A recent report advocates that expanding free school meals in England could deliver a £600 million annual boost to British farming.
The Follow the Carrot report published by Sustain, Bremner &Co and the Ampney Brook Foundation suggests that increasing the number of meals served each year from one billion to 1.54 billion, will create significant new demand for fresh produce grown in the UK. From September 2026, an estimated 620,000 more children will become eligible for free school meals in England.
The report estimates that sourcing more ingredients such as carrots, broccoli and potatoes from British growers could inject an additional £600 million into UK agriculture. This uplift includes potential increases in annual sales of carrots from £11 million to £18 million, potatoes from £155 million to £250 million, and broccoli from £42 million to £68 million.
For further information, visit follow-the-carrot-1757078726.pdf
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