The Scottish Government

Below are the written responses that we received during the discussion period.

(N.B - This excludes those responses that have been requested confidential or where permission has yet to be obtained (so they may be marked confidential but are not necessarily so)

Some responses (including further responses) are being formatted and will be available very shortly. You can also catch other formal responses considered for analysis at the food blog

1 Name, address and response supplied

2 Name and address supplied

The Scottish Government has the opportunity to send out a clear message to the public by insisting that all catering suppliers such as Sodexho only use Free Range Poultry and ethically raised meat products. Currently I do not use the catering facilities as I cannot get any information on the provenance of the meat products being used. I suspect Sodexho use mass produced, intensively reared battery eggs and broiler chickens which are legally(!) grown in the most appalling conditions. I would urge consultation of the following site as well... http://www.chickenout.tv/ Is it not time that legislation was introduced to force.

Poultry farmers to adhere to stricter guidelines for Free Range production such as those advocated by the Compassion in World Farming Organisation? http://www.ciwf.org.uk/ Scotland could be the world benchmark for the ethical production of meat and poultry. We also have the facilities to be food independent yet we still utilise only a fraction of our production facilities and still use appalling production techniques.

So, impress me, start the moves towards the banning of intensive farming of poultry, the removal of artificial growth hormones in our cattle and the banning of GM crops and the use of phosphates and other environmentally harmful materials in farming. Make Scotland a leader not a follower on the world farming stage. Until then this myth that we have the best produce will continue to be just that, a myth. With out respect to the animals that feed us and ethical treatment of those animals our produce is as tainted as anyone else's.

3 Name and address supplied

I could write for hours on important elements within food, health, education and behaviour. ill try and make it brief....if you would like more detailed input please contact me via my given email address. My situation: 2 year ago I was 325 pounds, pale, hung over, and in terrible shape. Today I am 204 pounds, lean and in great physical shape. this process was phoenix like for me, in both physical and mental terms. During this transformation i have been asked time and again what 'the secret it' people think I'm in a unique position to hand out this wisdom. I have now begun to embrace this responsibility and am applying to study an MSc in Public health policy to supplement my politics degree.

I'm taking part in the Scottish Governments 'learning at work' and in general my main passion in life is to share my experiences and results, and help others gain perspective and guide them through a similar change. I would dearly like to be involved in this current food debate, in particular within the nutrition and exercise portion. This is something i would happily devote my free time to. The key tennents of my approach to the health issues of Scotland today are: 1) knowledge - primarily I think that the more informed you are, the less of a crutch the government will have to provide for your well being. In particular i have found it impossible to attain government funding or assistance in pursuing my public health policy MSc, which i find unusual given the current health focus. 2) Miss information - i believe that a large portion of the health situation today in Scotland is to do with miss use of terminology and ideas.

The first thing i would do with your campaign to alter our food related habits is: change this statement. "Innovating and developing more low-fat, low-salt and low-sugar foods" The idea of fat and its dietary ramifications is outdated. Often low sugar foods are chemically altered to replace the taste, and often these products are more detrimental to our health. to universally say fat and sugar is bad in your mission statement is too simplistic and can lead to a myriad of other problems. The reality is that certain fats, and certain uses of fats are bad for you. another reality is that REFINED sugars are bad for you.

