Sustainability in the food and farming supply chain is a tangled web of challenges, big ambitions, and practical roadblocks. A recent discussion brought together industry experts to unpack some of the biggest barriers—from cost and collaboration to the ever-elusive definition of sustainability itself. The key takeaway? Sustainability can’t exist in isolation—it has to be a balance of environmental, financial, and social considerations.
The event on Wednesday 26th February 2025, hosted By Savills was a sell out event, demonstrating the real need for conversation on this topic across the supply chain and the appetite for momentum by those who see it in action every day.
Clare Otridge, on the WiFF Steering Group shares her take on the topics covered and some of her favourite quotes of the night from our panellists.
A massive Thank you to Kate Hofman, founder of Pesto and GrowUp Farms, Anna Woodley, Managing Director, Business Development at Trinity AgTech, Caroline Mason, LEAF Trustee & Future Food Movement Coach, Katie Stein, Senior Rural Researcher, Savills and Kelly Shields, Technical Director at the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) for their expert opinions and contribution to the discussion.
Sustainability in the food and farming supply chain is a tangled web of challenges, big ambitions, and practical roadblocks. A recent discussion brought together industry experts to unpack some of the biggest barriers—from cost and collaboration to the ever-elusive definition of sustainability itself. The key takeaway? Sustainability can’t exist in isolation—it has to be a balance of environmental, financial, and social considerations.
The Cost of Doing the Right Thing
One of the first and most pressing issues on the table was money. Kelly, quoting Caroline Drummond, put it, "You can't be green if you're in the red." It’s a harsh truth that businesses need to be profitable before they can invest in sustainable practices. Whether it’s ethical seasonal worker management or reducing carbon footprints, the underlying question is always: "How can we afford to do this?"
Kate Agreed, "You need extra revenue to reinvest in the business—let alone to pay yourself and your staff." The reality is that many businesses want to do the right thing, but financial constraints make it tough.
What Even Is Sustainability?
Sustainability is one of those words that means different things to different people. One of the panel reflected that during a recent international summit, a single question was put to the room: "What does sustainability mean in your country?" The result? No one could agree—even within their own country.
This lack of clarity makes it difficult to move forward. If we don’t even agree on what sustainability means, how can we build consistent strategies?
The Collaboration Gap
Everyone talks about collaboration, but there’s a fundamental disconnect. "We are dealing with nested systems," Anna pointed out. "The agricultural supply chain, the food supply chain, the global supply chain—it’s all interconnected. We need to consider people, profit, and the environment together." However, a major blocker to collaboration is lack of transparency. Kelly observed, "So many retailers don’t actually know what’s happening on the farm. They don’t have visibility that far back in the supply chain." If those further down the chain don’t know what’s happening at the source, how can they make informed, sustainable decisions?
Technology and AI: A Silver Bullet?
AI and big data were flagged as potential game-changers, but they come with their own challenges. One speaker made a sharp observation: "We can have the best technology in the world, but if we put rubbish data in, we’ll get rubbish insights out." from Anna.
Kate added, "AI should be freeing up people’s mental space for the bigger, harder problems—not just crunching spreadsheets." But adoption remains slow, and trust in data systems needs to improve before businesses can fully embrace these tools.
Government Policy: Friend or Foe?
Frustration with government policy was loud and clear. Speaking from her role within the FPC, Kelly said "We meet with DEFRA monthly, and every time, they ask, 'What are we going to be short of this month?' It’s depressing." Caroline argued that instead of firefighting shortages, government should be asking, "What can we do to actually fix things?"
That said, not all policy moves at a glacial pace. Kelly stated "Precision breeding policy is moving at lightning speed—it’s being pushed through under the banner of sustainability." However, this rapid shift is also stirring tension, particularly between the organic sector and those backing genetic innovation.
Consumer Behaviour: What People Say vs. What They Actually Do
There’s a well-documented gap between what consumers claim they care about and what they actually buy. Caroline said "Retailers tell us that when it comes down to it, people go for the cheapest, most convenient option—no matter what they say in surveys."
Education is often hailed as the answer, but some questioned that logic. someone from the room observed "It’s not just about giving people more information. The biggest driver of behaviour change is peer influence. If we know that, why aren’t we targeting the people who will turn fastest and bring others with them?"
Small Steps, Big Shifts
Despite the challenges, there was optimism in the room. One participant summed it up well: "It’s all about baby steps. Every small move forward makes a difference."
A simple but powerful example came from Kenyan fine bean farmers supplying UK supermarkets. By securing fair prices, they could afford solar panels—reducing reliance on coal and improving local air quality. "It’s a small step, but with massive long-term benefits."
Final Thought: Stop Waiting, Start Doing
The key takeaway? Stop waiting for perfect conditions. Stop waiting for policy. Just start.
Sustainability isn’t about finding a silver bullet—it’s about making better decisions, every day, across the entire system. Anna reiterated, "We can’t solve these problems if decision-makers don’t understand that everything is interconnected." Kate observed that while we can't take the 'move fast and break things' mentality on everything, business moves and policy catches up so if change will come, it will be in business first.
The future of food, farming, and sustainability will be decided by those who act—not those who wait.
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