Sustainable Food Economy
There is demand for local, seasonal produce, and recognition of the importance of building local food resilience. We will explore a range of ways to connect local producers and consumers to contribute to the creation of a vibrant, prosperous and diverse sustainable food economy.
AWARENESS
Increase awareness of Shropshire food producers and direct purchase opportunities for local fresh and value-added food and drink. Improve web and social media resources which signpost people to where to buy locally.
SUPPORT
Support local food marketing hubs, enabling the creation of webs of hyper-localized food producers and consumers. Facilitate learning between local marketing initiatives to share experience and insights.
EXPLORE
Explore opportunities for more local sourcing as part of public and private procurement contracts. Pilot a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) and work with supermarkets to increase retail space for local produce.
CELEBRATE
Celebrate the time and care that goes into growing and producing food. Capture the stories of farmers and food producers across Shropshire, enabling people to reconnect with what they eat.
GROW MAP
Map what we grow in Shropshire, when it is in season and how to use it, to encourage people to use more locally grown produce. Promote community-owned businesses along the food chain.
FAIR TRADE
Promote fair trade principles for all food and a connection to growers of produce sourced from other parts of the country or globally.
Funding Opportunities
A new NFU grant has been launched in DEFRA'S 'Future Farming' scheme. Go to the Gov.uk site for more information.