FOOD MILES - Farmers Weekly Campaign

Back Farmers Weekly’s campaign – local food really is miles better

Farmers Weekly magazine recently launched an important campaign to raise awareness of food miles and local produce. The campaign, “local food is miles better”, highlights the environmental, economic, animal welfare and taste implications of imported/ “well travelled” food versus that which is locally produced and sold.

The campaign is backed by new research which makes startling reading. An astounding 47% of people don’t know where the food they buy is produced. We cannot expect the UK food sector to prosper when such a lack of knowledge is the norm.

There are of course encouraging signs pointing to an increase in support for local produce. The Best Rural Retailer competition has shown how valued local food producers and retailers are to those in the know, but more people need to know that local food is by far the best. Consumers are becoming more discerning, and this is backed up in the research which shows that 82% believe locally produced food is more trusted and 77% think it is fresher.

Farmers Weekly, through their campaign website, give you the opportunity to sign up to their petition which “calls for all supermarkets and food retailers to promote, stock and label locally produced food in a way that supports local producers and cuts down the distance food is transported”.

To help you plan your meals based on what is coming into season visit the “Eat the Seasons” Website. Food arranged by Month can be found here.