The other major thing excluded from this statement, is exactly how bad white, refined flour is for your bodies well being. these conceptions of what is causing obesity and heart problems are out of date. they have become so ingrained in our minds that its hard to change. most people are shocked to know that fat makes up 50% of my calories. they are even more shocked to know that my body fat % is 8.7% based on this diet. They are also shocked to see that i would choose to eat a brown(unrefined) sugar based, wholemeal flour cake (made with butter, not trans fats!) than have a can of diet coke. the diet coke is infinitely worse for you for a number of reasons. the point is, that food choices should be in line with your other focuses. cookie: home grown wholemeal flour, dark chocolate, butter(not trans fats), brown unrefined sugar vs standard packaged cookie - imported from god knows where, which numbers and chemicals on the back that no one understands, made with trans fats (which are the bad fats), and refined white flour and sugar - which are devoid of all nutritional value and are basically only the bad elements of these foodstuffs. people will always eat cookies, but will they eat the whole food cookie, or the chemically adulterated death biscuit. so it is not as simple as saying low fat = good. people will shun fat, their meals will not be satisfying due to this and they will 'fill the whole' late at night with junk food. or you can instead press upon them the healthy virtues of having a balanced fat intake (poly, mono and saturated fat) and avoiding trans fats. the message is all important. please change it. i have no qualifications to do with nutrition, but i would dearly love to be able to take part in discussions on these formulative stages, if only to scrutinise the status quo and help people assess concepts that are viewed at solid.

4 Jacqueline Finlay

I am a stay at home Mum with 2 young daughters, and I am obviously concerned about their health and life choices. The main points that I wish to make are as follows: In my area there are very few independent shops. Most of the weekly groceries have to be purchased at the supermarket, who have BOGOF deals mainly on a variety of cakes, pies, processed foods, etc. It is sometimes more expensive to buy good quality fresh produce than cheap and nasty ready meals, which really irritates me. Food poverty will never be improved as long as this is the case.

What I would really like is choice. I would like to go to my supermarket for certain things because I feel that they do have a role to play. However I believe that it is even more important that smaller traders and farm shops selling local produce be supported, either financially or through help with marketing. I already travel to my nearest farm shop which is approximately 10 miles away. I can't go every week because of the distance involved, but the produce there really does taste so much better, and also keeps better too! This is probably because it hasn't been sent to another country for packaging before being transported back to Scotland via a distribution depot and then onto the supermarket shelves (meanwhile losing much of its vitamin content.)

There is also much better traceability in that everything that is not from the farm itself is labelled to show where it has come from, and you get a sense that you are helping to support farmers in and around the local area. The Co-operative foodstores seem streets ahead of the "BIG 4" supermarkets in this regard, and I feel that many of their practices including information about recycling their packaging, and fat & salt content could easily be done by their larger competitors. It would be great if political pressure could help this to be achieved, although I guess their shareholders would not be impressed.

To sum up, I want to buy local quality produce from easily accessible shops at a fair price. Surely, this would have a positive impact on the environment too - it would be nice to see a few less long distance transport vehicles on the road! I am doing my own wee bit it terms of educating my children - I get them involved in growing their own flowers and vegetables in a small patch in the garden, and in helping to cook and bake, as well as talking about healthy eating. I realise that this is not possible for many children, but that Nursery and Primary School education could provide these activities.

5 Tom Gray, Braco, Perthshire

We are continually reminded of what a great and beautiful land Scotland is, the great healthy foods we produce and what a wonderful place it is to visit. Yet Scotland has the worst health, diet, crime and poverty levels in Europe. Most Scots happen to be landless. These are no accidents but consequences of our peculiar and ancient land ownership structure now being combined with an equally skewed farm ownership structure.

In short we need more people occupying our land and engaged in the production of the foods of their choice. More allotments for those urban dwellers who appreciate the health giving benefits in both the production and eating of fresh produce. More farms for those who wish to enjoy rural living, engage in food production and subsidise, from off farm income, the priceless lifestyle to be enjoyed there. More opportunity for those youngsters condemned to urban living to not only see and be told how food is produced by those who enjoy producing it, but actually gain the faintest hope that they could one day have the chance to enjoy producing it themselves.

Current farm support measures severely disadvantage smaller farmers and completely rule out everyone else. Support to individual farmers should be capped immediately if we are to avoid our land and food producing industry following a similar route as the retail trade into the monopolising hands of an anonymous few and our population becoming even more remote from food production. Our land must be enjoyed and nurtured by as many as possible if we are to firstly maximise its potential in rearing people at peace with themselves, restoring health and reducing poverty and crime, and, secondly maximise our land's potential in the production of variety of healthy home grown foods.

