Response to Food Ethics Council's "Food Justice" report

30 July 2010

BBSRC, as a partner in the Global Food Security research programme, will consider the issues around food security raised by the Food Ethics Council’s “Food Justice” report.

In particular we note that the report draws on evidence calling for agricultural research and accountability of public funding. We are confident that the Global Food Security programme, under its four research themes, will contribute significantly to these areas. The themes of sustainable production and economic resilience in particular will start to address some of the research questions raised in the report.

Professor Janet Allen, Chair of the Global Food Security Programme Development Board, said, “The report brings useful new perspectives as we address important questions around food security, and we will be considering these in detail.”

ENDS

About BBSRC

BBSRC is the UK funding agency for research in the life sciences. Sponsored by Government, BBSRC annually invests around £470M in a wide range of research that makes a significant contribution to the quality of life in the UK and beyond and supports a number of important industrial stakeholders, including the agriculture, food, chemical, healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors.

BBSRC provides institute strategic research grants to the following:

  • The Babraham Institute
  • Institute for Animal Health
  • Institute for Biological, Environmental and Rural Studies (Aberystwyth University)
  • Institute of Food Research
  • John Innes Centre
  • The Genome Analysis Centre
  • The Roslin Institute (University of Edinburgh)
  • Rothamsted Research

The Institutes conduct long-term, mission-oriented research using specialist facilities. They have strong interactions with industry, Government departments and other end-users of their research. www.bbsrc.ac.uk

About Global Food Security

Global Food Security is a multi-agency programme bringing together the research interests of the Research Councils, Executive Agencies and Government Departments.

Partner and sponsor organisations are:

  • Research Councils UK – comprising:
    • Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
    • Economic and Social Research Council
    • Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
    • Medical Research Council
    • Natural Environment Research Council
  • Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
  • Department for International Development
  • Food Standards Agency
  • Government Office for Science
  • Scottish Government
  • Technology Strategy Board

For more information about the food security challenge and Global Food Security visit: www.foodsecurity.ac.uk

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