Feeding the Interest - Community Food and Health

FeedingtheInterestA discussion of the potentialbenefits of the local food sectorto the economy, the environment,communities and health in Scotland

FeedingtheInterestintroduction 2summary 4local food 6economy 9environment 12A discussion of the potentialbenefits of the local food sectorto the economy, the environment,communities and health in Scotlandcommunities 14health 16policy 18furtherinformation 21

introductionFood occupies a fundamental position in people’s lives. Regardlessof age, income, social standing, culture or religious belief, everyindividual has to eat and so has a stake in where their food comesfrom and how it is produced. But food adds much more to life – it ispart of our heritage and shared meals are an important way to shareour culture with family and friends.Food therefore connects to many policy areas including the economy,heath, social justice, sustainability, agriculture and rural development.During the 1990s, a ‘local food sector’ emerged in the UK with adiverse range of organisations and businesses working to promotesocially and environmentally sustainable food systems.The importance of the sector is reflected in the Scottish ExecutivePartnership Agreement (2003) A Partnership for a Better Scotland i :• We will encourage localised food distribution systems involvingmore local processing of produce.• We will support local marketing schemes, with clear accreditationand labelling of local produce… and food produced by organic andsustainable farming methods.• We will support regional marketing co-operatives where this isnecessary to enhance the marketing strength of food producers.The following discussion paper considers the benefits of local food;identifies opportunities for development; highlights barriers andencourages action. It also asks important questions which are the basisfor future discussion and action.2iwww.scotland.gov.uk/library5/government/pfbs-02.asp

Sampling local cheesesat a farmers market inPortree3

summaryLocal food in Scotland impacts on four main policy areas: the economy,the environment, communities and health.This discussion paper looks at each of these areas in turn, andhighlights important questions for discussion.In recent years, food and farming crises such as BSE and foot andmouth disease have raised concerns about the food we eat: where itcomes from, how it is produced and how it affects us and the worldaround us. Increasing consumer enthusiasm for farmers markets andorganic food are examples of a growing awareness of the importanceof quality and choice as well as cost.Over the past decade, the idea of a ‘local food sector’ has gainedmomentum and credibility. The case study examples in this paperhighlight only some of the local food initiatives which have developedin Scotland.There is clearly scope for developing the sector because of the widerangingand long-term benefits it can bring. These may include fresherand better quality food for consumers, less pollution, more moneycirculating in local economies, increased employment, opportunities todevelop new skills, as well as the potential to add value and open upnew markets.Local food has moved up the policy agenda and the links betweenlocal food and sustainable development are increasingly recognised.However, there are some obstacles to developing the sector, many ofwhich are economic and stem from a lack of local infrastructure. Also,because local food has an impact on four very diverse fields, there is nointegrated policy to shape its development. Such policy would not onlyrecognise the importance of the local food sector but would also act asan instrument for overcoming some of these obstacles.4

case studyForthValleyFoodLinksCraigend Farmnear Stirlingreceived agrant fromForth ValleyFood Linksenabling it todiversify intosoft fruits.The farm'sraspberrypreserves aresold locally.Through aseries of sixworkshops,whichbroughttogetherindividualsin centralScotland who had aninterest in food issues, theForth Valley Food Futuresprocess highlighted a lackof diversity in local foodproduction,barriersto access what local produce there was, and a needfor comprehensive advice and information on ways toovercome these difficulties. Local people identified theneed for a new food organisation in the area which wouldaddress these shortcomings and, with funding from theScottish Executive, Forth Valley NHS Boardand Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling Councils, ForthValley Food Links was born in 2002. With an office base inStirling, three Food Links Officers are now working activelywith commercial farmers, retailers, and community groupsacross the three council areas to increase the production,availability and consumption of local food for local people.7

The experience of local initiatives suggests there is potential to developa strong and well-supported local food sector in Scotland. However,taking action on local food involves more than local activity. It is apolitical issue which is influenced by local, national and internationaldevelopments. It is shaped globally through the World TradeOrganisation and within Europe by the Common Agricultural Policy.In Scotland, the policy agenda is clearly changing as a result of theForward Strategy for Scottish Agriculture iii which recognises the needto shorten the food supply chain.Discussion of local food issues is, therefore, timely.local foodkey questionsShould definitions of ‘localfood’ be for specific purposes,such as trading standards,farmers markets or supermarketlabelling?How can our food culturechange towards one whichvalues seasonality, localdistinctiveness and lessprocessed foods?Are consumers sufficientlyinformed about the health,quality, source and productionmethods of food so they canmake better informed choicesabout the food they eat?How can motivated anddedicated individuals besupported in their involvementin local food initiatives?8iiiiiLocal Food Routes: A summary report of Food Futures (2001) The Soil Association, Bristolwww.scotland.gov.uk/library3/agri/fssa-00.asp