6 VisitScotland - Confidential

7 Robin Bate, Edinburgh

I personally enjoy organic/biodynamic food. For me it taste much better and is healthier. You try the difference between something quite straight forward - organic oat cakes and non organic oatcakes. I am much more likely to eat a healthier option if it is organic because the natural taste is so much better. I am always concerned about the amount of products with artificial sweeteners in them. As far as i am aware artificial sweeteners are a by product of an industrial process and it is a product our liver does not cope with very well. I would look to getting artificial sweeteners out of all foods as soon as possible. Replace them with fructose or raw cane sugars finely ground. I would also look to reduce refined sugars and replace them with raw cane or fruit sugars. It is very sad you cant get diluting juice now without artificial sweeteners, even the great name of Robison's barley water has artificial sweetners in them. How gross.

The use of micro wave ovens is convenient - but not only does it make the food taste a bit odd, it makes prepackaged meals easier to sell. This is an area where more knowledge could maybe help the consumer. ie too much convenient food is bad for you. But a long term campaign showing the positive side of cooking and eating meals with family and friends would be very helpful. for years we have been subjected to advertisements that show how horrible it is to slave over a stove when you can have instant soup or instant mash. And now we have celebrity chefs saying the opposite.

Food adverts should not be allowed to undermine the benefits of healthy eating, cooking (including preparing) and sharing meal times with family and friends. I noticed some sweets are coming on the market with no artificial colours sweeteners or additives - that is very encouraging. I have tasted them and they are delicious. Of course we have a large drinks industry, and an international market for many of our top drinks. But some ways of reducing the heavy drinking of quite a large part of the 15 to 45 year olds would be most welcome by many; police, NHS workers, and families themselves. Best of luck with your aims, very noble and worth while.

8 Name and address supplied

One of the main drawbacks of local food in this area is the lack of a slaughter facility, all our animals have to be transported over 50 miles which now involves more red tape, stress to animals, uses more fuel and adds cost to an already marginal crofting business. This year many lambs were "disposed" off for £15 as there was no market! Had there been a local slaughter facility many of these animals may well have been used. The area also has some small scale beef and pork producers, but, again the long distances and regulation make it "not worth the bother" of providing local food and indeed may well give up crofting altogether.

9 Name and address supplied

When so many people in the world are suffering from famine, war, pestilence, flood and global warming it seems selfish that we in Scotland who have so much wealth should be considering a food policy. You should do nothing without looking at the United Nations (UN) development goals. You also need to consider the low wages of agricultural workers and catering staff throuhgout the UK and the impacts of genetical modified food. Finally you need to consider the way food is presented on TV to a wealthy viewing public.

These days there is never any reference to the tight budgets experienced by many people who with limited cooking skills cook in high pressure family situations. Food is about human relationships. The single parent, man or woman in e.g a bedsit is seldom considered while the disabled are not even on the radar. I can hardly stress enough the importance of arms and legs when cooking. A friend had epilepsy and suffered several nasty burns from frying pans due to being unable to equip his bedsit with appropriate devices and also through lack of safety advice.

Finally disease, health & hygiene is seldom discussed on cookery programmes. Food is also about lifestyles and too often we are presented with expensive glamourous high fat dishes from cooks like Nigella Lawson who is married to one of the richest men in the world or Jamie Oliver who I am sure can't remember what it is like to be on social security beneifts. The extravagance of her larder and library of cook books is grotesque and reflects the way in today's society we are encouraged to be greedy in our everyday consumption. There should be emphasis on sharing food experiences.

10 Name and address supplied

It is good to see that there is lots in the Consultation Paper about education of children, and there is some stuff about what 'consumers' can do. I am concerned however, that much of our bad diet nationally is because many of us just don't cook, or know *how to cook* anymore. I suspect that this can make people defensive when well intentioned advice is offered, as they feel it is beyond their abilities to apply the advice. Although there are many reasons behind this, I think one must be the generation or two who didn't learn to cook basic recipes at school, when people were taught 'about' food rather than to *make* it. I gather that this has now changed and that children are again cooking in schools (we can't get one of my nephews to STOP making shortbread since he learned!).

