The Source

This year's Love British Food Fortnight comes at a pivotal moment for school food and British food and farming. 

The UK government is preparing to introduce the biggest overhaul of School Food Standards in England for more than a decade. The updated standards place greater emphasis on fruit, vegetables and fibre, while reducing foods high in fat, salt and sugar, with implementation expected from September 2027, subject to Parliamentary approval. 

At the same time, there is growing attention on the role public sector food buying can play in supporting British farmers and producers. Addressing parliament earlier in September, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said: ‘there is so much more we could do to make sure food grown on British farms is served in our schools’, reiterating that ‘public procurement was on the table’ for his team. From schools and hospitals to care homes and prisons, public procurement has the power to strengthen domestic production while helping more people access high-quality British food. 

At Red Tractor we welcome this renewed focus. The conversation around school meals shouldn't stop at nutrition alone. It’s also an opportunity to champion British farming, strengthen understanding of how food is produced and recognise the standards that underpin trust in our food system. 

Putting British food at the heart of school meals 

School meals play an important role in shaping lifelong attitudes towards food. They introduce children to new ingredients, encourage healthy eating habits and provide opportunities to connect food with the people and places that produce it. 

When schools choose assured British ingredients, they support British farmers, strengthen domestic food production and help young people better understand the journey food takes from farms to fork. 

Just as importantly, they’re investing in food produced to recognised standards.
 
Schools and caterers are under increasing pressure to deliver nutritious meals while meeting budget challenges and procurement requirements. Parents, schools and caterers increasingly want reassurance about the food they serve. They want confidence that it has been produced responsibly, safely and with care. That's where assurance plays a vital role.
 
Red Tractor is the UK's largest food and farm assurance scheme, working with more than 40,000 farmers across six sectors: beef and lamb, dairy, poultry, pork, fresh produce and combinable crops and sugar beet. Our standards and requirements cover food safety, animal welfare, traceability and responsible production, providing assurance throughout the whole supply chain.
 
Working together to champion British
 
Through our partnership with Love British Food, we're helping more organisations understand how assurance can support responsible sourcing while strengthening confidence in British food. As public sector caterers look to increase support for British farming, Red Tractor provides a trusted route to sourcing assured British produce across a wide range of sectors, covering around 75% of UK agricultural production.
 
As we look ahead to a new chapter for school meals, discussions about nutrition should go hand in hand with conversations about provenance, transparency and standards. When schools choose Red Tractor assured British food, they’re doing more than serving nutritious meals. They're supporting British farmers, strengthening trust in our food system and as well as championing the food businesses whose commitment to high standards, traceability and responsible production helps keep British food among the most trusted in the world.