We live in an era of instability. Tariffs, trade wars and economic shocks to the systems we should be able to rely on have become commonplace. The long shadow of privatisation means that British taxpayers pay billions of pounds to shareholders for basic utilities and services, many of which are based oceans away. Our ability to feed ourselves as a nation currently relies on a complex supply chain heavily reliant on imports from abroad. And in recent years, we’ve seen more extreme weather as a direct result of climate change piling yet more pressure on our farmers.

The ongoing shockwaves from the Iran conflict have exposed the deep interdependence and fragility of the systems that underpin our everyday lives. What begins as a seemingly distant geopolitical conflict quickly leads to rising fuel costs, disrupted fertiliser supplies and ultimately higher food prices, all of which shape and change the daily lives of working people. And like so many things, these failures in our food supply chain will always hurt the poorest the hardest. This is the political economy of food laid bare, a system that has become dependent on long supply chains which is becoming increasingly vulnerable in an ever more volatile world.

But with crisis comes opportunity. Rarely is there greater public consent for radical change than at times when the status quo is failing. And yet, too often, we let these moments pass us by, missing opportunities to unpick entrenched systems and fight for something better. And so this moment demands a shift in perspective, not a doubling down of the status quo. Our new report, Building Resilience: The Case for Co-operative Agriculture, argues that agricultural co-operatives offer a practical and potentially transformative response to this crisis – a modern institutional model capable of redistributing power through our food system. By enabling farmers to pool resources, share risk, and invest collectively, co-operatives reduce exposure to volatile input markets and strengthen bargaining power across the supply chain. They create the conditions for shorter, more resilient supply networks, and for greater retention of value within rural economies. And in doing so, they align economic resilience with democratic ownership.

Crucially, co-operation is a form of strategic resilience. In a world where fertiliser supplies can be disrupted and energy costs can spike overnight, the ability to coordinate, adapt, and invest collectively becomes a matter of national strategic importance. Networks of co-operative producers are better placed to manage shocks, maintain production, and transition towards lower-input, more sustainable systems.

The expansion of agricultural co-operation must be understood not only as an economic opportunity, but as a political imperative. The report, supported by The Co-op Group, calls for the Government to establish a strategic objective of doubling the economic contribution of co-operatives in the agri-food sector by 2050. The first step will be explicitly positioning co-operatives as a core part of the upcoming 25-year Farming Roadmap.

Agri-food co-operative growth needs an institutional and financial framework which is supportive of meeting this high growth ambition. That’s why a dedicated agricultural co-operative development body and departmental responsibility for growth will need to be put in place. Increasing the flow of private and public investment into co-operatives will enable farming communities to more easily form co-operative structures and attain the benefits of co-operation to resilience, productivity and innovation.

Creating long-term sustainability – financially, operationally and environmentally – will help to safeguard the UK’s farming communities. Embedding agri-food co-operatives in regional economic development will mean farming communities in every area of the country can unlock the advantages of co-operative agriculture – supporting more sustainable, high quality farming methods which boost incomes and reduce environmental impact.

At this time of instability and insecurity, building resilience and long-term sustainability through co-operation is more vital than ever. To find out how this can be achieved, please read: Building Resilience: The Case for Co-operative Agriculture