16^th October 2026 is World Food Day, a day commemorating the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation. The theme for 2026 is ‘Innovate Today, Nourish Tomorrow’, calling for new, creative ways to transform how food is produced, stored, transported and marketed.

World Food Day is part of a larger movement to ending world hunger – despite the world producing enough food to nourish everyone, 645 million people still face hunger, and 2.69 billion cannot afford a healthy diet. Innovation places a crucial role in ensuring that food reaches more people – there are various systems within agrifood systems where there is space for innovation, from data systems to land and water practices, to new approaches to distribution.

Innovation sees advances in science and technology working in tandem with traditional practices, and fostering innovation can create more resilient and steadfast agrifood systems.

Taking an innovative approach to challenges we face in day-to-day work at E&J is crucial and can have a significant impact on the efficiency of the work we do, contributing to ensuring that not only do more people have access to a healthy diet, but also can consume food that has been held to the highest standards and is completely safe and humane. E&J’s Official Veterinarians play a substantial role in safeguarding the welfare of animals and ensuring food produced is safe to eat.

As part of World Food Day 2026, our Food Safety and Animal Welfare Technical Lead, Ester Benguerel, shared her thoughts on how innovation takes root within the work E&J does:

“Throughout my career, one of the things I have learned is that innovation isn’t always about major discovery or new technology. Often, it’s about being willing to challenge established ways of working, learn from experience and find better solutions to everyday challenges. In my role as National Technical Lead in Food Safety and Animal Welfare, I see innovation in the way we use information, share knowledge and continuously improve our assurance processes to protect animal welfare and support food safety. Looking ahead, I believe innovation will continue to be essential in helping us respond to new challenges while maintaining the high standards that consumers, regulators and industry rightly expect. By remaining open to new ideas and embracing continuous improvement, we can help build a safer, more resilient and sustainable food system for the future.”

Find out more information about the services we offer: https://eandj.co.uk/veterinary-services/