We are happy to announce the release of the policy input paper generated from the presentations and discussions at 2025 START Green Minds Gather, an event in which both CEH Director, Heather Swanson, and Deputy Director Antoinette Fage-Butler were participants. 

The report 'What if? Ways forward based on the 2025 START Green Minds Gather Conference for an accelerated, research-based green transition in European agrifood systems' and an appendix featuring background reading are now available on the homepage of START. 

The main take aways from the 2025 Green Minds Gather Conference:

• The complex challenges in agrifood systems require collaborative solutions. Neither citizens, farmers, industry, policymakers nor research, innovation and technology can independently solve the many interconnected challenges. It is of extreme importance to put research-based knowledge stronger into play in this development.
• Research policies across Europe must strengthen the role of research communities in the green transition. We need mission-driven approaches as well as continued investment in fundamental curiosity-driven research. Also, policymakers must foster a long-term perspective in prioritised research and innovation enabling research communities and their partners in industry and society to plan and invest with confidence.
• Universities will have to take new actions to promote knowledge sharing beyond academia. They need to encourage integrative, inclusive and interdisciplinary collaboration with relevant stakeholders. They must help translate research-based knowledge to impactful policies and regulations, and they must prioritise research scopes that contribute to the green transition.