Assuring the products of protected landscapes – the Peak District EQM In the East Midlands, Eat the View worked in conjunction with the Peak District National Park Authority to pilot an 'Environmental Quality Mark'. This has developed an environment...
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Projects

Projects undertaken as part of the Eat the View initiative:

Assuring the products of protected landscapes – the Peak District EQM
In the East Midlands, Eat the View worked in conjunction with the Peak District National Park Authority to pilot an 'Environmental Quality Mark'. This has developed an environmental award for certified products and enterprises from this area of nationally protected countryside. In particular, the initiative defines standards for products which contribute directly to the management of the local landscape. We also developed possible standards for a similar initiative in the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. 

For more information on the Peak District EQM: click here.
For information on the Cotswolds Choice standards: click here. 

Woodland products programme with the Forestry Commission
This initiative in partnership with the Forestry Commission (England) helped to develop the market for products from sustainably managed woodlands. The programme included research into the public's knowledge, interest, and understanding of sustainable forestry and woodland products. It also included the production of a series of guides to improve the marketing of sustainable woodland products. 

Marketing products from sustainable grazing
Permanent pasture is a characteristic feature of many landscapes and an important habitat for many species. The need to develop a distinct market for livestock systems that contribute to a productive, attractive and sustainable countryside is an important policy objective. A study was commissioned by Eat the View to consider the potential for a 'Landscape Quality Mark' for products from conservation grazing and we held a major conference on the subject in 2005.

Food, people and place
This project was about bringing people together to consider the place where they live and the food, landscapes, distinctiveness, and issues of that place. Eat the View worked with f3 - the local food consultants - to pilot a number of sustainable local food strategies at parish level and to produce good practice guidance. The pilots involved in the project were Headcorn in Kent, Wallingford in Oxfordshire, and Haltwistle in South West Tyndale.

Exploration of the relationship between locality products and landscape character
The aim of this project was to enable an increase in awareness of the links between products and the countryside, through a clearer knowledge and understanding of the relationship between locality food and landscape character, and to gain greater recognition and protection of these foods in order to sustain and enhance the landscape from where they derive.The report exploring the relationship between locality products and landscape character, is available to download here.

Public sector food procurement initiative
We supported the Government’s initiative to introduce sustainable development into public sector contracts for food and catering including in schools, prisons, and hospitals. Eat the View’s support included helping to develop a toolkit for public purchasers to enable them to buy better quality and more sustainable food. 

For more information: click here.

Working group on regional and local food
Eat the View represented The Countryside Agency on the cross-departmental Working Group on Regional and Local Food with members from Defra, Department of Health, Food from Britain, and the Food Standards Agency.  The group produced the report 'Local Food: A Snapshot of the Sector'.

To see the research section relating to the local food economy: click here.

Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food (SSFF)
Eat the View made a detailed submission to the Curry Commission on the Future of Farming and Food in 2003. We were involved in the delivery and support for the regional Strategies for Sustainable Farming and Food: in the South West we led on ‘Natural Unit Brands’ within the South West Delivery Plan and, in the West Midlands, we supported and advised the West Midlands SSFF team in the establishment and running of a number of county-based ‘Rural Hubs’. 

PREVIOUS PROJECTS

Manifold Valley project
We supported the initial scoping phase of a demonstration project in the Manifold Valley which aims to create innovative added value markets and diversification opportunities for hill farmers. It aims to ensure that farming is commercially viable, and that the landscape is protected and attractive to tourists. 

Evaluation of accreditation scheme standards
Eat the View commissioned Land Use Consultants (LUC) to compare and contrast the sustainability standards of existing and emerging national, regional and area-based product and business accreditation schemes, in order to understand how and which sustainability criteria are being successfully used and to provide recommendations for future scheme development.

To download the final report: click here

Food trails and food and drink toolkit
In the East of England, we developed three food trails relating to cereals, fruit and meat from grazing animals across the region. The trails can be accessed from explore your countryside website. We also helped to develop a Food and Drink Toolkit with Taste of Anglia and the East of England Tourist Board. It outlines the benefits of using local products and provides practical information about how to source them. It includes a number of case studies from a range of businesses involved in catering to the public. 

Local food works
Local Food Works was a partnership project between The Countryside Agency and Soil Association designed to address the needs of the local food sector, particularly focusing on community level activity. The project provided practical support for the establishment and development of area-based local food networks, with the provision of information, strategic advice and facilitation.

For more information visit: http://www.localfoodworks.org/

Village shops and local products
Research completed in January 2004 provided an assessment of the contribution of local products to sustaining village shops. It found that local sustainable products can increase the viability of village shops by offering customers a unique range of products not found in other retail outlets. 

Distribution of local food activity in England and Wales: an index of food relocalisation
In 2004, the programme supported a PhD student at Coventry University to research the geography of local food activity in England and Wales through the application of an ‘Index of Food Relocalisation’.

