Put your money where your mouth is

The public procurement of food is more than just putting a meal on a plate, it impacts our whole society- from the way we use our land, seas and support our local economies; to how we nourish those that need it most; and our ability to achieve our climate change commitments. How we use the public purse to buy food ultimately says a great deal about our values as a society.

Jointly hosted by Sustainable Food Places and Food For Life Scotland, this ONLINE event aims to look at public procurement as an integrated system with the power to not only build strong and resilient local food systems but also invest in the people that work and live in those regions.

PROGRAMME

The Role of Public Procurement in Building Regional Food Systems and Communities

• Simon Kenton-Lake (Nourish Scotland)

Both the pandemic and leaving the EU have magnified some of the problems with our food system, laying bare dysfunctions and inequalities. However, changes in public perception and forthcoming shifts in policy could provide opportunities to rethink our approach to food. This opening session will look at how the public procurement of food has the power to not only nourish the people of Scotland but also to be an aspirational tool in shaping communities.

Unlocking Scotland’s Abundant Larder: Localising School Meals with Food for Life Scotland

• Lucie Wardle (Food for Life Scotland)

Drawing on successful examples from across Scotland, Food for Life Scotland will discuss how they are supporting local authorities to shorten supply chains to get more Scottish food onto school meal plates. This session will also seek to highlight opportunities for other authorities.

Progressive Purchasing Systems

• Laura Muir (Scotland Excel)
• Chrissie Storry (Dynamic Food Procurement Advisory Board)
• Alan Mawson (Naturally Dumfries and Galloway)

This session will examine some of the innovative and progressive ways procurement systems can not only to open-up the market to local suppliers but also to provide more agile solutions to fluctuations in supply seasonality. Examples include dynamic purchasing; regional food distribution hubs; and work being undertaken to help smaller producers break into large public contracts.

The Value of Food for Health & Wellbeing

• Tilly Robinson-Miles (Eat Well Age Well)

Food is more than just what is served on a plate. This session will look at how the way we value food in society has a direct impact on our ability to procure good food. It will argue that the provision of healthy, sustainably produced food should be seen as an investment, not a cost.

The Case for Good School Food

• Chris Ross (ASSIST FM)

Using school food and the provision of Universal Free School Meals as an example, this session will explore how investing in ‘good food’ in public establishments such as schools, prisons, care homes and hospitals is also an investment in Scotland’s priorities across public health, the economy, and the environment.

It's Not Just About the Food Miles

• Andrew Stark (RSPB Scotland)
• Ylva Haglund (Zero Waste Scotland)

Whilst sourcing locally is important, the way food is produced and how we deal with what’s leftover also hugely impacts biodiversity and climate. As Scotland starts to navigate its way to Net Zero this final session looks at the crucial role public food procurement plays in helping to address our climate and nature emergencies.