Breadcrumbs
Eat the View News Update (19/10/05)
Market Towns Local Foodcheck Handbook
Developed by the 'Eat the View' initiative and published by Action for Market Towns, this handbook is for anyone who wants to undertake a 'local foodcheck' - a structured process to enhancing and developing a market town's local food economy. The Local Foodcheck process was piloted by the Countryside Agency in the towns of Bridport in Dorset and Faringdon in Oxfordshire. The handbook includes guidance on the foodcheck process, highlights relevant examples, and details the experiences of Bridport and Faringdon. It also contains a 'toolkit' section which provides useful information and advice, including guidance on using the 'Foodcheck Spreadsheet' to calculate the value of a local food economy. The handbook was launched at this year's Market Towns' Convention in Hexham on 6 - 7 October. To download the Handbook and/or Spreadsheet click here. For more information see: www.towns.org.uk.
£2 million boost to regional food sector
Food and Farming Minister, Lord Bach recently announced a £2 million boost to support the quality regional food and drink sector. The decision follows an independent economic review of the Government's Regional Food Strategy published by consultants ADAS which shows that Government support for the sector has been effective and that those firms that have benefited from the strategy have performed better than non-beneficiaries. The ADAS evaluation report includes some recommendations for improvements to the strategy and Defra will be reviewing with stakeholders how best to take these forward. Defra is also taking this opportunity to consolidate delivery and promotion of the EU Protected Food Name Scheme with Food from Britain.
Connecting consumers with farming and farm produce
New research by the Institute of Grocery Distribution, on behalf of the Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food Implementation Group, looking at consumer attitudes to farming, food, and the countryside has found that the vast majority of people in England consider agriculture to be very important to Britain and that 87% consider that farming has an important role in maintaining the countryside. But, it also found, that only half of people care where their food comes from, although 18% always try to buy British when possible. Download the report from: www.igd.com.
Like shooting fish in a barrel
A new report has warned that the only way to save local fishing industry jobs and the marine environment is to stop eating fish - unless you can be sure it has been caught by British fishermen using sustainable methods. Published by Sustain, the report outlines the health pros and cons of eating fish, summarises the environmental damage caused by both industrial fishing and fish farming, and lays bare the contradictions in government policy at both UK and EU level. See: www.sustainweb.org
Supermarket survey
A survey by the Henry Doubleday Research Association (HDRA) has found that a lack of local or UK-produced organic vegetables is a key issue for organic consumers. Covering over 300 participants across the UK, eight supermarket chains and 65 types of vegetable, the survey found that most organic crops on sale during the season are homegrown, but outside it, imports from Spain, Israel, France and the Netherlands dominate.
Eat Dorset
A new book by Michael Feasey celebrating everything that Dorset has to offer on the food front - in particular its food heritage. Published by Parnham Press in November. To order click here.
EVENTS
19 – 21 October, British Cheese Festival
Visitors can watch cheese being made, meet over 100 cheese makers, & taste more than 60 goat, sheep and buffalo cheeses. See: www.thecheeseweb.com
21 October, Apple Day
The annual celebration of the huge variety of apples grown in Britain and the richness and importance of traditional orchards. See: www.commonground.org.uk
25 – 31 October, Liverpool Food & Drink Festival
The Liverpool Food & Drink Festival gets under way on the Monday 25th October. See: www.liverpoolfoodanddrink.com
4 – 6 November, Food Lovers’ Fair, Covent Garden
A chance to pick up some really good quality specialist food. See: www.foodloversbritain.com
