UK – Leading figures from food and farming met with UK Prime Minister Tony Blair on Tuesday to discuss the influential Curry report.

The report, published in January, calls for wide ranging changes in the UK food and farming industries. With the meeting, the Department for the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) published a response to the Curry report, indicating how it will be used in government policy.

However, the government has refused to commit major funding to reforming agriculture and food until November.

Measures announced in the DEFRA statement include grants for farmers to improve marketing. These are targeted at collaborative ventures such as dairy co-operatives. By July, the government has promised to come up with a plan for organic farmers to help them respond to growing demand for organic produce.

DEFRA minister Margaret Beckett encouraged farmers to invest beyond the farm gate and into processing. However she added that they must always respond to consumer demand.

Reacting to the news, Curry report chairman Don Curry warned: “Endorsement of the recommendations can not be made in a piecemeal way