2. Background and policy context
2.1 The Good Food Nation
Much work is being carried out to achieve the aim of Scotland becoming a Good Food Nation as set out in the GFNA which was passed by Parliament in 2022. The GFNA places duties on Scottish Ministers to produce a national GFN plan. The GFN vision is that:
• ‘everyone in Scotland has ready access to the healthy, nutritious food they need; dietary-related diseases are in decline, as is the environmental impact of our food consumption;
• Scottish producers ensure that what they produce is increasingly healthy and environmentally sound;
• food companies are a thriving feature of the economy and places where people want to work.
The Act may (in future) also require “certain authorities”3 to prepare and publish their own good food nation plans. Distinct but related to the Good Food Nation, the SG has also committed (in the SNP 2021 Manifesto) to develop a local food strategy.’
2.2 Local food for everyone
The three pillars of the Scottish Government’s local food strategy are: connecting people with food; connecting Scottish producers with buyers; and harnessing public sector procurement. A consultation on Local Food for everyone in 20211[1] showed broad support for these three pillars. It also identified several barriers, including inter alia:
• ‘lack of a suitable infrastructure and short supply chains.
• local food to be affordable and accessible to all, with a Right to Food embodied in local food policies. It was felt by some that the pandemic has served to expose dysfunctions in the current food system. More land to be made available and accessible for those who wish to enter the market.
• financial support and investment, including agricultural subsidy reform.
• changes to procurement processes and the introduction of Dynamic Purchasing Systems; extending public sector procurement for local food to all publicly owned settings; also for central and local government to set an example by ensuring local food is procured.
• a comprehensive, holistic and interdisciplinary approach across all relevant policy areas, particularly in relation to the environment; and policy interventions as aids for prioritising local food.
• higher levels of partnership working and co-operation.
• clear food labelling, for example, using a traffic light system for CO2 emissions, so that the provenance of food is highlighted and consumers can identify food that is truly local.
• a clear definition of sustainable.
• education and awareness raising of the benefits of local food as well as encouraging consumers to eat seasonal food.
• reductions in food waste and use of packaging.’
It was against the backdrop of this work, that the SSAC undertook its review of the evidence (from best practice and the scientific literature) of the opportunities and risks associated with specific innovations, for different beneficiaries.
[1] Local food for everyone: consultation analysis