NEWS
National
Strategy for Local Government Procurement: Draft for Consultation
This National Strategy will help local authorities recognise the
potential of effective and innovative procurement to improve service
delivery.The Taskforce made 39 recommendations and Towards a National
Strategy set out how these could be taken forward.
The strategic objectives are that councils should engage actively
in a dialogue with supplier, and align procurement to their corporate
objectives including the economic, social and environmental objectives
set out in the Community Plan.
Councils are encouraged to help build capacity and open up markets
for smaller food businesses.
Organic
food on hospital menu
Eostre Organics
are supplying the hospital's fruit and vegetables
Locally grown, organic produce is now on the menu at the Norfolk
and Norwich Hospital, thanks to a scheme to help small food producers
compete in the public sector.
A group of local producers has won a contract to supply organic
food to staff and visitors to the Chicory's Restaurant at the
hospital.
From Plot to Plate
project
‘From Plot to Plate' is a new National Trust project taking
place at properties nationwide next year, with a programme of
courses and events that celebrate local food in all its rich variety.
Children and adults alike will have the chance to discover more
about the diversity and distinctiveness of British food, how the
National Trust farms its land and the choices we make when deciding
which foods to eat. The activities will reflect the character
of each National Trust property and its wider estate, exploring
everything from herb gardens to Herdwick lamb, traditional orchards
to kitchen gardens, historic recipes to traditional vegetables.
The initiative will be launched at Wimpole Hall and Home Farm
on Monday 29 September 2003, during British Food Fortnight.
Source: Sustain
Local
organic milk sold at North Devon school
Devon Food Links has been working hard to encourage schools in
the county to use more local, sustainable produce. One of the
most successful of these initiatives has resulted in a deal for
a North Devon organic dairy farm to supply an Ilfracomeb Primary
School with up to 40 litres of organic milk a day. The milk will
be sold at milk bars provided at affordable rates by First Milk,
a farmer-owned processing business.
Source: Sustain
Three
fruit and veg may be enough
Eating fruit and vegetables can reduce the risk of heart disease.
Just three portions of fruit and vegetables a day may be enough
to protect against heart disease, according to a study.
In Britain, the government and leading experts advise people to
eat five portions each day. But a study by doctors in Greece involving
1,900 people indicates that three portions may be more than enough.
Just one in eight men and one in seven women in Britain eat the
recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables each day.
Beyond
Cancun
The paradox of the failure of the WTO talks is that, though the
rich countries were demanding a deal which the poor countries
rejected, the losers from its failure are the poor. It is they,
after all, who suffer from the injustice of the world trade system,
the agricultural subsidies of Europe and the US, the unfair patent
rules and escalating trade barriers. But this system will not
be changed without an agreement at the WTO. So the immediate result
of Cancun is that the injustice remains in place.
'Progressive globalisation' suggests that that globalisation can
be a force for social justice and environmental sustainability,
if global capitalism can be shaped into progressive purposes.
'Let's
be more like the French'
says Curry
Sir Don Curry is the architect of the Government’s farming
reforms. In an interview he tells Valerie Elliott how he plans
to encourage people to buy locally produced food.
WTO
rules may devatate biodiversity
Friends of the Earth warn of a devastating impact on the world's
biological and cultural diversity due to World Trade Organisation
rules.
Small farmers in developing countries will be unable to compete
with subsidised large-scale producers in industrialised countries.
These small farmers are the main custodians of the world's agrobiodiversity.
Sign the Citizens'Objection
to the WTO!
Pesticides
still high in supermarket produce
Supermarkets have failed to achieve any overall reduction in pesticide
residues over the last five years, Friends of the Earth analysis
of Government Pesticide Safety Directorate (PSD) data reveals.
Despite supermarket claims to be cutting pesticide use, nearly
half of fresh produce still contains residues. Friends of the
Earth's analysis of PSD data shows that last year 43% of fresh
produce on supermarket shelves contained residues, a similar quantity
were discovered with residues five years ago.
Supermarkets
'bullying farmers to break law'
Supermarkets were blamed yesterday for encouraging the illegal
use of cheap immigrant and criminal farm workers, and the Government
was castigated for its "woefully inadequate" response
to the problem.
Don't
queer our pitch: farmers' markets aim to see off bogus rivals
The success of farmers'markets has spawned a new problem - bogus
markets that claim to offer food from local farmers promoting
locally-grown produce, but are in truth shops and businesses selling
goods from widespread sources. And the supermarkets are muscling
in on the act, with advertising campaigns featuring photographs
of suppliers in an attempt to convince customers that their products
are also grown locally on a small scale. The National Association
of Farmers' Markets has launched the world's first accreditation
system in response.
Home
link to local produce
A home delivery service has been developed to help get specialist
foods — many produced by north-west farmers — direct
to consumers.The service, called Northern Harvest, links more
than 40 regional farmers and specialist food producers with around
500 customers within a 30-mile radius.
Barley
barons reap rich EU subsidy harvest
Britain's richest farmers in the "prairies" of the east,
buoyed by a bumper harvest, are making a killing from generous
European Union subsidies at the expense of poorer areas of Britain,
according to a new study.
The latest study reveals that farming support in eastern England
amounts to £121 a head, compared with £41 in Britain
as a whole. It shows that the CAP dwarfs other EU regional aid
and social programmes designed for needy regions away from East
Anglia, such as for the north-east.
UK
public strongly rejects GM foods
The UK public resoundingly rejected the case for growing and eating
genetically modified food on Wednesday.
The emphatic snub comes in a report announcing results of the
UK government's "GM Nation" public debate on the future
for GM foods.
PUBLICATIONS / WEBSITES
EVENTS
Food Links UK
Conference
Local Food Links – Ideas into Action – 27 Nov. 2003
A one-day conference in Yorkshire to highlight the new policy
agenda for food and farming and show how local projects can best
support health, regeneration and environmental objectives. Showing
how sustainable food and farming policy can be delivered on the
ground.
Key Note Speakers - Caroline Lucas MEP, Jeremy Pope, Baroness
Sue Miller
Chair of conference - Tim Lang
More information and booking details will follow on this website
soon.
For initial enquiries email conference@localfood.org.uk
Anti-GM
parade 13th October
In an attempt to ensure this is not the last GM-free harvest,
consumers, farmers and environmentalists are joining together
in a parade through the centre of London.
British
Food Fortnight - 20 Sept to 5 October 2003
This year the aim is to go beyond awareness generation to delivering
real change in buying patterns across the food sector - see events
at:
Apple
Day, 21 October
The annual celebration of apples, orchards, and local distinctiveness.
In 2003 Common Ground are again inviting organisers of Apple Day
to enter the Longest of the Longest Peel competition. The results
of local events are entered into the national championship and
this year’s winners will be announced at the end of October.
JOBS
2 Sustainability posts at Devon CC
* Sustainable Farming and Food Co-ordinator
Seeking a dynamic, creative individual with proven project management
experience in the farming and food sector to join our award winning
team.
Closing Date: Wednesday 15th October 2003
* Sustainable Prosperity Project Worker
Seeking a creative, delivery focused individual with a good solutions
based background in sustainable development, together with project
development,management and funding experience.
This is initially a temporary post to March 2005, but with good
prospects for a longer term appointment.
Closing date: Wednesday 15th October
Application forms from 01392 383034 or
firststop@devon.gov.uk
Ian Hutchcroft
T 01392 382245
E ihutchcr@devon.gov.uk
Job adverts cost £100 for each newsletter (circulation
over 900).
Please send copy to:mail@locafood.org.uk
