Everyone, from people to companies and organisations, is asked to contribute to the development of a local food policy for Scotland. This consultation is the first step in a strategy to make high-quality food more available to everyone and to highlight the benefits of eating locally.
Local food is produced locally, and supply chain partners are minimal (there are fewer steps between the primary producer of the food and the person who eats the food). Local food is produced in a sustainable manner (ie. produced in a way that is better for the natural environment than large scale industrial production). Furthermore, local food is produced in a way that highlights the development of stronger connections of confidence, transparency, honesty, and support between local food producers and the people who buy and eat their food.
Increased local food production, processing, and consumption will maintain value in local, regional, and national economies, sustaining jobs in agriculture, retail, tourism, manufacturing, and hospitality. Where food is produced in Scotland, we may be confident that it was produced in accordance with the country’s high standards for sustainable production. By purchasing locally, we avoid exporting our environmental imprint to nations with less sustainable ways or differing strains on resources such as water. Local food systems can enable shorter supply chains, which means fewer steps and fewer ‘food miles’ between the primary producer of the food and the person who consumes it.