What can we do to get the missing generations away from pre-cooked and takeaways and back into their kitchens? I know that the old mantra is 'start with the children', but what of the long term health of those who are getting it wrong now? I believe that our national diet is in a state of crisis and that a direct and nationwide campaign is needed, but not just information that makes people feel nagged at, or makes people feel that their income is inadequate to the task of good nutrition. (Have you noticed how often 'budget' has been the defence people have given in the recent sequence of shows on Channel 4 with Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall when asked why they don't buy healthier or more ethical produce?).

We need to find a way that encourages people to change without them feeling attacked for doing it 'wrong' now. It is an irony that the more famous chefs become, the more cooking shows there are on TV, the more recipe books that are sold, and the fancier the kitchens that MFI etc want to sell us, the less we cook and the more we buy ready-meal facsimiles of the on-screen creations. So surely, we need to find a way to teach people cooking that they feel they can afford and would like to eat. But what would that way be? Big question.

I confess that I rather like the idea of an army of WRI types touring the country in 'Battle Buses' equipped with kitchens doing cooking demonstrations from George Square to Achiltibuie, and distributing 'National Recipe Books' they go. Something like the Domestic Science part of the Australian 'Better Farming Train' of the 1920/30s!

11 Linda Brackenbury

A national food policy I think is a good idea, and it would have implications and affect everyone right across the food chain in Scotland. I believe education to be the key, if you wean a baby on liquidized good local produce, then that baby does not grow to crave chemically preserved or produced food. Schools should be looking back to practices of post war years, when good local produce was widely available, if not in quantity then at least in quality and used in school kitchens, children should be taught of where their food comes from and school cookery lessons should be made to be a compulsory part of the curriculum for boys as well as girls. As well as practical lessons, there should be lessons in nutrition and as to what the body needs to survive as opposed to what the body craves. Junk food out, good nutritious food in. The child who believes that such as Tuna comes from a tin, is not well educated and without doubt will suffer the consequences later in life.

Rural issues in the production of food are that farmers are restricted in the use of their land, and many do not produce as much as they would perhaps wish to, and transporting of local food is an issue for many living on the islands or remote areas of mainland Scotland and a co-operative among communities is not always a viable option, the same applies to livestock or fish etc, On farm facilities for food production from field to consumer are few and far between, especially in remote areas so perhaps a middle ground should be considered or reconsideration on the ability that most farmers enjoy which is to produce chemically free, good food to sell from the farm gate, such as as home produced bacon, sausages, free range eggs, jams, preseves, bread and cakes, vegetables and fruit etc, old fashioned ideas, but nonetheless good nutritious produce, at affordable prices, I have never met an unhealthy farmer yet.

There is without doubt too much red tape, between food production and consumers. Anyone involved within the food industry in Scotland are aware of their duties and obligations to the public and their customers, and for the most part these people are responsible individuals. and again it is education which holds the key, forget the six month college courses offering qualifications and go back to the training of individuals, apprenticeships and courses lasting at least two years before issuing certificates to would be professionals of tomorrow.

I think there is too much confusion among consumers, people reading labels in a supermarket are often unaware of what they are actually reading. Not everyone has in depth knowledge of either the ingredients or chemical preservatives used in pre-packaged produce. Colour coding is all very well, but what if the individual has visual impairment? If we cut the waste produced in fancy packages, we reduce the likelihood of cross-contamination, hygiene and cleaner practices kick in. I am unsure of how exactly we got from being a reasonably healthy nation to being a nation of uneducated and unhealthy individuals, but I believe that with direction from the government, less imported food, less junk food shops on every street corner, lesser opening hours for these junk food shops, quality produce in supermarkets and in quantity of which Scotland is capable of, and priced realistically is the answer.

Everyone thought that organic food was best, but restrictions placed on producers make it nigh on impossible to keep prices down, and the result is that few families with lower incomes can afford to buy it, in fact I would go as far as to say that those on low incomes are in effect being force fed junk food, simply because they cannot afford fresh local produce regardless of location.

With regard to campaigns etc, Previous governments have spent hundreds of thousands of the great british pounds in advertising and campaigns, they have gone all out to promote this or that,and all or mostly to no avail. I think this government should take a different approach, don't go all out on glossy promotions, tell it like it is, inform the people that these health choices must be made, "eat healthy or die young" educate them. Any money that may have spent on such campaigns, could be used to bring back such as daily portions of milk and fruit for every child of primary school age, Take the junk food off the school menu and make it less available in out of school hours.

12 Name and address supplied

Dear sir or madam the only way is to make healthy cheaper than standard food more so with school children. but what i am trying to say make hamburger's all the things kids like by the way i include the teenage section after school as well we are one off the best quality beef producers why not open our own branch instead of mcdonalds call it mcTavish's or the like if it taste's good & is cheaper they will go for it if we produce it ourselves it is bound to be cheaper then the parents also would enjoy the food and be happy for their family to go there instead of a mcflurry it could be replaced with fresh fruit + fresh cream. we have also a lot off dairy producer's in Scotland make the Scottish food cheaper in supermarket's but make sure they don't cash in on it by more than there usual mark up.

As you know the Scots have a reputation for being careful we have the potential, make it good make it cheap and the Scottish population will buy it then the revenue goes back into Scotland, because it was healthy our profit would be made on the quantity sold plus the quality would promote better health and would be less pressure on our health service. this was proven on a documentary that was on TV sorry i cant mind the name of it the researcher's placed a everyday person that ate a lot in fast food store's mainly because of work but also ate there in his leisure time as well because of convenience , They then found a person who ate health all the time and basically swapped places now both were examined by top Harley street doctor's, and charted all the there health result's. Thereafter a day by day check was made on each person and charted by week 1/ the healthy person began to feel ill by the second week she had to force the food down the other person began to improve dramatically and i think from memory by the commencement of the third week the healthy lady could not continue now after watching this it certainly changed my lifestyle off eating and i did feel better. Sorry i cant mind the name off the program. hope this helps in some way…well I do my best anyway.

13 Fi Bird, Kirriemuir, Angus

Given £60,000 to the Royal Highland Education Trust, which teaches children about where food comes from' This is a ridiculously small amount of money! Also, other organisations are doing similar work, for example The Scottish Countryside Alliance)and the Coop farm visits (and to a certain extent the Coop enterprise project). We need some joined up thinking and an equal chance for every child - ie not just those children fortunate enough to be involved in a Countryside Alliance, Coop or RHET project.

We need simple nutrition and food skills on the primary school curriculum. I have spent time working in primary schools where proactive Head teachers (who would probably contact RHET too)have secured funding for healthy eating/ cookery sessions and I have yet to come across a child who doesn't enjoy the sessions. If, you show children how to cook with the raw ingredient there is a far greater chance that they will eat a healthier diet. It is also a good opportunity to allude to the research concerning how many times they can say'Yuk' to something and then change your mind (I say 10 but my daughter tells me that Prue Leith says 11 !)

Aside from cookery on the primary school curriculum, I would like to see Fairtrade as high up your list as local food. Local must also mean that produce is affordable and accessible to every child. However, responsible consumerism involves buying Fairtrade products as well as local, not least because Fairtrade standards encourage sustainable production and respect for the environment.

14 Name and address supplied

There are a great many people in the food industry who have been pioneering new and innovative business processes and methods they see as important in delivering their personal values and business objectives driving change in the food sector.

We have all been meeting with government and their support agencies, over many years keeping them up to date with developments in order to tap into their support mechanism. It is therefore no surprise that we are hearing all the right words, its how change will be delivered that will demonstrate whether it will be real or not!

