Cymraeg What’s the Issue?
Over the last 50 years or so, our food system has become dominated by a handful of corporate supermarket supply chains. While they have delivered cheap food to millions, this convenience has come at enormous cost; to the environment through the promotion of unsustainable farming practices and high food miles; to local economies and communities though decimation of local food and farming businesses; and to health through the promotion of cheap, highly processed, nutritionally poor foods. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the fragility of supermarket supply chains in terms of their capacity to respond to systemic shocks, resulting in empty shelves and a spike in food insecurity.
What are we doing?
The Vocal for Local campaign is advocating for decentralised local and short supply chain food systems as the solution to many of the above problems and the route to a fairer, more sustainable, and more resilient food system that is fit to meet the climate, environmental and public health challenges that are becoming increasingly urgent.
Specifically, the campaign argues for:
· Explicit recognition of the failure of the supermarket supply system to deliver efficient distribution of tangible (food) and intangible (health of people and the environmental) goods to all of society.
· Acknowledgement of the potential of local and short supply chains to deliver just, sustainable, and resilient food systems that meet the challenges of the 21st century.
· National targets for local food production and distribution based on 80% domestic food production and 20% imports.
· A local food infrastructure fund that facilitates access to safe and nutritious food for at-risk populations and stimulates a thriving local food business economy by investing in cooperatively managed infrastructure.
· Dynamic public procurement models which source healthy, locally produced, seasonal and sustainable food to our schools, hospitals and care homes.
· Planning Policy and Local Business Rates applied to control the proliferation of supermarkets, while also creating conducive environments for social enterprise and independent food businesses on the other.
How can you help?
Please write to your MP and encourage them to support local food producers, processors and distributors in your area.
Be conscious of where your food comes from, and buy from local producers where possible.
Spread the word by sharing the Vocal for Local report.
Host a Vocal for Local Food Feast! Get together with friends, neighbours or people in your community to celebrate local food systems and producers over a plate of heart local goodness. Take photos and upload to social media using the hashtag #VocalforLocalFeast to show your support for the campaign.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Additional Resources