Norfolk & Suffolk Agri-Food Industry Council Meeting

Tuesday 17 September, 09:30-11:30

Room SC110, Sports and Conference Centre, Easton Campus, Easton & Otley

College, Easton, Norwich, NR9 5DX (Sat nav NR9 5GA)

Minutes

Present:

Andrew Fearne

UEA

Andrew Francis

Elveden Estate

Barry Chevalier Guild

Aspalls Cider

Ben Turner

Ben Burgess & Co Ltd

Clarke Willis

Norfolk Food Enterprise Park

David Hill

R W Hill (Farms) Ltd

Doug Field (Chair)

New Anglia LEP

Emma Taylor

New Anglia LEP

Greg Smith

RNAA

Jane Townsend

Easton and Otley College

Jasmine Joolia

Suffolk County Council

Jonathan Clarke

John Innes Centre

Karen Barclay

Anglian Water

Kate de Vries

Norfolk County Council

Laura Bouvet

Agri-Tech East

Madeleine Coupe

New Anglia LEP

Rachel Carrington

NFU

Robert Gooch

The Wildmeat Co

Sarah Lucas

Brown & Co

Apologies

Belinda Clarke

Agri-Tech East

Martin Collison

Collison & Associates

Nigel Davies

Muntons

Philip Ainsworth

Suffolk Agricultural Association

Sam Fairs

Hillfairs Farming

Welcome from the Chair

Actions

Doug Field (DF) welcomed everyone to the first Agri-Food Industry Council

Apologies were received from Belinda Clarke, Martin Collison, Nigel Davies and

Philip Ainsworth

DF introduced the Council which will represent the wider food, drink and

agricultural sector, taking advantage of Norfolk and Suffolk’s unique offering. The

purpose of the Council will be to work with partners in neighbouring LEPs to

establish the East of England as the nation’s pre-eminent agri-food region. The

Council will play a key role in boosting trade, investment and growth within the

industry and will provide strategic direction to support the delivery of the Industrial

Strategy and related Sector Deals. The Council will also provide an industry voice

in responding to Government consultations and presenting an industry view on

key developments.

Strategic Context

• Industrial Strategy and other key relevant initiatives, and our

regional response.

Emma Taylor gave a presentation outlining the key national and regional

initiatives, setting the strategic context for the Council.

Jonathan Clarke added that the Council also needs to consider the fisheries and

marine sector as part of a holistic view of food production in the region.

What do you think are the characteristics of an economically

competitive Agri-food sector?

Council Members were asked to consider the characteristics of an economically

LEP

competitive Agri-food sector.

Executive

Key themes include:

translate

into

• Credibility and profile nationally on the key strengths of the region, action is

VMOST

needed to change the perception of the region

• A physical hub where industry can meet, network and engage with each

other

• Looking at the whole sector and raising productivity across all businesses,

not just focussing on the already highly productive businesses

• Managing natural resources sustainably, including clean energy generation

etc.

• Focussing on:

- Water resources, teaching people how to manage them sustainably

- Soil management

- People, effectively engaging within and outside the industry

• Becoming a lead nationally for innovation including vertical farming

• Supporting farmers to make the right decisions about which crops to grow

matching what we grow for what is processed in the region - this will help

to close the gap between the amount of primary products produced and

what is processed.

• The sector should be integrated and innovative, with support for innovators

and entrepreneurs

• Collaboration is key to success with a shared ‘vision’ key

• Local, sustainable food systems

There was a feeling amongst members that the industry was at a point of great

change, with political and environmental factors coupled with changes to the way

consumers buy products. Norfolk and Suffolk have to be ready for that support

new, sustainable models.

National Food Strategy

Presentation on the Government’s consultation and

discussion to inform a LEP response.

ET presented on the consultation for the Food Strategy being undertaken by

LEP

Henry Dimbleby. The LEP would like to make a response to the consultation on

Executive

behalf of the Council.

to draft a

joint

Council members discussed how important the new strategy will be to post-Brexit

invitation

food standards, looking at issues such as food pricing and labelling.

and

organise

Henry Dimbleby should be invited to visit the region and see some examples of

the region’s food systems.

itinerary.

Norfolk & Suffolk Place Branding: Update

MC provided an update on the new place branding for Norfolk and Suffolk:

The Economic Strategy for Norfolk and Suffolk emphasises the need for

consistent place branding and an overarching international offer in order to

accelerate the economic growth of our two counties. This project is the start

of work to achieve that ambition with local partners.

The work started over a year ago - the first phase (completed in Feb 2019)

was the stakeholder engagement and brand development work. The brief

was to develop an umbrella brand that brings together our world-class

inward investment and business location offer and to stand out from other

areas of the UK and the global economy.

The brand focuses on unlimited connections, unlimited talent, unlimited

space, unlimited opportunities

• Places us firmly as the UK’s clean growth region - this echoes our

Local Industrial Strategy which underlines our strengths in agrifood,

clean energy and ICT/digital

• Emphasises the region as a fantastic place to live, work and learn -

great universities and colleges, high quality of life, affordable and

well connected

The Norfolk and Suffolk Unlimited brand was approved by the LEP board in

February 2019 and phase two of the work began. That was to create a

brochure website and marketing material using the new brand, visuals and

narrative. That is being launched on 25^th September to effectively kick off a

range of campaigns and events.

Norfolk & Suffolk Agri-Food Industry Council:

MC presented a proposal for the structure of the Agri-Food Council. It will be

ALL to

supported by sub-groups focussing on specific themes.

feedback

any

A draft Terms of Reference has been circulated for members’ feedback.

comments

on the

draft

Council Members discussed next steps for the Council. The Council needs a

Terms of

strategy which is linked to a delivery plan. The delivery plan must outline the

Reference

delivery partners who can carry out the activity.

Working across sectors is very important.

A.O.B

MC - New Anglia LEP is going to be working in partnership with Agri-Tech East to deliver the

Agri-Food Council. Future correspondence will come from Agri-Tech East.

There was no other business and the meeting concluded.

Next Meeting: Tuesday 10^th December 9.30-11.30, venue to be confirmed