The benefits of the food supply chain fall roughly into four categories; 1. Sustainability and regional development (creating and sustaining hundreds of local jobs in predominantly rural communities and the development of a robust and vibrant regional economy) 2. Environmental benefits ( food & packaging waste - carbon emissions and greenhouse gases- reducing traffic congestion as well as the volumes of waste going into landfill) 3. Health and Education ( Engagement, interaction, healthy eating, information and fun - supporting disadvantaged communities and engaging with young people) 4. Commercial benefits ( win - win, new business, increased market share, reduced costs, increased efficiency, fair-trade, new export markets). The key to unlocking these benefits is the collaborative supply chain it delivers the business benefits which underpin competitive pricing and through the introduction of innovative technologies we introduce change to consumer attitudes about how food is prepared and sourced thereby building and delivering the social benefits that are directly attributed to the food chain.

Larder Bytes have been developing collaborative supply chain technologies for over 15 years and for a project to succeed at a basic level there must be trust and openness. Within the business environment strong relationship are built on the win - win principle where everyone at the table is there to benefit their own business through collaboration with their supply chain partners. These benefits and efficiencies are generally passed onto the end user i.e. the customer, as a unique selling point used to grow business volume for the entire supply chain.

The Larder Bytes concept of developing a network of collaborative supply chains is about reintroducing local food as the nations trusted champion, the majority of its products being sourced and delivered locally through regional supply chains. It is the high street merchant, the butcher, fishmonger, green grocer etc. as well as their local primary producers and food processors who are best placed to deliver these commercial and social benefits. This isn't to say that big business and even the supermarkets don't have a role to play. However I think we all believe that the issues currently being raised as part of this review are correct and worthwhile, and that we are currently failing to deliver what's required by the food industry to ensure a healthy sustainable nation. It is for this reason that more of the same just isn't good enough, we need to change, and for change to be real we need to be doing something different.

A great many local projects including ours, have met numerous obstacles in trying to secure support. Having pioneered and invested in new and innovative systems and to find your ideas and those of your colleagues being fed back to you to comment upon by the very agencies who you have asked for support is annoying. In my personal experience and that of others, we feel that if our efforts are sidelined in favour of more of the same then this will simply be a waste of money and opportunity and will have a lasting and damaging impact on public confidence. I am also a little unclear on the NFU Scotland's position. For many years they have been at loggerheads with the supermarkets and I personally do not believe that any government will legislate to control the supermarkets or even if they did that it would in any way be effective if that is indeed what is being proposed.

An Alternative maybe to work to create a different market offering an alternative introducing local food into the supply chain, a supply chain in which the supermarket can play a part . Here we have an opportunity for real change let's not waste it. There is of course a possible alternative legislative course that the government could take that would guarantee all of the benefits both social and commercial and underline the government's position in these matters. This is very straight forward, simple and would receive unanimous support from the entire food sector however we are still seeking the opportunity to explore this option. To food suppliers particularly those who have pioneered the way forward, please remember trust is the key to a successful supply chain and that innovation is the lifeblood of business especially small business.

Think about what you have to offer and if there is no benefits in sharing your innovation then don't do it supply chains are about win - win that includes you and not only those big business whose interests are clearly already funded and supported by government. To the high street and food producers the time is now, clearly the social benefits are becoming more and more important, the supply chain properly managed can deliver the cost saving which make local food a cost effective product to market. However, you need to commit - waste this opportunity at you peril! Ultimately it's the consumer who will decide, for once we have the opportunity to create a complete fully functioning supply chain, from end to end. Clearly everyone wants quality it's the supply chains job to supply this cost effectively. Does the consumer really want to see their money in the pockets of the supermarkets shareholders, or do you want to support and build your own local infrastructure and community - ultimately the choice is yours!! If you believe that the time for change is now and you want to do something, then for an insight into what is really possible visit www.larderbytes.com and register your interest.

