Breadcrumbs
Eat the View News Update (17/03/04)
Local food vital to viability of village shops
A new report for the Countryside Agency's Eat the View and Vital Villages initiatives shows that local food can help to ensure the viability of village shops by offering customers a range of unique products not found in other retail outlets. It also illustrates that village shops can be an important outlet for local farmers and growers. The report, 'Local Products and Village Shops' details nine examples where village shops are stocking local food. The report also summaries other activity in rural areas that is exploring the potential of the local food sector in new and innovative ways. It shows that packaging is reduced because local food is often sold loose and the increasing percentage of local products stocked is reducing 'food miles'. The report is available to download at: www.countryside.gov.uk/LAR/Landscape/ETV/research/retailing.asp.
Market Towns Local Foodcheck
The Countryside Agency's Eat the View programme is working closely with the Market Towns initiative and two market towns, Bridport in Dorset and Faringdon in Oxfordshire, to help develop their sustainable local food economies and a model 'foodcheck' for other market towns. This Foodcheck will be designed to help people assess and develop their town’s sustainable food economy through a structured process. It will follow a process similar to the Market Towns’ Healthcheck, and include conducting an audit of the town’s local food economy, carrying out a feasibility study to assess potential opportunities, and developing and implementing an action plan. The guidance, available early in 2005, will detail the elements of the process and contain the examples of good practice, including the experiences of the two pilot towns.
Review of the local food sector in Scotland 2001/03
Report prepared for the Health Education Board for Scotland (now NHS Health Scotland) by the Rural Development Company and University of Aberdeen. It aims to build up an understanding of the nature and significance of the local food sector in Scotland and to make recommendations regarding its future development. Full report from: www.hebs.scot.nhs.uk/research/pdf/RE02420012002Final1.pdf (PDF: 603kb).
Sales of 'gourmet' food set to soar
Market analysts, Datamonitor, has found that sales of gourmet foods are set to soar from last years £4.2 billion to £5.5 billion by 2008. Andrew Russell, Datamonitor consumer markets analyst said, 'Consumers are prepared to spend a premium on food provided that they can see a clear value in it'. Source: The Grocer.
Arbroath Smokies gain 'Product of Geographical Indication' status
Arbroath Smokies now joins Welsh Lamb, Cornish Clotted Cream, and Stilton Cheese on the list of 35 UK products recognised by the EU for their quality and regional identity. See: www.wired-gov.net/WGLaunch.aspx?ARTCL=23066 & www.defra.gov.uk/foodrin/foodname/contents.htm.
Coca Cola bans Buxton water from fridges
Shopkeepers in Derbyshire say Coca Cola has ordered them to stop selling Buxton Natural Mineral water. The water used to be distributed by the multi-national corporation and sold from branded fridges supplied free to stores. But Coca Cola representatives say they can no longer sell the local water from the cabinets. Buxton Water says it is disappointed that shoppers in Derbyshire could be denied the chance of buying a local product. A spokesman for the company said: "We are disappointed that Coca Cola would, in the town of Buxton, remove Buxton Water from our local retailers' fridges. Since Roman times, Buxton Water has been at the very heart of the town and it is an important part of its history and heritage." Source: BBC
EVENTS
25th March 6 - 9.30 pm Meeting the People Who Grow Our Food
Demos, 39 York Road, London. Admission: £5 including wine. Demos, The Soil Association and Resurgence Magazine are hosting an event to set up a community supported agriculture scheme for London. Speakers will include: Jenny Jones: Green Party Deputy Mayor of London, Greg Pilley: Soil Association, Dan Keech: London Food Link, Julie Brown: Growing Communities.
Contact: Peter Lang at peterlang@resurgence.org or 0208 809 2391.
1st to 9th May, Lake District & Cumbria Food Festival & Fair
A 3-day Fair (at Rheged, nr Penrith, May 1-3) showcasing producers of local/organic/sustainable produce, run in conjunction with a Festival (Lakes & Cumbria-wide, May 1-9) with many outlets organising special food & drink events.
Contact: Christian Dymond at christian@paradisepicts.free-online.co.uk.
7th May, Beacon Towns Conference
Event will look at both the Market Towns Initiative and Beacon Towns in a broader, international context. Includes a workshop on the experience of the first stage of the Local Foodcheck in the pilot towns of Bridport and Faringdon.
Contact: Joanne Smithson at joanne.smithson@towns.org.uk or see: www.towns.org.uk/eventmaster/t_conferenceinfo.php?refnum=68.
Inclusion in this news update does not imply approval or endorsement of the items or events by The Countryside Agency. All information in this email has been checked and believed to be correct, but cannot be so guaranteed. The Agency does not necessarily support or endorse the views, ideas, products or services on any site to which it provides a link.