economyAlthough it is difficult to measure the economic impact of the localfood sector on the economy, as many initiatives are small scale andgeographically scattered, experience indicates that there are benefits.The food industry – production, processing, manufacture, distributionand retailing – is important to the economy. Much of this activity is inrural areas and so is of special importance to the rural economy.Tourism is an important market for local foods with many farmsdiversifying and producing local food for the tourist trade. Connectingspeciality food to tourism and the quality restaurant sector, as in Skye& Lochalsh, is likely to benefit local economies.Food produced and sold locally usually reaches the final consumerthrough shorter marketing chains. When sold direct by the producerthere is greater scope for a larger proportion of the consumer’s poundto stay in the area rather than going to a producer or processorelsewhere iv .While adding value through local skilled processing, farmdiversification or using existing local markets for direct sales keepsmoney circulating for longer in local economies. Significant amounts ofproduce may be sold locally through farm gate sales, home deliveriesor farm shops. Economic potential may also lie in the integrity of theproduce itself – responsibly produced, community-supported andhealth-sustaining food.By using these local approaches, farms and other food producers maybe more viable and less likely to be affected by external forces such asdisease or currency fluctuation. This is also important for the survivaland development of smaller-sized farms.However, there are also economic barriers to supplying local food.These may include:9

• Limited resources for promoting products – a serious issue for smalland micro-businesses• Gaps in local processing which, if rectified, could shorten supplychains and provide local outlets and jobs• Lack of infrastructure can lead to insufficient volume of activityto sustain growth without subsidy, for example small throughputabattoirs• Poor local food distribution networks and carriers favouring bulkdeliveries• Supply may not fit with demand, limiting access to markets for bothproducers and consumers.There can also be problems with range, quantity, seasonality andregularity of supply. However, the Skye & Lochalsh Food and DrinkInitiative, particularly its Food Link Van, is a good example of balancingsupply and demand, for the benefit of both consumers and producers.To date, advice and support to food companies has focused on theexport market and adding value, reflecting the interests of the big,rather than the small players, who are more likely to be able to supplythe local market. There is a dual challenge for the local food sector:to keep as much as possible of the food chain local whilst developingmarkets and exporting capacity.Developing local food initiatives means engaging local enthusiasmand expertise as well as appealing to business self-interest. Dynamic,energetic individuals, sometimes volunteers, who are committed tothe issues, drive many successful initiatives in the local food sector.However, commitment from business and consumers is also needed toallow the local market to develop v . Business advice is important too.At a UK level, the Institute of Grocery Distributors (IGD) vi publishes bestpractice guides on local sourcing and for small businesses supplyingsupermarkets. Business advice of this kind could be developed for thelocal food sector.economykey questionsHow are the infrastructure needsof local food processing andproduction best tackled?How can best practice beshared, businesses advised andcross-sectoral local initiativesdeveloped?Should partnerships betweenlarge-scale retailers and the localfood sector be encouraged?How can major public sectorpurchasers, such as healthboards and local authorities,be encouraged to use morelocal produce in their cateringdepartments?10ivvviwww.pluggingtheleaks.orgFood projects and how they work: Pauline McGlone, Barbara Dobson, Elizabeth Dowler and Michael Nelson,Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 1999www.igd.com

environmentThe benefits of local food systems extend far beyond the marketplace.Fewer road miles, less packaging, environmentally friendly farmingsystems, stronger local economies and the preservation of regionalspecialities are all potential benefits that make for a healthierenvironment and population.Consumers are increasingly concerned about how food is produced,including chemical use, rearing practice, animal welfare, biodiversity,quality, traceability, origin and the impact on their health. Localmarkets, farmers markets and direct sales provide an opportunity forthese concerns to be listened to and acted on.The Countryside Agency’s Eat the View initiative in England vii encourageslinks between environmentally-sound production and local food. Thisincludes showing consumers that they can support the local countrysideby choosing local products produced using sustainable methods.environmentkey questionsHow can local food systemscontribute to sustainabledevelopment?What would enable consumersto support local foods producedin an environmentally friendlyway?The cost of conventionally produced food rarely reflects the externalfactors associated with producing it, for example acid rain or globalwarming resulting from pollution from transport. There are manyenvironmental and consumer concerns linked to conventionallyproduced food. These include the use of irradiation, food additivesand antibiotics; genetic engineering; or high levels of pesticides andchemical inputs. The local food sector generally aims to reject all ofthese. There is an increasing association between tourism, food andthe environment. For example, a study commissioned by the SouthernUplands Partnership to investigate the potential for developing a ‘greenlabel’ for the area concluded that linking sustainable production with localbranding could provide opportunities to add value and make productsmore marketable viii .There is a need for more research into the environmental impact offood production, as well as clear policies to link biodiversity, pollution,food miles and wider sustainability issues. It is also important to sharegood practice from initiatives already developed.12vii www.eat-the-view.org.ukviii Review of Potential for Green Labelling in the Southern Uplands, RSK ERA Ltd for the Southern Uplands Partnership, 10 2002

EarthShareEarthShare, near Forres, is a not-for-profitcommunity-supported agriculture schemeestablished in 1994, in which the subscribersshare the risks and benefits involved in thegrowing of their food using organic methods.The organisation grows over 50 varieties ofsoft fruit and vegetables for distribution tosome 200 families. Subscribers sign up to thescheme for a year and in return, they receivetheir share of the year’s harvest in the formof a weekly box. There is a discount for anysubscriberswho help with labour-intensive work suchas weeding and soft fruit picking.case studyHealthy food is produced locally at costprice with no intermediary and minimaladvertising and distributioncosts. The weekly boxesare taken to pick-up points in Findhorn, Forres or Elgin.Subscribers collect their own boxes and are encouraged toorganise a rota to collect for their nearest neighbours. Thescheme promotes recycling and general environmentalawareness, organises regular social events and keepssubscribers up to date through notes in theweekly box and a newsletter, The OnionString. Subscribers say they benefit bothfrom the fresh local produce and theopportunity to work on the land in harmonywith nature and the changing seasons.13

communitiesFood is important to society in many ways. This is clearly demonstratedby the many community projects and initiatives which are tacklinglocally identified issues. However, there is a lack of policy which linkslocal food to social need. The local food sector has the potential toalleviate social and economic disadvantage and the impact this hason business, diet and health. There is significant scope to increase theuptake of local food. With a co-ordinated approach, locally producedfoods could be sold locally at affordable prices and still be profitablefor the supplier. This would need greater co-operation amongproducers and better connections between suppliers and consumers.Co-operative working associated with local food initiatives – suchas developing project management skills, networking and buildinglinks with local colleges and the tourism sector – can make a valuablecontribution to community development and social capital building.communitieskey questionsWhich organisations are bestplaced to nurture and promotethe local food sector atcommunity level?How can access to existing localproduce be improved to benefitconsumers?An issue for remote rural communities is getting fresh local producerather than centrally sourced food, which is often all that is available.Even in more urban areas, people may depend on a small corner shopwith little fresh local produce. One way to expand the market is toconvince local businesses that it makes good business sense to stocklocal, traceable produce.Home food production is important for some, although allotmentsare relatively scarce in Scotland compared to England. Gardenproduction of fruit and vegetables is geographically widespread, andis a significant source for some households. Traditional social pastimes,such as wild fruit harvesting, have declined in recent years, but others,such as gathering fungi, have increased.Recent crises in food and farming have dented consumer confidence.Encouraging consumers to have direct contact with producers is oneway to improve consumer confidence. Farmers markets, vegetable boxschemes, community-supported agriculture and other forms of directsales, are good examples of this.14

KnowetopCommunityFarmKnowetop CommunityFarm was set up in 1980 inWest Dumbarton to providerecreational, educational,and employmentopportunities for peopleliving in a deprived area.The farm has sincebecome a limitedcompany; has grownfrom three huts toaround twelve acres; is aregistered SQA trainingcentre for horticulture and animal care;and a New Deal provider.case studySchools make good use of the farm andits new educational unit. The vegetablegarden sells producedirectly to local residentsand visitors.Recent additions include anew shop, training room andindoor soft play area.15

healthThe local food sector can have positive benefits on health. Food can befresher because it is nearer to its market and is likely to be less processedand therefore contain fewer additives.There are also health benefits from increased physical activity (such asgardening or collecting wild food), increased social interaction (throughinvolvement in the community), more self-worth and control, and thechance to share experiences with others.Access to and availability of fruit and vegetables have been recognisedfor some time as key components of national and local health strategies.Community cafés and food co-operatives, often supported as part ofhealth strategies, are increasingly aware of the benefits of using localproduce so that people can eat fresh local food. People are more likely tosupport initiatives when they see a direct link with local producers.healthkey questionsHow can local and nationalhealth strategies be connectedto locally sourced food?What are the best methodsof addressing the barriers ofaffordability, availability, cultureand skills relating to accessinglocal food?People need to know more about food, nutrition and health. Youngpeople may need to learn about raw ingredients as well as basic cookingskills. This means a fundamental change in attitude which sees eatingwell as better, and not just healthier.The new Health Improvement (HI) directorate within the HealthDepartment of the Scottish Executive indicates that policy makersregard health improvement as a major new crosscutting priority. Eachdepartment within the Scottish Executive now has to review how itinteracts with and can contribute to improving the health of the peopleof Scotland. The HI framework will fit across multi-agency departmentalbusiness plans and this will mean a more integrated approach toaddressing food and local food.The connections between local food systems, social exclusion and healthhave not been quantified. Although the relationship between health anddietary behaviour is well known, the extent to which dietary problemscan be addressed by local food (rather than changes in dietary andother behaviour such as exercise) is less clear. This is an area which needsfurther research.16

case studyRenfrewshire Community GardensRenfrewshire Community Gardens involves nursery andschool age children and disabled and elderly peopleactive on 11 different sites. As part of the initiative, pupils atMoorpark Primary School in Renfrew have created theirown vegetable garden. Thechildren have learned about planting,composting, recycling, and much more.They also harvest, prepare and cook theirproduce in the classroom so they cantaste what they have grown. The workis supported by the local SustainableCommunities Project established to‘ground’ Renfrewshire’s Local Agenda 21programme. The project has worked closelywith the Scottish Executive’s NationalHealth Demonstration Project ‘Have a HeartPaisley’ and has won a COSLA ExcellenceGold Award for Social Inclusion.17

policycurrentWhile there are policies which support local food systems, thesetend to sit within individual Scottish Executive departments involvedin health, environment and rural affairs, enterprise and transport,or different agencies (such as NHS Health Scotland). So, althoughimportant, local food is not at the top of any specific agenda.The Scottish Executive’s Partnership Agreement (2003) recognisesthe importance of developing local food with an emphasis onthe rural development context. The Forward Strategy for ScottishAgriculture gives strong direction on market identification andmentions shortening the food chain, adjustment, quality assuranceand traceability. However, although clearly relevant, local food is notincluded.Within the Scottish Executive, the Environment and Rural AffairsDepartment supports a range of agri-food marketing initiatives. Thisincludes administering the Processing and Marketing grants schemesthat support food producers, including those in the local food sector.The Executive also supports the Scottish Diet Action Plan, which notesthat important groups of fresh food consumed in Scotland are alsoproduced in Scotland, and recommends that action should be taken tostimulate consumer demand for the local product.The Enterprise Networks generally focus on developing the food sectorthrough developing markets and products and improved businessperformance. They play a key role in the industry-led Scottish Food andDrink Strategy. They do not regard ‘localness’ as a separate issue; itsrelevance lies in being part of the overall market.Highlands and Islands Enterprise identifies ‘local’ as one of the marketsto address for niche products and regional import substitution. Itencourages producers to meet the demand for local sourcing from thetourism market as one way of addressing regional import substitutions.18

Scottish Enterprise focuses on adding or retaining value and removingcosts from the food chain. This means it will help food processors tokeep their costs down, and encourage food processing to be donelocally where possible.Local authorities and Local Enterprise Companies are keen to promotelocal business development. Their efforts are not targeted particularlyat local foods but at strengthening the local food industry throughimproved performance, skills and marketing. When this relates tolocal food, there is a strong link with tourism. They have scope totarget local food production and processing, but this tends to focuson marketing these outwith rather than within the area. Some localpublic bodies and institutions promote the use of local produce inhouse.However, this is constrained by tendering rules, range ofproduce available and continuity of supply.The underlying pressure from the World Trade Organisation is toreduce barriers to trade in food products. Such trends will increaseglobalisation in the food industry and undermine local food systems.moving forwardThere are good reasons for developing the local food sector inScotland because of the diverse and long-terms benefits it couldprovide.While there are isolated examples of highly effective partnershipsencouraging local food systems, these are the exception. Lack ofcontinuity, limited resources and fragmented policy impede progress.Integration and focus tends to be better at a local level, closer to thecommunity where the benefits arise, and where dynamic individualsare able to reduce the barriers to change. A cohesive approach is nowneeded.The policy agenda is changing as a result of the mid-term review ofthe Common Agricultural Policy which, for the first time, will linkpayments for food production to compliance with standards covering19

