Lords highlight Harper Adams University’s vital work to secure the food chain.

Posted 19 May 2020

The excellent work being conducted at Harper Adams to fulfil its mission to deliver the education and research needed to secure a sustainable food chain has been praised in the House of Lords.

On Thursday, 14 May, members took part in a virtual three-hour debate, moved by Baroness Boycott, to consider food supply and security in the United Kingdom in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Lord Patel, Chair of the Lords Science and Technology Committee, directed colleagues to “well-researched” papers by Harper Adams University and the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology on the long-term impacts of the pandemic on UK food security. Lord Patel urged the House that planning needed to start immediately “if the UK food system is to be resilient and sustainable”.

“Anyone going to Harper Adams will see the extraordinary work going on there”, echoed Lord Gardiner of Kimble, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, who reminded the House that Defra is now developing an ambitious industry-driven R&D package.

Commenting on the proceedings, Vice-Chancellor, Dr David Llewellyn, said: “Many important points were raised in the debate, and we welcome the focus given by members of the House to food supply and security, and how these vital topics might be tackled in the future. Amongst many other subjects the debate highlighted the need to promote more equitable access to good quality food across society, the role that food plays in human nutrition and health, which is of special significance at the moment, and the interrelationship between food production and the environment. We were pleased to see our work recognised during the debate, as we continue to innovate, educate and provide insights on these and other aspects of the UK’s future food system.”