Note – The Brexit vote took place on June 23, 2016 and the referendum decision to leave the EU was won by majority vote. This paper, written before the vote,  addresses the details of the referendum and the potential impact of a decision, on food policy – a dynamic and significant issue within the UK and the EU – with farming comprising 40% of the current EU budget. The food market and agriculture, food security, trade, food and nutrition, diet, food supply chains, laws and regulations are all subjects addressed by the authors of this paper.

Tim Lang of City University London and Victoria Schoen of the Food Research Collaboration – “This Briefing Paper explores the food terrain exposed by the wider Brexit versus Bremain Referendum question to be decided by the voting UK public on June 23. It is written to raise issues; to invite academics and civil society working on food matters to consider how their work fits this momentous issue; and to aid informed decisions. The Paper follows from debates and concerns expressed at the 6th City Food Symposium on UK food and Brexit held on December 14, 2015. This Briefing Paper is in two parts. Readers who are already conversant with UK and EU food policy history and the reasons for the UK Referendum on June 23 might wish to skip or skim Part 1 where these issues are covered. This first section explains how the UK is where it is on this debate. Part 2 goes into some key issues at stake in the June 23 vote. This section is where we summarise some of the implications of leaving the EU, the so-called Brexit option. We also explain why we are in, and what voting to stay entails, the Bremain option…”