We are among the 15 local authorities in the south west that are the latest to join a charity’s campaign to improve residents’ health, support the local food economy, and improve the environment.
We have signed up to Sustain’s Good Food Local benchmarking tool to help drive change in sustainable food and build healthier communities.
The initial findings from Sustain’s first benchmarking of local authorities in the region has found that we demonstrate “excellent support for initiatives to reduce / reuse / recycle food waste”.
We’re working across a number of areas to support local food production and help local people to improve their health:
- We host the Devon Food Partnership and this month marks three years of the county’s Good Food Strategy 2023-2028;
- We made history by being the first two tier authority in the country to implement auto-enrolment of free school meals;
- We provide support for food and drink businesses to become more sustainable through the People Planet Profit event series, and our Train4Tomorrow skills bootcamps fund skills development in regenerative agriculture and sustainable hospitality;
- Our County Farms support new entrant farmers as tenants, and we also host Devon Agri-Tech Alliance & South West AgriTech that provide farmer support and knowledge exchange;
- Our Farmwise project raises awareness of the connection of food and farming for 13,000 children and 300 teachers each year.
Councillor Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin, Cabinet Member for Rural Affairs, said:
“Farming plays a vital role in our local economy and in supporting our rural communities. Increasing the amount of food that is locally grown and produced contributes to a thriving economy and a more resilient food system. I’m pleased we’re part of Sustain’s Good Food Local benchmarking, and it’s encouraging that some of our work has already been recognised. However, there’s more we need to do. Less than half of Devon’s population are consuming five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Devon’s locally produced food is not only high quality but is grown to high-welfare and environmental standards, and choosing seasonal local produce is far better for our carbon footprint than importing food from the other side of the world. Enabling better access to, and education on, locally grown healthy food can make a huge difference in reducing diet related health issues while also supporting our farmers and the wider rural economy, as well as lowering our environmental impact.”
Councils from across the region will share learnings and experiences – an approach that has helped other Good Food Local regions such as the North East.
Dr Justin Varney-Bennett, Regional Director of Public Health at NHS England, said: “The South West has a long and proud tradition of good food, with a deep connection between land, sea and communities. Across the region, local authorities and partners play a critical role in strengthening food systems to improve population health, tackle inequalities, and support local producers and businesses. By taking part in Sustain’s Good Food Local survey, councils are building a clearer picture of where progress is being made and where further action is needed. Benchmarking as a regional cohort also gives us the opportunity for stronger collective leadership and faster progress.”
You can find out more about Good Food Local survey and how councils in the South West are helping to build healthy, sustainable communities at: https://www.sustainweb.org/news/mar26-good-food-local-south-west/
Devon’s Good Food Strategy is available at: https://www.devonfoodpartnership.org.uk/food-strategy/