet; one that is committed to producing food to high environmental and animal welfare standards, and continually innovating to improve efficiency, enhance biodiversity, manage soil health and reduce emissions across all farming sectors.
“We have some of the most sustainable livestock and dairy systems in the world – our cattle are fed predominantly grass-based diets, and we carefully manage our grasslands to store huge amounts of carbon. The result is that UK beef production emissions are at half the global average, dairy more so, and agriculture is responsible for just 12% of UK greenhouse gas emissions.
“And when it comes to healthy, sustainable diets, we believe in empowering people to make informed decisions about what they choose to eat. It’s all about balance and moderation and looking for homegrown food – whether it’s red meat, eggs and dairy, fruit, veg, cereals or legumes that provide valuable nutrients like protein, iron and vitamin B12.”
Growth opportunities
The NFU President explained that producing food is becoming harder due to the current geopolitical tensions and vulnerability of global food supply chains, alongside an unpredictable climate and extreme weather. “Confidence remains low, with deep uncertainty due to price volatility, the future of environmental schemes and changes to inheritance tax,” he added.
“Despite this, there are huge growth opportunities, particularly due to a growing global population.
“We need the government to back British farming and, as the EAT-Lancet report lays out, demonstrate greater cross-departmental collaboration to deliver co-ordinated policies that will help build resilience, profitability and productivity in the farming sector and allow farmers to invest.
“In turn, we can continue to produce more sustainable, climate-friendly food for the nation and to export around the world, food that is nutritious and affordable, meet our domestic environmental targets and deliver for national food security.”