Farm shops and farmers' markets
Eat the View supported both the National Association of Farmers Markets (NAFM) and the Farm Retail Association (FRA). Our funds helped the FRA to raise membership to a point where they became self-sustaining. The funds also helped to develop an accreditation scheme for farmers’ markets and, during 2003, to support the successful merger between the two organisations to become the National Farmers Retail and Markets Association (FARMA). We also supported FARMA in their launch publication and sponsorship of an ‘Eat the View’ award as part of the annual awards for the sector. 

In the East of England, a toolkit for those running or planning farmers’ markets was developed. The toolkit includes case studies, information about funding, ideas for promoting markets, and ready-to-use surveys. In the East Midlands we ran the ‘Northamptonshire Farm Retail Development Scheme’, in partnership with the FRA and the Northants Development Partnership, which provided advice, support and training to farm shops in Northamptonshire. 

For more information about FARMA visit: http://www.farma.org.uk/

Market towns local foodcheck
Eat the View worked closely with two market towns, Bridport in Dorset and Faringdon in Oxfordshire, to help develop their sustainable local food economies and test a 'foodcheck' for market towns. The Foodcheck is designed to help people assess and develop their town’s sustainable food economy through a structured process. It includes conducting an audit of the town’s local food economy, carrying out a feasibility stage to assess potential opportunities, and developing and implementing an action plan. The project has produced a handbook with guidance on the Foodcheck and a 'toolkit' section. 

For more information visit: http://www.towns.org.uk/ 

YHA local sourcing project
The Youth Hostel Association (YHA) and Eat the View ran a pilot project in the Peak District to source sustainable food for the YHA restaurants from local farmers and producers.  The pilot project found that it is possible for a large catering establishment to use more sustainable local food in meals, and this provides a valuable contribution to the enjoyment of visitors. 

For the evaluation report from the project: click here 

Consumer research
Eat the View commissioned the following research into consumer attitudes and behaviour towards sustainable local products: 

  • Tourist Attitudes Towards Regional and Local Foods (Enteleca, 2000) with MAFF;
  • Consumer Survey: Purchase of Local Produce (ORC International, 2000);
  • Consumer Research Literature Review (Enteleca, 2001);
  • Consumer Attitudes to Eat the View – Parts 1 & 2 (IGD, 2002);
  • Consumer Attitudes to Sustainable Local Products in Yorkshire and the Humber (MORI/Brock Lyndhurst, 2004).      

The largest piece of research was conducted in 2002 by the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) to improve our understanding of how to influence consumer attitudes and behaviour. The study in two parts (focus groups and store exit interviews) found that an estimated 18% of consumers were interested in food production issues compared to just 11% one year prior to the research. 

Building on the national consumer research for ETV and the development of the Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Strategy and Action Plan, work was undertaken by MORI to assess consumer attitudes to sustainable local products in the Yorkshire and Humber region to see how attitudes can be improved. 

To see the research section relating to consumer awareness: click here. 

Eco-Lots
Eco-Lots is an online national magazine aimed at helping wildlife and giving people the opportunity to advertise and exchange relevant commodities and services. The magazine provides an easily accessible and widely available source of information for producers and environmental practitioners.

For more information or to subscribe to Eco-Lots visit: http://www.ecolots.co.uk/

Race to the Top initiative
The Countryside Agency, as part of a group of organisations, helped to fund and develop a number of sustainability indicators to assess the performance of the supermarkets. The aim of the Race to the Top initiative was to highlight and reward good practice by the major food retailers, thereby stimulating increased competition among them to demonstrate their 'green', social, animal welfare and 'farmer friendly' credentials. The final report of the initiative is available from the website.

For more information visit: http://www.racetothetop.org/

Regional food groups - partnership with Food from Britain
The Countryside Agency, in partnership with Food From Britain, helped support the regional food groups to expand farmer membership and develop consumer awareness of quality regional food. 

For more information visit: http://www.foodfrombritain.com/

Wrekin Initiative and Blyth Valley food co-ops
With our support, the Wrekin initiative in the West Midlands commissioned a feasibility study to look at the viability of a delivery service of local, healthy food into deprived urban areas. In the North East, we supported a project to create a number of food co-ops in deprived areas of the Blyth Valley, to enable people to benefit from affordable, healthy, local produce and to create a new market for local producers. 

Setting up initiatives for the collaborative marketing of local and regional products
This research was commissioned by The Countryside Agency and Meat and Livestock Commission to investigate best practice procedures for setting up and developing initiatives for the collaborative marketing of local and regional products in the English meat, dairy and horticulture sectors.

To see the research section relating to marketing and promotion: click here

Local product directories – a review of their use and effectiveness
In 2000, the programme commissioned f3 – the local food consultants – to conduct a review of the use and effectiveness of local product directories. The research looked at best practice in compiling directories and identified eight features which should be examined to maximise their potential