15 Peter Davidson

This "national discussion" on food presents the perfect opportunity to highlight ways to benefit many aspects of Scottish life. My suggestion is to promote town "market days" in Scotland's communities. This would be very useful in terms of ensuring it is Scottish produce which is consumed, meaning less food miles are undertaken (and therefore better for the environment). It would also help build a sense of community spirit, and help Scottish farmers by giving them a direct line to the market. The negative sides of this proposal would be the Health and Safety rules that are in place - all farmers would need to abide by certain rules (which while necessary might be off-putting as well), and the potential for anti-social behaviour taking place (vandalism of stalls, etc.).

16 Name and address supplied

I would like to see more done to give children could get a better appreciation of what can be grown themselves linked to the importance of looking after the environment if you want to be able to grow produce on an ongoing basis.

Allotments are a good model for just that. For example, Dunblane Allotment Group is Organic. We are a recent allotment group (in our 4th year now) established after a small group of keen volunteers approached the council to turn vacant land into allotments. We now have a waiting list for plots on the land that has been turned from scrub into a productive organic haven for wildlife. People are producing food for their own consumption and looking after the land in a sustainable way.

Can Scottish Government look into expanding the availability of allotments - there is a growing demand for them and most have waiting lists. My kids come to the allotment and see for themselves the toil and trouble and joy of veg growing. We have invited schools to come but they have not shown any interest which is such a shame. Allotments are an untapped resource in the creating a healthier, wealthier, safer, stronger, greener and smarter Scotland.

17 Liz Ashworth, Elgin, Moray

I would value the opportunity to use my years of experience in the food industry to work with small food producers to make their products healthier - small businesses do not necessarily have time to look at this very important issue, due to other pressures of business. I am passionate about wholesome, good quality home grown food and working at present with the Agronomy Institute in Kirkwall Orkney developing good wholesome bakery products using the Orcadain grown and milled grains. We need to encourage and support more of these local initiatives and I will be pleased to lend a hand where possible. As a Member of the Guild of Food Writers I am also in a positiion to help to publicise initiatives and to enlist the help of fellow writers. I have begun a Healthy Eating Children's Food Club with Baxters of Fochabers and would like to be involved in any work towards prevention of overweight teenagers and the avoidance of type 2 diabetes in the young. Basically re-educating the youth of today to cook and eat a healthy diet. I look forward to hearing further from you and would very much like to be part of your team - it is only by working together that results will be achieved.

18 Jean Glass

I speak to ask for urgent research regarding the benefits of a low carbohydrate diet similar to such before the twentieth century and followed before the diabetic and obesity epidemic we have now. I have been roughly following an Atkins style way of eating for over five years now and know it kills compulsive eating stone dead allowing weight to stabilize and food obsession to just disappear. I had been hopping mad -- my cholesterol was high despite my low fat, carb heavy diet -- you know, the one that is making all the kids so huge -- and when I read the Robert Atkins book I gave it a go. You have to get past the writing style. He sounds like he is selling from the back of a caravan. This should be taken as it stands. He was a cardiologist concerned with the increasing misery of diabetes with no time to swat up on crowd pleasing tricks given the importance of his findings and his belief that the public needed to know about them urgently. Anyway I have normal blood pressure and a good cholesterol ratio now.

I think you should get all the top people who believe reduction in carbohydrates is the key to eating well and give them a chance to show what they can do. You will be criticised right away by qualified and often megapowerful agencies but of course the public are following the current advice they are giving and getting fatter, iller and more food compulsed each day. If porridge was the so called staple of the Scottish diet why did people risk death trying to poach that is what my grandad said.

19 Marion Macleod, Dornie

If the government wants to launch a National Food Police and wants the Scottish People to eat healthier food. Why don't they start by supporting the people that produce the food that we should be eating in order to be eating healthier food produced in Scotland. This is ofcourse our farmers and crofters. At the same time as there is going to be this food policy the government is also putting nail after nail in the coffin of this industry that is the backbone of the food that we eat. Farmers and Crofters are a dying breed that should be protected at any cost as without them we could forget about any healthy food policy.

