Luke Neve, North of England Regional Coordinator for Better Food Traders, reflects on his time at the Northern Food and Farming meeting in May 2025.
Last week I had the pleasure of joining fellow food system change makers at a Northern Food and Farming meeting in Lancaster. The group is a collaborative network based in the North of England with a core aim to review the priorities for shifting to an agroecological northern food and farming system. It was two days filled with energy, meaningful conversations, and a strong sense of shared purpose. As the North of England Regional Coordinator for Better Food Traders, I came away ever more inspired by the people working across the North to transform our regional food systems through agroecology and community-led approaches.
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The event brought together a wide range of organisations and individuals working across the food and farming movement. Representatives from UK Grain Lab, the Organic Research Centre, LESS, FoodFutures, FoodRise, Pasture for Life, the Landworkers’ Alliance, and the Gaia Foundation were present, along with many different kinds of land workers. The diversity of perspectives and experience created a rich space for collaboration and learning. One thing that stood out to me was the considered nature that everyone present brought to the discussions. Space was made for difference of opinions in a productive way and everyone’s feedback was taken equally, even from me as a newcomer to the group.Â
Meeting in person allowed us to build stronger relationships and make real progress on shaping the direction of the group and our key projects. These include work on public procurement, training and land access for market gardeners, and support for small food enterprises rooted in agroecological values. The themes and projects discussed strongly resonate with Better Food Traders’ mission to build a fair, sustainable food system by supporting retailers who champion short supply chains, ecological farming, and local economic prosperity.Â
We also visited some great local initiatives. At The Plot, we heard about the challenges and successes of a farmstart programme, which was followed by a visit to a new growing site that has the potential to become a hub for local food resilience. Eggcup shared their powerful approach to tackling food waste and insecurity. We also visited Wyreside Mushrooms, where small-scale mushroom farming is showing what sustainable local mushroom production can look like.
The food over the two days was a highlight. We enjoyed incredible meals prepared with local ingredients, including dinner from Land and Sea Lancaster and lunch at Tuck Lancaster. These meals were a perfect reflection of the values we’re working to support across the region.
This meeting was an important step forward for collaboration in the North. It strengthened our connections, gave shape to ambitious projects, and reminded us that real change happens when we work together on the ground.
If you’re an independent food retailer based in the North of England committed to selling products produced in agroecological ways I would love to hear from you, drop me an email or if you’re not a member already, sign up to be a better food trader!
