Promote Local Food
Why does local food and produce matter?
It is now an undeniable fact that as a society, we have largely become alienated from the food we eat. How many people actually know where their food comes from, how it is produced and when it is in season? Presently, food travels too far from the field to the kitchen, in too much packaging, polluting the environment and wasting energy. Consumers are not alone in showing genuine concern, as farmers are now looking to address the need to 'put a face' on the food we eat. This is being achieved through initiatives such as farmers' markets and food co-operatives.From Farm to Table
Delivering the flawless food that supermarkets demand; i.e. perfect in shape and colour, translates into the use of fertilisers and pesticides. When these chemicals escape into the local environment, ecosystems are disrupted and species are lost. Somewhere between the farm and the table, the food has to be moved around the country or even the world! By the time it reaches our plate, its freshness and nutritional value have diminished through time, distance and the processes which 'add value' to the food, giving it a longer shelf life but making it more difficult to discern the real flavour of the original ingredients.
Most food is, in fact, about 90-95 % water. So, in practice, we are moving water from one part of the world to another and much of what is eaten in Britain is grown in countries such as Spain and Zimbabwe where water is a very precious resource.
Flying commodities by air, which uses nearly 40 times the amount of fuel that sea transport uses, is now a regular feature of world trade. But cheap fuel can also be used to undercut local suppliers by bringing in commodities from further afield.
The UK Apple Example
One of the best (or worst!) examples of overlooking local produce is that of apple consumption in the United Kingdom.
The U.K. now consumes more French apples than British ones. We have 'grubbed up' over half of our orchards since the 1950s and now bring in apples from Europe, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile and the USA (Source: SAFE Alliance). We could produce many more apples in the U.K., benefiting rural communities and saving energy on packaging and transport, but we don’t because the big supermarket buyers can get a better deal from overseas where fuel costs are lower. For a few pence per pound, a significant aspect of the rural economy in Britain is depleted - and the subsequent social and environmental costs of this depletion still have to be paid for (but not by the supermarkets).
The Benefits of Local Produce
Through supporting local produce, you are showing awareness and acting on the environmental issues mentioned above, as well as addressing the needs of your economy and community. These are summarised below:Social Benefits
- Farmers’ markets and food co-operatives can provide a meeting point for the local community.
- Promotes an understanding between rural and urban populations.
- Provides a healthy diet for local people by giving access to fresher produce.
- Allows people working in isolated situations to meet their customers and other producers.
- Conveys an educational awareness message to the public about where & how their food is produced.
Economic benefits
- Establishes links between producers and consumers.
- Retains employment and can aid other aspects of the local economy.
- A method to encourage the Local Exchange Trading Systems (LETS).
- Schemes such as farmers’ markets allow the producers to get direct feedback on their produce and prices.
- Small-scale producers, who may be excluded from markets requiring larger-scale supplies, gain an outlet for their produce.
Environmental benefits
- The transportation of goods is reduced, so using less 'food miles' and less fossil fuels.
- Wastage from outgrades is reduced.
- More organic production is encouraged, so less pesticide and herbicide use.
- Local wildlife benefits by less destruction of their habitat and food sources due to less intensive farming practices.
- Helps raise awareness about sustainable development and the links between society, the economy and the environment.
Which vegetables and when?
Now that produce can be flown in from almost anywhere in the world throughout the year, the anticipation and excitement of eating vegetables in season such as asparagus, broccoli or cucumber has largely been lost.
The farmer who sells locally rediscovers varieties that the big growers, distributors and retailers have rejected as inconvenient (e.g. the shipper wants bruise-resistant fruit; the retailer demands uniform size). Such rediscovered varieties have old-fashioned virtues, such as flavour.
Therefore, through supporting and promoting your local producers, you can restore the link between the food on your table and the seasons of the year. You can restore the local and regional diversity of varieties and breeds. And, you can be more inventive with our own foods and cooking traditions. Below is a list of peak harvesting times for U.K.-grown vegetables:
View enlarged Local Food chart
Save Food Miles! - Use seasonal UK vegetables wherever possible.
