UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs| Source |
The Food Data Transparency Partnership (FDTP) is a collaborative initiative involving the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Food Standards Agency (FSA), industry, academia, and civil society. This partnership aims to enhance environmental sustainability within the agri-food system by delivering consistent, accurate, and accessible environmental impact data.
The focus of the FDTP is to support global demand for data and promote outcome-based approaches to environmental management. By measuring progress and informing actions through data, the partnership seeks to address the complex and diverse nature of the agri-food system, including farming and fisheries.
Key Principles and Approach
- Communication of Environmental Impacts: Standardization of Scope 3 GHG Emissions Reporting: Implementing consistent company-level supply chain emissions accounting.
- Product-Level Environmental Impact Quantification: Establishing methods for assessing the environmental impacts of individual food and drink products.
- Eco-Labelling: Developing standardized labels to communicate the environmental impact of food and drink products to consumers.
The Plan for Data
- Improving Primary Data Quality: Enhancing the accuracy and volume of data at the farm level, including harmonizing GHG emissions quantification.
- Enhancing Secondary Data Quality: Increasing the availability of reliable average data.
- Data Infrastructure and Governance: Building systems and policies to enable large-scale data sharing and ensure data quality and consistency.
Short-Medium Term Priorities
- Food Supply Chain Reporting: Standardized company-level and product-level reporting methods. Nature reporting at the company level.
- Farm Data: Harmonization of carbon tool methodologies. Support for farmers in auditing and utilizing data. Integration of primary farm data into secondary datasets.
- Environmental Impact Data: Data for key imported commodities. Accessible Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) data.
- Data Infrastructure: Developing infrastructure for data sharing. Establishing data governance frameworks. Ensuring data quality.
- Supporting Workstreams: Developing a skills plan. Horizon scanning and strategic alignment. Enhancing communications and engagement.