This report, commissioned by the UK countryside charity CPRE, assesses the current state of “county farms” - i.e. farms owned by local authorities, sometimes let out at below-market rates to assist new entrants to farming. It finds that the area of county farms has halved in the past 40 years as a result of being sold off.

This book offers case studies and discussions of how urban food systems are governed. It discusses both the Global North and South. Topics include cultural heritage preservation, food sovereignty, entrepreneurship and land-use conflicts.

Some conservationists propose a “Half Earth” strategy, whereby half of the Earth’s land and half of its sea would be set aside for natural ecosystems. This paper assesses the number and geographical distribution of people who could be affected by the Half Earth conservation plan.

This review article finds that transforming the land sector (including agriculture, forestry, wetlands and bioenergy) could “feasibly and sustainably” contribute around one third of the emissions reductions needed to stay under 1.5°C of climate change. 

The final report of the UK’s Food, Farming and Countryside Commission sets out 15 recommendations to policymakers, business and communities across the areas of healthy food, a ‘fourth agricultural revolution’ based on agroecological principles, and rural communities. 

This briefing from the Food Research Collaboration, the latest in its Food Brexit Briefings series, argues that the UK’s upcoming departure from the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy could allow agricultural subsidies to be redirected from large farms towards smaller farms and allotments, enabling more people to grow their own food.

The UK government has announced a year-long review of the food system, which will lead to a new National Food Strategy for England. As well as consulting experts and people working through the supply chain, the review process will include a Citizen’s Assembly (a form of sortition), where a representative set of randomly selected people will listen to the evidence, debate it and make suggestions for next steps.

This briefing from the Centre for Food Policy at City, University of London outlines the history and importance of food policies (such as mandatory health warning labels, dietary guidelines, or bans on destroying food waste) in influencing the food system.

This report, commissioned by the UK’s Labour Party, proposes major reforms in land governance in the UK including the establishment of a Common Ground Trust (see below). FCRN readers may be particularly interested in the report’s recommendations surrounding agriculture and farmland.