Angus consultation on national local food strategy

These are being held in local communities across the country to help people from all walks of life shape the Scottish Government’s local food strategy.

The consultation is the first stage in a strategy to make high quality food accessible to all, regardless of income, and promote the benefits of locally produced food and drink.

Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon has urged everyone, from private individuals to businesses and organisations, to join a local workshop, either in person or online.

Led by charity Nourish Scotland, the workshops will explore key issues such as why local food is important, how Scotland can grow more of what it eats and eats more of what it grows and make a positive impact on the environment and biodiversity.

The food and drink industry is a major contributor to Scotland’s economy, generating turnover of around £14.9 billion and is made up of more than 17,000 businesses which employ around 122,000 people, many in remote and economically fragile rural and island communities.

Workshops are being held in Aberdeen, Angus, Arran, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee, Edinburgh, Fife, Glasgow, Highland, North Ayrshire, Perth & Kinross, South Lanarkshire and Stirling areas.

Ms Gougeon said: “Scotland has some of the best food and drink anywhere in the world and we want this amazing produce to be available to everyone.

“I am hugely encouraged by the level of participation so far and there is still time for people, businesses and organisations to get involved and play a role, either in person or online, in shaping this important national strategy.

“With global leaders preparing to gather in Glasgow for COP26, it is also important that we look at how the food and drink sector can help us achieve our net zero ambitions.”

Workshop attendees can also feed in their views on the three pillars of the strategy, namely connecting people with food, connecting producers with buyers and harnessing the buying power of public sector procurement.

The workshops will feed directly into the consultation which covers a range of topics including promoting local produce, encouraging people to grow their own food and making quality local food and drink available to all.

Simon Kenton-Lake, from Nourish Scotland, said the consultation offers a valuable opportunity to businesses

He said: “The new local food plan will have a huge impact on our communities, economies and environment of Scotland - and beyond.

"These Scotland-wide workshops are an opportunity for you to explore the opportunities and benefits that a local food plan could bring to you and where you live, whether that be in a town, city, hillside or island, and to ensure that your voice is heard in such an important consultation.”

The Angus and Dundee event will be held at Dundee’s City Quay on November 15, 6pm-8pm, and will consider questions such as Why is local food important? What could a Local Food Plan look like? How can Scotland grow more of what it eats and eat more of what it grows? How can a local food plan improve the health and wellbeing of everyone in Scotland? How can a local food plan make the maximum positive impact on our environment and biodiversity?

Stakeholders’ views will be noted and fed back to Government.

Dundee City Council, Angus Council and Dundee & Angus Chamber of Commerce are inviting anyone interested in taking part in the consultation to register to attend.

Further details and information on how to register for the interactive workshop can be found at www.dundeeandanguschamber.co.uk/events/event/5599/local-food-for-everyone.

The whole national consultation process will continue until November 26.