Promoting Local Goods and Produce
Nationally, there is an increasing interest in projects that aim to give individuals and communities a better choice for buying fresh local produce. This is reflected in the growth of schemes such as Farmers' Markets.Farmers' Markets
The concept of 'Farmers' Markets' actually comes from the USA where an estimated 20,000 farmers sell directly to over one million consumers every week. Over the past 25 years in the US, Farmers' Markets have flourished, increasing the consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables, renewing urban neighbourhoods and saving family farms.
In the U.K., the first Farmers' Market was held in Bath in 1997, as one of 3 pilots to assess the commercial viability of a permanent market in the city. The success of the scheme was phenomenal and the Bath example is now a test bed for the Farmers’ Market concept. Following the success of the Bath initiative, other markets have developed throughout the U.K. and now, over 200 Farmer's Markets are estimated to have an annual turnover of £65 million (Source: National Farmers Union).
The National Association of Farmers' Markets provides a definition.
"A Farmers' Market is one in which farmers, growers or producers from a defined local area are present in person to sell their own produce, direct to the public. All products sold should have been grown, reared, caught, brewed, pickled, baked, smoked or pr"
Nationally, a number of organisations have co-operated to promote the development of Farmers' Markets.
The National Association of Farmers' Markets (NAFM) is a non-profit making Limited Company owned by a number of organisations, which was founded in 1999. It aims to aid in the setting up of new markets and to support existing ones.
National Association of Farmers' Markets (NAFM)
South Vaults
Green Park Station
Green Park Road
Bath
BA1 1JB
Tel: 0122 787914
Fax: 01225 460840
Email: nafm@farmersmarkets.net
Website at www.farmersmarkets.net
This is a good source for further information on Farmers' Markets and NAFM provides a list of nationally accredited Markets.
The National Farmers' Union (NFU) is the democratic organisation representing farmers and growers in England and Wales. Its central objective is to promote the interests of those farming businesses producing quality food and drink products for customers and markets both at home and abroad, combined with a desire to ensure the long term survival of viable rural communities.
National Farmers' Union (NFU)
164 Shaftesbury Avenue
London
WC2H 8HL
Tel: 0207 3317200
Fax: 0207 3317313
Email: NFU@nfu.org.uk
Website at www.nfu.org.uk
The NFU also provides good information on local food initiatives, as well as a National Farmers' Markets Directory with dates for forthcoming markets.
The Soil Association is the U.K.'s leading campaigning charity and certification body for organic food and farming. Its underlying principle is to develop and provide practical, sustainable solutions, which combine food production and environmental protection and human health.
Soil Association
Bristol House
40 - 56 Victoria Street
Bristol
BS1 6BY
Tel: 0117 9290661
Fax: 0117 9252504
Email: info@soilassociation.org
Website at www.soilassociation.org
The Soil Association works with local partners to promote local food action, through seminars, feasibility studies and advice. For more details about what can be done for your area and costs please contact Lucy Gillie, Local Food Links Officer at the Soil Association on 0117 9142426.
The Soil Association also offers a number of relevant books and publications (at a cost), including Local Food for Local People - A Guide to Local Food Links (Soil Association, 1998. £10.00)..
Farmers' Markets in County Durham
Currently, farmers’ markets in County Durham are receiving ever-increasing interest from producers and consumers alike. The rural nature of the county, with its dispersed settlements including several market towns, is ideally suited for this type of produce sale. The first market within County Durham was held in Barnard Castle on the 4th December 1999, with stalls from 12 different farmers and producers and was an overwhelming success.Food Co-operatives
Of late, there have been growing concerns over the provision of shops and post offices within County Durham. For specific information on how you can help to retain local shops and services, Durham County Council provides a relevant factsheet available from the Environment Section on 0191 3833361.
Box and Bag Schemes
Subscription farming and box schemes are an innovative and resourceful strategy to connect local food producers with local consumers. They also help to develop an extremely local food supply and strong local economy, maintain a sense of community, encourage land stewardship, and honour the knowledge and experience of growers and producers working on small to medium farms.
Organisations that currently operate box schemes within County Durham largely provide quality organic produce, either for distribution or collection from the farmer or wholesaler.
Although a truly sustainable box scheme would involve locally grown organic food, distributed at a very local level through sustainable transport means, many of the current systems are at early levels of development and thus, it is important to encourage them.
