The Scottish Government's independent advisory body on sustainable development
Food
The way we produce and consume food has huge implications for the sustainability of our land and rural economies, for health and for our environment. At present we are very far from sustainability – our farming and food policies are contributing to an obesity epidemic, to huge production of greenhouse gases and to a series of negative environmental impacts in terms of land management and the transport of goods. At the same time rural employment in agriculture is in decline. A radical change is needed.
Our report Setting the Table: Advice to Government on priority elements of sustainable diets finds that eating more seasonal produce, cutting fatty and sugary foods and reducing meat and dairy consumption would not only improve health but also reduce the environmental impacts of the food system. The report was commissioned by Defra but calls for all governments' food advice to include environmental considerations as well as health guidance.
Food policy in Scotland has developed fast over recent years. The Government published a discussion document Choosing the Right Ingredients in January 2008. The Commission’s response to the consultation recommended that sustainable development had to be the overarching framework for Scottish Food Policy with the key principles being to:
- ensure safe, healthy and nutritious food for consumers in shops, restaurants, schools, hospitals etc
- provide a viable livelihood for farmers, processors and retailers, whose employees enjoy a safe and hygienic working environment, whether in the UK or overseas
- respect biophysical and environmental limits in its production and processing, while reducing energy consumption and improving the wider environment; it also respects the highest standards of animal health and welfare, compatible with the production of affordable food for all sectors of society
- support rural economies and the diversity of rural culture, in particular through an emphasis on local products that keep food miles to a minimum
- meet the needs of less well-off people.
The Government has now established a Food and Drink Leadership Forumtasked with overseeing the development of policy around 5 themes. SDC Scotland Commissioner Jan Bebbington is a member of the Forum, and the Commission has been active in contributing to the Forum’s debate around how to develop a sustainable food policy.
Food is also a significant contributor to waste generation, and we are helping support the Government’s aspiration for a zero waste Scotland. SDC Commissioner Jan Bebbington sits on the Government’s Zero Waste Think Tank. Our Burning Issue report considers the potential role of energy from waste in a zero waste Scotland An appraisal of the sustainability of food policy is also part of our annual assessments of Government.
Our review of the Scottish Diet Action Plan for NHS Scotland, considers the progress in policy since the Action Plan was produced in 1996. The SDAP Review found that "Despite the considerable progress made with implementing the SDAP recommendations these actions have not in themselves made a significant impact on population trends in food consumption and nutrient intakes in Scotland over the last ten years…..[and] that the direct targets set for 2005 are overwhelmingly not being achieved". To tackle these problems the Review recommended closer integration between the policy goals of improving Scotland's diet-related health and those of social justice, sustainable development and agriculture.
Green Healthy and Fair is a review of the UK and devolved Governments’ role in supporting sustainable supermarket food. The report considers the effectiveness of government policies towards the food system and the extent to which these are helping or hindering progress towards sustainable development.
Other SDC work on food includes:
