We have a food market monopolised by a handful of companies coupled with health & nutrition targets that we’re struggling to meet. These ideas are all about creating more joined up thinking in how we grow, consume & distribute our food, & a more diverse economic model.
The Fife Diet is developing a new food manifesto for Scotland as a contribution to the food and drink policy framework.
THE AIMS OF THE FOOD MANIFESTO ARE TO:
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Connect the way we grow, produce, distribute and consume our food with our climate change targets Connect the environmental policy framework to our health and well-being initiatives.
Look afresh at the values that underpin how we organise our food economy.
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Soup Test RIGHT TO GROW A SEASONAL FIVE A DAY SODA TAX ELEVATE FOOD TO THE CLIMATE CHANGE AGENDA
6 7 8 a food 9 leadership team sustainable 10 public procurement
moratorium on supermarket expansion decentralise our food infrastructure blasDa
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plastic bag tax regional food mapping new food indicators farm apprenticeships school farms
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farm corps, garden corps gm free scotland queen of the sea scottish orchard/fruit a new food economy
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FOOD & CARBON
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FIFE DIET CARBON IMPACT
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FIFE DIET CARBON IMPACT
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OUR NETWORK
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2007-2008 The ‘local food experiment’ inspires people with the immersion in a new experience. There is overwhelming response at a series of community lunches across Fife.
2009-2010 Received funding from the Climate Challenge Fund to popularise the idea of reducing
food miles & sustainability. Growing trials & community consultation in Burntisland
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
2010-2011 Received further funding from the Climate Challenge Fund to ‘strengthen the local food revolution’
2012-2015 Climate Challenge Fund funding to take the local food movement to a new level ,
moving from theory to practice in our ability to source, grow and harvest local produce.
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soup test
The Soup Test is a very simple idea: no young person should leave school without knowing how to make a pot of soup for their friends.The idea is about life-skills but also brings to the table a notion of a rites of passage. New research shows that the majority of 18-25 year olds in the UK (57%) are leaving home without the ability to cook even a simple recipe such as Spaghetti Bolognese.
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COMMUNITY RIGHT TO GROW A flourishing community food movement needs land to grow. There is no shortage of land as such. Community Right to Grow Act would promote food production by creating a legal presumption in favour of people growing food on land that is lying unused. This measure would provide valuable opportunities for food production, enhance the environment of derelict sites and revitalise abandoned land. A protocol for how this might operate should be developed and piloted with local authorities who have the power under Section 21 of the Land Settlement (Scotland) Act 1919 to make unused land available for food production .
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a seasonal five a day We propose: A national campaign led by community food groups, chefs, cafe owners and health centres to promote the idea of a seasonal 5 a day A GIY network to enable home grown fruit trees and the development of a national orchard similar to Ireland’s www.giyireland.com
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SODA TAX We propose the introduction of a SODA tax on all sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) based on:
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The fact that Scotland has one of the highest obesity rates in the world. There is an overwhelming body of scientific evidence that links consumption of SSBs to obesity, cardiovascular diseases & other ailments like cancer.
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The income raised from the tax could be earmarked to health promotion programmes with a focus on children & lower income families.
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Several countries around the world are applying similar political measures with success by taxing sodas & fat foods.
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ELEVATE FOOD TO THE CLIMATE CHANGE AGENDA We propose: A specific annual food emissions reduction target The promotion of low carbon foods as a key goal, aim and indicator A coherent framework for reduction of GHG emissions from our primary agriculture sector. Development of carbon literacy around food so that individuals will know whether they are personally on or off target and the better to help collective collaborations
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MORATORIOUM ON SUPERMARKET EXPANSION We need to ensure that a comprehensive environmental and socioeconomic impact assessment is in place before giving the green light to any further food retail development owned by the major food retailers (this includes high street convenience stores and hypermarkets). Local competition and retail diversity are guaranteed by the competition and local authorities before any further expansion. This proposal will contribute to one of the main objectives of Scotland’s National Food and Drink Policy of creating a more secure and resilient food system, based on the diversity of our food supply.
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DECENTRALISE OUR FOOD INFRASTRUCTURE We should be clear and coherent about the model of development we want for our food system: Disconnection model: highly centralised and dominated by large processing, trading and retail companies and highly dependant on global trade and markets. This model is characterised by the increasing disconnection between how food is produced and consumed, and disconnected of local ecosystems and regional societies. Connection model: based on the ecological capital of farming, the reproduction of short and decentralised supply chains and building links between consumers and producers.
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BLASDA
Blasda is Gaelic for taste, or flavour. In 2011, Fife Diet tested out an idea to hold ‘BLASDA: Scotland’s local food feast’ as a celebration of food sovereignty. The idea was simple, let’s find out what each region ‘tastes like’. Let’s create an opportunity for regional food celebrations and a ‘local food feast’ in multiple locations at the same time..
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A FOOD LEADERSHIP TEAM We propose a Food Leadership Team based on: The need to create an independent and cross-sectoral critical voice to monitor the implementation of Scotland Food and Drink Policy and to contribute to its development. Continuing the previous consultation and dialogue process started by the Scottish Government and Leadership Forum during the design of the policy, and ensuring there is a fair representation and participation of all the interested sectors, including those which are less vocal. Redressing the imbalance between power and governance by bringing the Food Leadership Team’s resolutions to a parliamentary debate.
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SUSTAINABLE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT We propose a Farm to Institution partnership based on the facts that: Local authorities and public institutions have the power to show by example, influencing consumers and new generations to become part of a healthier and more sustainable food culture. Public institutions’ buying power can contribute to rebuilding local infrastructure and stable local food markets dismantled by the globalisation of the food system. Connecting institutions to local farms can have significant economic and social benefits. There is already evidence of best practice on creative food procurement in Scotland to build on, as shown by East Ayrshire Council, supported by the Scottish Executive “Hungry for Success” initiative. This proposal is in keeping with the 2009 Scottish Sustainable Procurement Action Plan and the recommendations of the Future Delivery of Public Service Commission, which stress the need to build a common public service ethos and joined-up integrated services to develop local capacity.
Thanks for your time Mike Small, Teresa MartĂnez and the Fife Diet Team