Locavore News – Local Food Procurement Policies
Posted: April 15, 2010
Categories: News from Sustain Ontario
- Local Food Procurement Policies: A Literature Review
- Local authority sustainable food procurement toolkit (UK)
- Illinois Food, Farms, and Jobs Act of 2007
- Local Food, Farms & Jobs: Growing the Illinois Economy
- Illinois Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Act, 2009
- Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative: An Evaluation (UK)
- SPIN: Sustainable Procurement Information Network (UK)
- Scotland’s Food, Sustainability & Public Procurement
- Sandwell (UK) Sustainable Food Policy
- Corporate social responsibility and sustainable food procurement (UK)
- Sustainable Food Procurement for Foodservice Companies (UK)
- Local and Regional Procurement Project
- Toronto Local Food Procurement Policy and Implementation Plan – Update
Perspectives on good food and farming by Elbert van Donkersgoed
April 15, 2010
Local Food Procurement Policies: A Literature Review
This report examines the environmental, economic and social benefits of local food, showcases existing procurement policies in Italy, Britain, the United States, and Canada, and examines lessons learned in other jurisdictions. It is a preliminary review of some literature on local food initiatives. Review prepared by Marla MacLeod and Jennifer Scott, Ecology Action Centre, For the Nova Scotia Department of Energy. (0.25 MB PDF)
Local authority sustainable food procurement toolkit (UK)
This toolkit is intended to give an overview of the area of sustainable food procurement for local authorities. It gives the background on sustainable food procurement, the current status of procurement policy in the UK, identifies the challenges for those in local councils wishing to implement a policy and helps identify ways to overcome them. And finally gives links to practical guidance, and toolkits which will be useful if you wish to go ahead and change the way you buy or supply your food. Food Vision website.
Illinois Food, Farms, and Jobs Act of 2007
Creates the Illinois Food, Farms, and Jobs Act and the Illinois Local and Organic Food and Farm Task Force. Sets out the composition of the Task Force. Provides that the Task Force shall develop a plan for expanding and supporting a State local and organic food system and for assessing and overcoming obstacles to an increase in locally grown food and local organic food production. Sets out the contents of the plan. Effective immediately. Local Food, Farms & Jobs website.
Local Food, Farms & Jobs: Growing the Illinois Economy
A Report to the Illinois General Assembly By The Illinois Local and Organic Food and Farm Task Force, March 2009. “Every Illinois community would benefit from our farmers producing products for in-state purchase. I encourage and support all efforts that accomplish this goal.†Governor Pat Quinn. Local Food, Farms & Jobs website.
Illinois Local Food, Farms, and Jobs Act, 2009
Based upon the work of the Task Force, Representative Julie Hamos introduced legislation, HB 3990, which has since passed the Illinois General Assembly and is awaiting the Governor’s signature. Local Food, Farms & Jobs website.
Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative: An Evaluation (UK)
Although a single department does not need to wholly own a future public sector food procurement initiative, the common view was that a strong leader does need to be identified to drive this forward. Currently, a ministerial and departmental focal point is missing. The delivery issue also needs to be addressed and the roles of Government Office and PSFPI facilitators clarified so that the quality of delivery is maintained across regions. The emerging issues identified in this evaluation highlight a number of key points to be addressed in any future public sector sustainable food procurement initiative. As a priority, the core strategy, leadership and delivery issues should be tackled to: a) Establish clarity of purpose; b) Offer clear leadership; c) Establish an evaluation stream to measure performance in ‘real time’; and d) Deliver adequate training and support to buyers and suppliers. Evaluation by Deloitte for Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. (1.3MB PDF)
SPIN: Sustainable Procurement Information Network (UK)
SPIN is the first and only website dedicated to supporting local authorities in their efforts to procure sustainably, and provides a ‘one-stop’ website containing the very best information relating to the sustainable procurement agenda. The new website is extremely easy to navigate, with comprehensive information just one click away from the home page. Local authorities and public sector organisations are urged to contribute to the content of the website. SPIN was launched and is maintained as part of an East Midlands Centre of Excellence sustainable procurement project. SPIN website.
