Local food claims
Local food claims
TAX incentives should be introduced to encourage businesses and public sector bodies to buy food from local suppliers, according to a farming and environmental group.
A report from Sustain – which describes itself as the alliance for better food and farming – says too much food is often imported and transported long distances. More energy is used transporting food around the world than is got out of it in the form of food calories, it claims.
If bought at a supermarket, many ingredients for a traditional Christmas meal will have been imported and could have travelled over 24,000 miles, the report says. But choosing to buy seasonal products locally at a farmers market could reduce the total distance to 376 miles.
The report, Eating Oil – Food in a changing Climate, says international food trade is increasing faster than the worlds population and food production. Between 1968 and 1998, world food production increased by 84%, population by 91% and food trade by 184%.
A recent survey by the Institute of Agriculture and Trade Policy estimated UK imports of food products and animal feed alone use an estimated 1.6bn litres of fuel. The report questions the logic of a modern food system which sees food imported and exported all around the world.
"Rather than importing what they cannot produce themselves, many countries appear to be simply swapping food," it says. This, it claims, has consequences for climate change, food security and increased incidence and spread of disease.
The report claims that the government appears to hold two mutually incompatible positions. It says it is committed to a sustainable food and farming system but it is also in favour of globalisation and free trade so cannot introduce policies to promote the former.
Developing a sustainable food system should become a major government policy it recommends. *
ting targets for things like local sourcing of food, it recommends. Alternatively, it suggests the farming and food sector could voluntarily opt to steadily increase the proportion of local produce they buy and sell.