The Scottish Government

Hotels and restaurants need to promote local food it always sounds better when a menu might say "Local Ayrshire Ham". Prices dont need to be too high as this can put people off.

Fresh

That's the thing.

Fresh Fresh Fish Fresh Fresh

I welcome the comments from visit scotland. Information on such initiatives would be much appreciated by producers. Can visitscotland give an example of such an initiative in which they are involved.

We've got a great local food tourism initiative going here on Skye. Log on to www.tastelocal.co.uk for loads of info - it's the natural choice!

The big 4 supermarkets need to do a lot more to promote local/Scottish produce. They have definately improved on this matter recently but still have far to go in my opinion.

I got wilde strawberry 4 more years ago, and increased numbers and gave to another.
I just reminded that friend who started new life.

Three areas of Scotland come to mind where local food identity is a strong element in the integration of food production and tourism within the local economy.
The communities of Skye, as aready mentioned, Arran and the Orkney Islands, all within finite areas are leaders along the needs must route to survival for those who wish to enjoy rural lifestyle.
As a farmer, I believe we throughout the bulk of rural Scotland are caught in the trap of following bulk commodity production methods to meet global market conditions and driven to expand by the lure of uncapped subsidy against a relentless force caused by the pressure of a 60m strong consumer society, itself bound by choice-restricting global economic pressure. Buy local to most of that 60m is a luxury they simply cannot afford.
Farmers must redress the relentless trend toward less and larger farms and become integrated again with the 60m customers they abandoned but now seek to attract.
A rich and diverse rural economy based on the integration of a complete food chain and tourism will eventually emerge to compliment our natural and historic heritage giving stability to rural Scotland and a tourist industry second to none.

My family emigrated to the US in the last century, and fortunately, some of the dishes have survived the generations. Yet, when I go and visit relatives in Scotland, few can be found.

I realize that our tastes change over time and with the influences from other cultures; however,the need (desire) for healthy local foodstuffs does not. Nothing is better for you, than fresh foodstuffs.

I wish you could influence a more healthy diet with less fried foods and more fresh produce/meats and fish.

I will add this though, your B&B standards and diets are great!!!

I totally agree with VisitScotland's desire to have local produce on our menus, that tourism business need to meet this demand (which is increasing as food tourism becomes a more important part of what we have to 'sell' in Scotland), that suppliers need to gear up to supply this demand, and that we need initiatives to link producers and tourism businesses. One such initiative is the Chef's Market, to be held on 17th March at the Atrium restaurant in Edinburgh. This is being organised through Slow Food Edinburgh (see www.slowfoodedinburgh.co.uk) and Scottish Enterprise. As the first of its kind in the city, we have already attracted around 60 chefs and a large number of local producers to get together and discuss some of the issues in relation to demand and supply. More details of the outcomes of this will be posted after the event - but at least I feel it is a step in the right direction if we care about food tourism, local food and food from Scotalnd.

Before all the locally produced food goes to hotels and other areas of the hospitality industry, I believe local residents should benefit from local food production. If we love eating the foods fellow producers grow or produce, we will be more interested and curious about eating local food when we visit other areas of the country. And then the hospitality industry will really benefit. Local produce needs to be made abundantly available and promoted to the residents in every community in order to make us all proud of our local producers.