Our Co-Directors Sadie and Sophia joined this year’s Groundswell Festival, and left with questions amongst the solutions. Are we all curious enough? Are we truly connected to where our food comes from? And are we willing to learn, listen, and work together to fix our broken food system?
While the honest answer might still be “not yet,” Groundswell Festival 2026 marked a powerful shift in perception. Nestled amongst the beautiful British countryside, farmers, campaigners, researchers, and community members gathered to explore hopeful solutions to our planet’s biggest challenges.
At ProVeg UK, two vital themes stood out during the festival: the powerful connection between regenerative agriculture and plant-rich diets, and the massive potential of the public sector to drive systemic change.
What does regeneration mean for plant-rich diets and soil health?
Plant-rich diets and regenerative farming are often framed as competing agendas, but they share deep, fundamental alignment.
Both approaches seek to:
- Prioritise healthy soil to cultivate nutrient-dense plant proteins like legumes and pulses.
- Support biodiversity, restoring natural ecosystems and wildlife habitats.
- Drastically lower the carbon footprint of our food system while improving resilience against climate shocks like droughts and floods.
In the UK, resilience is local. By growing more of our food (especially veggies and pulses) here in the UK using regenerative methods, we protect our food supply from global shocks. Plus, healthy soil handles extreme weather (like droughts and floods) much better.
The time for pulses to shine
A major highlight for the ProVeg UK team was the Field to Fork panel, featuring speakers like Anna Taylor and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall discuss unlocking the UK’s massive pulse potential. UK-grown beans and lentils offer extraordinary gut-health benefits via prebiotics, serve as ultra-low-carbon protein sources, and remain affordable.
For UK-grown pulses to become a viable and sustainable option, we must overcome the hurdles farmers face through targeted government investment, dual-purpose cropping strategies to minimise waste, and practical culinary innovation.
Rethinking ultra-processed foods (UPFs)
In his thought-provoking talk, Chris van Tulleken urged a shift toward a more constructive framing around ultra-processed foods. Rather than judging individual products, we must address the broader UPF environment. That environment being one engineered for cheap, hyper-palatable food that frequently sacrifices animal welfare and environmental health for corporate profit.
Crucially, when it comes to UPF, processing level alone does not determine nutritional value. Many processed plant-based staples can provide essential fiber and dietary diversity. To protect public health we need to see policy action, including mandatory high fat, sugar and salt reporting.
The research team at ProVeg have prepared a useful document that considers the nuances of UPF.
What does this mean for the public sector?
Progress over perfection is how we successfully get more plants onto plates. In public sector procurement we have a huge opportunity for leading progress by shaping what farmers grow.
Transforming menus in schools and hospitals
ProVeg UK’s Sophia Millar was exploring how our school and hospital food programmes are directly influencing demand. By showcasing tasty, creative, and culturally diverse plant-based meals in public institutions, we can create a steady market for UK farmers transitioning to agroecological practices and pulse production.
Reconnecting children with the value of food
The Growing Futures panel tackled the deep disconnect surrounding the true value of food. Immersive experiences like farm visits, tasting new plant foods, and learning where food comes from help children develop curiosity and respect for what is on their plates. A bonus – this could also inspire future green careers.
Looking ahead
While our current food system still fails to fully reward sustainable agroecological practices or ensure equitable food access, the collaborative energy at Groundswell proved that a dedicated community is ready to lead the charge. Connecting with aligned organisations reaffirmed that real progress happens when we break down silos. We’re proud to work alongside Eating Better, The Food Foundation, Stockfree Farming, Alternative Proteins Association, Farm Adaptation Network, and Bryant Research, reaffirming that real progress happens when we break down silos.
To protect nature, biodiversity, and public health, the UK government must step up urgently to make food system transformation a top priority. Groundswell 2026 proved the curiosity and passion are already here. Now, it’s time to put those ideas into action.