Getting Started: What can your community group do?
There are many ways in which your community can help to promote local produce. Indeed, those communities that address this important issue are realising the potential that local food and produce has towards sustainable living.Practical action
Support Farmers' Markets
Publicise information about forthcoming Farmers' Markets through posters in and around your community to raise awareness of their existence. Try and find out who else in your community is interested in buying local food direct from the producer and then organise a group trip to one of the markets. Car-share or consider hiring a mini-bus if there are sufficient numbers.Initiate Allotment and Community Garden Schemes
Presently, allotment sites are being underused and lost nationally. However, they can be a very realistic option for community groups wanting to get involved in local food production, especially those in urban areas.
Growing seasonal fruit and vegetables in an allotment plot is a great method of enjoying year-round homegrown produce. Your community group could consider taking on an allotment and then the responsibilities for maintaining the plot can be delegated. It would be important to run the scheme as a co-operative where individuals aid and assist each other, providing communal support and trading skills. Amongst other benefits, this can offer a social meeting point.
Organic techniques should be introduced to the allotment and this would benefit the local environment through;
- Maintaining the long term fertility of the soil.
- Avoiding all forms of pollution.
- Producing foodstuffs of high nutritional quality.
- Maintaining and preserving wildlife and their habitats.
Self Reliance - A Recipe for the New Millennium
(John Yeoman, Permanent Publications, 1999. £12.95) A step-by-step guide towards greater self-reliance, containing simple but original ways in which to "live lighter" in the real world.The Edible Container Garden - Fresh Foods from Tiny Spaces
(Michael Guerra, Gaia Books, 2000. £11.99) Ideal for community groups in heavily built up areas that want to maximise backyard food cultivation.Factor Four: Doubling Wealth, Halving Resource Use
(Weizacker, Lovins & Lovins, Earthscan, 1997. £19.99) Includes many case studies illustrating that we can live twice as well by using only half the resources.If your community group is interested in hiring an allotment, please contact the relevant local authority:
Chester-le-Street District Council: Kath Thompson - 0191 3886673
Derwentside District Council: Caroline Kilburn - 01207 218450
City of Durham: John Richardson - 0191 3018692
Easington District Council: Bryan Tuddenham - 0191 5270501 extn. 2472
Sedgefield Borough Council: 01388 816166 extn. 4226
Teesdale District Council: Town Clerk - 01388 450559
Wear Valley District: Sue Hocking - 01388 761604
Various Allotment Associations also operate within County Durham and can provide plots of land for individuals or groups. These include:
- Derwentside Federation of Allotment Associations, Annfield Plain
- Number 1. Allotment Association, Consett
- Shildon Gardens and Allotment Guild, Shildon
Use local produce for community events
If you are organising a community event involving refreshments, why not consider obtaining the food and drink from local sources. Foodstuffs purchased from Farmers' Markets and co-operatives can guarantee that only local produce is consumed.
Currently, there is no Local Food Directory for County Durham, which would provide consumers with details of local farmers and producers. However, plans to compile such a register are underway.
For events where alcoholic beverages are required, you could choose to support local drink producers and microbreweries. Comprehensive information on independent breweries in the County Durham area can be obtained from CAMRA (CAMpaign for Real Ale). Contact the North East Section on;
Durham: Ian Clough - 0191 378053
Wear Valley: Alastair Downie - 01388 527919 (home) 0403 713574 (mobile)
Email camra@camra.org.uk or website at www.camra.org.uk.
Summary
Food is a basic human need. Yet for most of us in the U.K. it is merely another commodity that we take for granted. Issues surrounding how, where, or by whom it is grown are not generally considered when we are doing our regular food shopping.
Increased regional food production would be a considerable boost to the local economy. Currently, a large part of the nation's best farmland is being lost to commercial and residential development at an accelerating rate. At the same time, the retirement of older farmers, increasing land and production costs, low food prices in other countries and competing land uses all combine to make farming and local food production in the U.K. an increasingly difficult task.
However, as a community group, you can begin to help re-address the current situation in the North East of England by supporting initiatives like Farmers' Markets and food co-operatives. At the same time, working together and producing your own seasonally fresh food for your own needs, can all contribute to becoming a truly sustainable community.
