Speeches

FDF key speeches and presentations are listed in this section from events throughout the year . Speeches are also available from 2008, 2007 and 2006.

Event photos are published on Flickr at Food and Drink and FDF photos pages.


Latest FDF Speeches and Presentations

2 February 2010

Food and Nutrition Forum

View FDF's Director General Melanie Leech's presentation: The Food and Drink Industry and the UK Economy - pdf | 796kb


9 December 2009

FDF President's Reception 2009

View Ross Warburton's welcome remarks - pdf | 66.7kb.


5 November 2009

21st Century Farming in the UK – climate change, food security and sustainability

Westminster Food and Nutrition Forum Keynote Seminar

The session was chaired by Jim Paice MP and included a speech by Peter Kendall, NFU President, and John Beddington, Chief Scientific Advisor.

Panel taking questions were:

  • Melanie Leech, FDF Director General
  • Professor Michael Winter, University of Exeter
  • Caroline Drummond, Chief Executive of LEAF
  • John Ingram, Oxford Centre for the Environment
  • Tim Levard, Guild of Conservation Grade Producers

View Melanie Leech, FDF Director General's presentation - pdf | 829kb.


29 October 2009

Food, Diet and Health Annual conference

On 29th October Melanie Ruffell (FDF Nutrition Manager) gave a short presentation and participated in a trans fat panel debate with Dr Richard Simpson and Prof Mike Lean, at the University of Glasgow's 11th Annual Food, Diet and Health conference.

The aim of the session was to provide the political, academic and industry perspectives on Richard Simpson's proposed Scottish Bill to ban trans fat in food. The Chair was Frances Gallagher (FG Associates) and the audience was comprised largely of local dieticians, teachers and health promoters.

View Melanie Ruffell Presentation: Transforming Health in Scotland - trans fat panel discussion - pdf | 304kb


20 October 2009

Big Food Debate 2

Helen Munday, FDF's Director of Food Safety and Science, joined an eminent panel of experts for the Big Food Debate 2, organised by Heart of Mersey in Liverpool on 20th October 2009.

The aim of the one day conference was to address big, global challenges - and offer solutions – in the tackling of diet related diseases. The debate focused on the implications of current food policy on the health of communities and included updates from industry, government, and public health professionals, on activities which are underway to bring about positive changes.

Keynote speakers included:

  • Professor Philip James, Chair International Obesity Task Force speaking on 'food politics: what action is needed to ensure global food sustainability?'.
  • Jack Winkler, Professor of Nutrition Policy, London Metropolitan University, speaking on 'challenges for the nutrition and sustainable food agendas'
  • Representative of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) speaking on action by the FSA to promote healthier eating.

Over 100 health care professionals listened to Helen Munday talk about the achievements of the food industry in delivering real benefits to consumers through programmes such as those to reformulate much loved brands, and also of the future challenges to deliver a sustainable diet.

View Helen Munday's presentation - pdf | 678kb .
Other presentations given at the conference is available through the Heart of Mersey website.


2 September 2009

FDF cocktail reception for British MEPs

FDF hosted a small cocktail reception for British MEPs in Brussels.

View photos from this event here.


8 July 2009

Westminster Food and Nutrition Forum Keynote Seminar: Food Security

Andrew Kuyk CBE, FDF's Director of Sustainability and Competitiveness made a speech at this seminar entitled The future of food production in the UK

Andrew Kuyk's speech - pdf | 28kb


Ross warburton8 July 2009

FDF Parliamentary Reception

The FDF Parliamentary Reception was sponsored by Paddy Tipping MP and held in the Members' Dining Room at The House of Commons.

FDF President Ross Warburton's speech - pdf | 53kb

View the event photos.


12 May 2009

SFDF Annual Symposium 2009 - Healthy Routes to Profit

Delagates watching an Industry Case Study VideoThe event titled Healthy Routes to Profit considered a number of issues at the top of everyone's priority lists. This included processing efficiency, ethical marketing, reading behind the label, reformulation and innovations in healthy food development. View presentations and event photos.


28 April 2009

Food and Health Forum discussion on nutritional labelling

Jane Holdsworth, GDA Campaign Director presented a compelling case for Guideline Daily Amount Labelling (GDAs) at the Associate Parliamentary Food and Health Forum's discussion on nutritional labelling. On the panel Jane was joined by British Dietetic Association Chair Pauline Douglas.

Jane Holdsworth's presentation - pdf | 271kb


28 April 2009

FDF President's DinnerRoss Warburton

Guests heard from the new president Ross Warburton and guest speaker Professor John Beddington, Government Chief Scientific Adviser and Head of the Government Office for Science.

Ross Warburton's speech: Credit, Calories and Climate - pdf | 34kb

Event photos from the dinner are published on our Flickr as slideshow.


26 March 2009

BCCC Technology Conference 2009

The 56th Conference entitled Drivers For Success was held on the 26-27 March 2009 at the Ettington Chase Conference Centre, Stratford-upon-Avon.

This conference brought together food scientists and technologists, new product development experts, engineers, production and marketing executives.

View the speaker presentations.


25 March 2009

FDF's Scottish Parliamentary Dinner in Whitehall

A dinner which provided an opportunity for FDF and representatives from some of our member companies in Scotland to engage with Westminster MPs.

View the photos from the dinner.


12 February 2009

Food Labelling in the Dock

Melaine Leech speech: "Food Labelling What the Industry is doing to help meet Government targets" - pdf | 715kb


10 February 2009

FDF Annual EU dinner-debate in Brussels

Androulla VassiliouDebate topic: “Labelling: an effective tool to improve the food literacy of EU consumers?”. The debate was moderated by EU Food Law Editor Kate Trollope.

High-profile speakers included:

  • Androulla Vassiliou, EU Commissioner for Health
  • MEP Renate Sommer - Rapporteur for the food information proposal)
  • Basil Mathioudakis - Head of Unit DG Sanco, European Commission
  • Professor Klaus Grunert, Centre for Research on Customer relations in Food Sector
  • Mr Simon Stannard - First secretary, UK Permanent Representation in Brussels
  • Melanie Leech - Director General of FDF

Vassiliou's speech: "European food industry, legislation and competitiveness" - pdf | 41kb

Event photos are available from our Flickr page.


9-10 February 2009

Appetite for Engineering: Gain competitive advantage and increase profitability

Julian Hunt's speech: "Engineering a sustainable future"- pdf | 102kb

Julian Hunt's presentation: "Engineering a sustainable future" - pdf | 102kb


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