Scotland’s Food, Sustainability & Public Procurement
This response to the Government’s consultation on a national food strategy for Scotland is written by Osbert Lancaster. I am a Fellow (and formerly executive director) of the Centre for Human Ecology and a director of Footprint Consulting Ltd, a sustainability consultancy. It is based on my ongoing research, supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, currently unpublished, which draws on the personal experience of people working on policy and practice in the public procurement of sustainable food. It is also informed by my work helping the Scottish Parliament develop and implement its responsible purchasing strategy, related consultancy work, and teaching a postgraduate course in ethical enterprise at Department of Geography and Sociology, University of Strathclyde. Recommendation: A sustainable national food strategy should be set in the context of a unique and evolving Scottish food culture.Footprint Consulting report.
Sandwell (UK) Sustainable Food Policy
The aim of the Policy is to “improve people’s access to affordable good quality food and to develop the link between the people of Sandwell and food producers in the West Midlands†There are two main aspects to the development of the Sustainable Food Policy. Firstly, the Council is reviewing its in house catering and procurement processes to develop a more sustainable approache to the provision of food. Secondly, the Council is working with the Sandwell Food Policy Board to create a ‘sustainable food system’ in Sandwell. Sustainable Procurement. Sandwell Food Policy.
Corporate social responsibility and sustainable food procurement (UK)
The research (funded by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation) aims to support the UK Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative by working with leading contract caterers to develop principles of sustainable food procurement and key performance indicators to measure progress in putting them into practice. Report.
Sustainable Food Procurement for Foodservice Companies (UK)
A particular focus of concern in recent years has been the issues of food origin, food processing, food technologies and the environmental issues associated with food production and food transport. It is these issues that are immensely complex to manage, monitor and report against for contract catering businesses. However, it is evident that consumers (client companies, individual clients and the public sector as a whole) are increasingly interested in the issues associated with food. It is also evident that any report from this sector that does not include reference to food provenance cannot be considered complete. Esmee Fairbairn Foundation report. (2.4MB PDF)
Local and Regional Procurement Project
The Local and Regional Procurement Project (Pilot Program) was authorized as a pilot program under the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill). The Farm Bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture to implement a five-year local and regional purchase pilot program in developing countries from fiscal year (FY) 2009 through 2012. The primary objective of the USDA pilot program is to use local and regional purchasing to help quickly meet urgent food needs due to food crises and disasters. This will protect against a decline in food consumption, save lives, and reduce suffering. United States Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service website.
Toronto Local Food Procurement Policy and Implementation Plan – Update
In October 2008, Council adopted a Local Food Procurement Policy, aimed at reducing greenhouse gas and smog causing emissions generated by the import of food from outside Ontario as part of the implementation of the Climate Change, Clean Air and Sustainable Energy Action Plan. The policy demonstrates that the City of Toronto is committed to progressively increasing the percentage of food being served at City-owned facilities or purchased for City operations from local sources. Children’s Services, jointly with the Toronto Environment Office, is implementing the first phase of the Local Food Procurement Policy and Implementation Plan, as adopted by Council in October 2008. Staff report.
AND if You Have Time
Double-decker ‘bustaurant’ serves up high-end cuisine
Aiming to go well beyond the taco truck that’s so ubiquitous on the streets of LA, local entrepreneurs Travis Schmidt and Jason Freeman began with a vintage double-decker, and then spent six months adding a full kitchen downstairs and open-air seating on top. Now, what might well be America’s first “bustaurant†is officially called World Fare, a mobile restaurant that serves up a variety of high-end dishes from around the world. One favourite, for example, is the Bunny Chow, an originally South African street worker food that features a hollowed out loaf of bread filled with chicken curry, coconut milk, chick peas, cashews and cilantro. Also notable are World Fare’s house-made “drinks in a bag,†including strawberry basil lemonade. Like several of the recent contenders we’ve seen, World Fare keeps its fans updated via Twitter; weekly schedules are also posted online. Springwise story.