Shropshire Farming Talk with Harper Adams University

 The way we grow, distribute, and consume food is not just broken — it’s failing the very people it’s meant to nourish. 

But where some see a crisis, we see the spark of transformation.

Here are the hard-hitting facts: We are facing a Public Health Emergency: The UK’s obesity rate is among the highest in high-income nations, with 64 per cent of adults overweight or obese. 

Health costs linked to the food system are a staggering £268 billion annually, more than the NHS budget.

This comes along with the Rise of Ultra-Processed Foods (UPFs): These foods now make up nearly 57 per cent of the average UK diet, and their dominance is directly linked to rising rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. 

UPFs are often high in calories, fat, sugar, and salt — ingredients linked to poor health outcomes.

Business Models Shape What We Eat: They dictate what’s affordable and accessible, while wielding enormous influence over policies.

And we face Policy Paralysis: Despite more than 700 policies proposed over the last 30 years, obesity rates have skyrocketed. Many families remain locked into a system where poor nutrition is not a choice but a necessity, driven by affordability and availability.

Food and Health Are Inseparable. Both reports stress that fixing the food system is the key to tackling public health crises. A comprehensive, integrated food strategy is urgently needed to address these interconnected challenges.

The challenge is immense, but here’s the thing: food is more than sustenance—it’s culture, identity, and possibility. It’s how we connect to one another and to the Earth.

At Harper Adams University, we’re not just witnesses to this turning point — we’re architects of its transformation. 

From cutting-edge research in regenerative agriculture to partnerships with visionaries and policymakers, we’re laying the foundation for a food system that serves everyone.

But we’re not stopping there. Something bold is brewing at Harper Adams University.

Through Harper Food Innovation, we’re gearing up for 2025: The Year of Bold Action.

With initiatives like the Future Farm and School of Sustainable Food and Farming, we’re already developing solutions that tackle these challenges head-on with partners such as Morrisons, McDonald's and the National Farmers' Union.

With Harper Food Innovation we are taking this further.

This is not just about fixing what’s broken. It’s about reigniting the soul of food itself. A food revolution is coming — and we invite you to be part of it with Harper Food Innovation.

Let’s make 2025 the year we stop talking about change and start building it. Together, We Will Make the Difference.

by Melvin D’Souza is Director of Enterprise Opportunities in the Harper Food Innovation Department