CPRE [1] today (Tuesday) welcomed Nick Herbert’s announcement that a Tory Government would lead by example in the sustainable procurement of food [2].  His proposals would raise the bar for government’s food procurement so that it meets British Standards, and strengthens support for British food produced to higher environmental standards.

Graeme Willis, Senior Campaigner at CPRE, said:

 ‘CPRE’s vision is for all of us to eat more local and better food.  Harnessing the power of public money to raise environmental standards and strengthen local food networks would be an important step in the right direction.’

This would help to achieve CPRE’s Vision for the Countryside 2026 [3] which calls for greater consumption of local foods at home and in public places such as schools, hospitals and care homes. It could also strengthen ‘local food webs’ which CPRE is surveying as part of a nationwide Making Local Food Work [4] programme.

Graeme Willis concluded:

‘These proposals should help push food higher up the electoral agenda - where it belongs.  The freshness, quality and origin of the food we buy and eat are critical to the health and real wealth of our countryside.

Increasing the supply of sustainable food sourced locally is a key to supporting the management of the countryside the public knows and loves.’

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NOTES FOR EDITORS

1. CPRE, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, is a charity which promotes the beauty, tranquillity and diversity of rural England. We advocate positive solutions for the long-term future of the countryside. Founded in 1926, we have 60,000 supporters and a branch in every county. President: Bill Bryson. Patron: Her Majesty The Queen. www.cpre.org.uk

2. Nick Herbert MP, Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in his speech to Conservative Party conference today 6th October 2009 announced that Zac Goldsmith will lead a new advisory group to promote policy across the wider public sector .

3. CPRE launched 2026 - A Vision for the Countryside in May, setting out a positive and optimistic vision for the future of the beautiful English countryside in 2026, the charity’s centenary year. The Vision’s key issues include: affordable, high quality housing; urban regeneration; Green Belts; better planning; green energy; local food and farming; quality of life; light pollution and valuing the countryside as a national asset.  For further information go to www.cpre.org.uk/campaigns/environment/2026-a-vision-for-the-countryside.

4. Making Local Food Work is a 5-year, Big Lottery-funded programme aiming to reconnect people with the land through food and community enterprise. A consortium of seven organisations, led by the Plunkett Foundation, is pooling its expertise to develop and promote different types of community food enterprise, giving advice to people all over England looking to re-engage and help others access good, fresh, local produce with clear origins. CPRE is leading the Mapping Local Food Webs project, which is part of this programme, to engage the skills and knowledge of local people to research the spread of local food networks from consumer to producer and their impact on the local community, economy and the countryside.