Public sector must be a Beacon of Good Food

The Soil Association Scotland has called on Scotland’s public sector to step up to the plate.

They want them to respond to the Scottish Government’s consultation on Good Food Nation legislation.

Scotland’s leading food and farming charity has called upon Scottish Government to ensure that any future Good Food Nation legislation supports the public sector to become a beacon of good food.

In its response to the public consultation on Good Food Nation, which closed on 18 April, the charity wrote that ‘public bodies should be leading the way’ in making good food the easy choice for everyone in Scotland.

It called for duties on public bodies to consider how they buy food, feed their staff and their services users, and whether their business decisions support a Good Food Nation. The charity also stressed the need to have clear targets for buying organic food, calling for a 15% organic produce procurement target.

Aoife Behan, director of the Soil Association Scotland, said: ‘The public plate feeds some of the most vulnerable people in society, in our hospitals, schools, care homes, and prisons.

‘It is uniquely placed to set the tone of the nation’s relationship with its food by tackling health inequalities and creating environments where it is normal, easy, and enjoyable for everyone to eat well.

‘Furthermore, public sector procurement is one of the most effective tools we have to support the many Scottish farmers who are working hard to produce food in a way that protects our environment and creates thriving rural communities.

‘Clear targets and reporting duties on good food for public sector bodies, along with support from Government to protect and invest in food infrastructure, would help to create a stable market for Scottish farmers and growers.

‘Through our work on the Scottish Government funded Food for Life Scotland programme, we’ve seen first-hand the great work already happening in many local authorities to deliver good food in primary schools. The example of our 12 Food for Life Served Here local authority award holders shows it is possible to serve freshly prepared, locally sourced, sustainable food in public kitchens.

‘It’s time for the public sector to step up to the plate and make good food a reality. With international examples like France and Denmark currently blazing a trail, Scottish Government must act now and enshrine good food into legislation. It is the only way to realise our ambition to become a Good Food Nation.’

Read the full response HERE.