environment, public health and animal health. It also recognisesthe economic, social and environmental role of agriculture in ruraldevelopment. These policy changes should provide an opportunity todevelop the local food sector.A Scottish Executive commitment to integrate economic, social, healthand environmental policies for food could assist the local food sector.Agencies related to agriculture, enterprise, communities, environmentand transport need to work together to best effect. Currentmainstream agricultural policy supports food exports but could providemore support to local marketing. Incentives and subsidies are mainlydirected at conventional food production (especially at farm level) butcould be more focused on the local food economy.In England, there has been some success in joining up food andlocal food agendas. After foot and mouth, and following the PolicyCommission Report into Food and Farming ix the Department forEnvironment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has taken a lead indeveloping a crosscutting food group which integrates the agendasand includes a working group on local food x .policykey questionsWhat information is neededto measure the impact offood production on health,environment, economy andcommunity?How can all the relevant groupswork individually and collectivelyat all levels to maximise thepotential benefits of the localfood sector in Scotland?Despite the challenges, there is a clear opportunity for the local foodsector to grow. Local food is moving up the policy agenda and thelinks between local food and the economy, communities, environment,and health are more clearly evident. An integrated, evidence-basedapproach will put the local food sector on a strong foundation. Thetime is now right for a full discussion of the issues and to develop aframework for action.20ix Farming and Food: A Sustainable Future, The Policy Commission, 2002x Local Food – A Snapshot of the Sector, Report of the Working Group on Local Food,DEFRA,March 2003

further informationscotlandFSA ScotlandForth Valley Food LinksHighlands and Islands EnterpriseMull & Iona Community PartnershipNHS Health ScotlandScottish Association of Farmers’ MarketsScottish Community Diet ProjectScottish Consumer CouncilScottish Executive – Healthy LivingScottish Food and DrinkSoil Association ScotlandSouthern Upland PartnershipSkye and Lochalsh Food Linkengland and walesBucks & Milton Keynes Food GroupCalderdale & Kirklees Food FuturesCountryside Agency: Eat the View CampaignDevon Food LinksDorset Food LinksEast Anglia Food LinkEast Sussex Food & Health PartnershipForest Food LinksFoundation for Local Food Initiatives (f3)Gloucestershire Food LinksHerefordshire Food LinksLondon Food LinksNational Association of Farmers' MarketsNottingham Food Initiatives GroupOxfordshire Food GroupRural Regeneration UnitSomerset Food LinksSouth West Local Food Partnershipunited kingdomFederation of City Farms & Community GardensFood Links UKHenry Doubleday Research AssociationInstitute of Grocery Distributors (IGD)New Economics Foundation (Plugging the Leaks)The Royal Horticultural SocietySoil Association Local Food WorksSustain: the Alliance for Better Food & Farmingwww.foodstandards.gov.ukwww.forthvalleyfoodlinks.org.ukwww.hie.co.ukwww.mict.co.ukwww.healthscotland.comwww.scottishfarmersmarkets.co.ukwww.dietproject.org.ukwww.scotconsumer.org.ukwww.healthyliving.gov.ukwww.scottishfoodanddrink.comwww.soilassociationscotland.orgwww.sup.org.ukwww.skyefoodlink.co.ukwww.buckscc.gov.ukwww.foodfutures.org.ukwww.eat-the-view.org.ukwww.devonfoodlinks.org.ukwww.dorsetfoodlinks.co.ukwww.eafl.org.ukwww.foodandhealth.org.ukwww.gafm.orgwww.localfood.org.ukwww.gafm.orgwww.greengate.org.ukwww.londonfoodlink.orgwww.farmersmarkets.netwww.foodfig.org.ukwww.oxfordshirelocalfood.infowww.rru.org.ukwww.somerset.foodlinks.org.ukwww.southwestfoodlinks.orgwww.farmgarden.orgwww.foodlinks-uk.org/index.aspwww.hdra.org.ukwww.igd.comwww.neweconomics.orgwww.rhs.org.ukwww.localfoodworks.orgwww.sustainweb.org21

This paper has been compiled by a partnership of the former ScottishFood Futures programme areas, NHS Health Scotland, Highlandsand Islands Enterprise, Scottish Community Diet Project, the ScottishConsumer Council, Scottish Executive Health and Environment & RuralAffairs Departments and Scottish Natural Heritage. It is based on areview of the local food sector in Scotland commissioned on behalf ofthe partners by NHS Health Scotland. *Published by Scottish Consumer Council, February 2004ISBN 0-9543408-8-4Produced and printed locally on locally made recycled paper by The Graphics Company 0131 225 7232,edited by Shirley Henderson, case study photography by Keith Brame* Review of the Local food Sector in Scotland 2001/2002, prepared for HEBS by the RuralDevelopment Company and University of Aberdeen, January 200322