The government has announced the creation of a number of ‘Food Enterprise Zones’ which it claims will “Unleash the entrepreneurial spirit of the countryside and [its] food producers.”

The scheme aims to ‘free up’ food and farming businesses, making it easier for them to grow. There are already eleven proposed zones, which will be allocated grants of up to £50,000, and Defra hopes to roll its scheme out further in the future. In FEZ zones, planning will be deregulated for food and farming businesses looking to expand.

Defra claims this ‘simplification’ and new funding will be used to create more jobs and develop rural areas, in line with Local Development Orders. Defra stressed that local people will be able to decide what kinds of businesses would benefit from FEZ funding and claimed the scheme will attract investment into Food Enterprise Zones.

In the South Downs, the funding will help enable new dairy production on existing dairy farms by re-using redundant farm buildings and brownfield sites within the National Park. It will also allow for more farm shops to be set up allowing direct sale to consumers.

In one such zone in the South Downs, the funding will be used for new dairy production on existing dairy farms by re-using redundant farm buildings and brownfield sites within the National Park. It will also allow for more farm shops to be set up allowing direct sale to consumers.

Commenting on the new scheme, Environment Secretary Elizabeth Truss said, “Food Enterprise Zones will help unlock the potential of local food and farming businesses, boosting local economies and attracting more investment.

“Consumers both here and abroad want to buy Great British food. These zones will ensure we can grow more top quality produce and expand our food industry, which is worth more than £100 billion a year to the UK economy – more than cars and aerospace combined.

“Food and farming is at the heart of our long-term economic plan and vital to securing Britain’s economic future.”