20 Name and address supplied

I fully agree that in principle this is a wonderful idea and should be followed through into reality with due alacrity and tenacity.

There is a need for the consumer to become more understanding of the value of both home produced food and fast food and the corresponding attitudinal shift towards such a basis of good diet that may accompany a change of action including the value for money aspect of food and the attitude to waste.

Many consumers are, in the main, demanding of the full range of foods all year round and not aware of seasonality. In order to address this situation in favour of local produce and the food miles agenda the range of foods which would be fully available and the value of buying 'in season' may require some innovative marketing. However Scotland must deal with foods and products from various countries as well as foods or products of non Scottish origin.

There is the reality of commercial competitiveness especially in the retail and hospitality sectors that need to supply a wide range of foods all year round.

It may be that this range requires some examination to see if it is of both health and economic value to the consumer as well as being acceptable to the retailers.

This could be a spin off of a National Food policy.

Having worked for many years with food/nutritional education all sectors and the 'management of change' I know there are some attitudinal shifts that will need to be addressed if we are to progress meaningfully with a policy which values home produced and/or fresh food as a key means to eating well.

Full collaboration of all sectors- private and commercial -and levy boards will be required if there is to be a paradigm shift in the attitude to food both Scottish and non Scottish in this country.

This shift of culture should start with both young and all decision making persons. There is some evidence from other countries[eg Finland/Australia etc] of how this can be achieved but the sustainability of progress needs to be taken into consideration when evolving a policy in Scotland.

Having read the discussion paper I am delighted to note the high importance of an integrated and socially inclusive approach which is the only way forward.

Several points worth consideration are offered here for your inclusion into the debate:

Lifelong learning.

Ø Food could become a key learning driver in lifelong learning. When teaching young people aspects of Mathemathics ,English, Art etc, etc… It is as easy to count discuss/draw- apples, oranges, grapes etc as it is re cars/marbles etc.[nothing against the non food items]. In many text books used in schools there is little evidence made of food as an integrated learning driver and so from a young age many young people are not aware of the need to think ,talk or discuss about food in any format relating to life situations or focussed cognitive development never mind regard it as an essential ingredient towards good health.

Ø The use of food as a learning tool would alter this situation and lead to a change of perceptions re how, why and from where we source and eat food.

Ø This change of approach would give opportunities for constructive and inclusive thinking about food and what it means to personal development as well as beginning the shift of emphasis towards food as being essential for good living and not just as a fuel stop.

Ø The work of bodies like the British Nutrition Foundation support this integrated approach and try to offer schools valuable support tools to enable teachers to move in this direction.

Ø In school based education in Scotland very little time is given over to such a change of operation. Having worked with educators- all sectors- for many years, the majority of teachers do not see the need for such a shift of emphasis. There are however some prejudices re this approach particularly re aspects of academic studies. Issues of which may become part of the debate.

Ø Text books that are used in both primary and secondary schools are written from the prospective that food, while it is important, is not related to actual lifelong learning. There is very little cognisance taken of the need for any capability for young people and their parents/carers to affect attitudinal change re their understanding of what is meant by a culture of Food.

Ø The firm proposal re the proposed removal of the Advanced Higher Health and Food Technology by Scottish Qualifications Authority- thus downgrading the academic progression opportunities for young people to study food and its related aspects in depth seems at best bizarre and at worst a clear indication of the lack of coherence in national policies. This qualification can put young people on the path for a career in food technology, dietetics and other nutritional based careers- much needed in this country .The removal of this ever increasingly popular advanced higher has been taken apparently for historical economic reasons and as such is an indicator that all sectors of the community do not work in tandem and rate the value of high end food education to be as useful as the current food policy discussion would imply.

Educational training.

All teachers regardless of subject specific, should be given some training- during their initial training period- to make sure that they fully understand how, why and when they could introduce young people to the value of good food in the diet and the importance of sound nutritional eating.

Working with food producers and even processors at this early stage would imbed an understanding of food which- with help -could be a lifelong skill.

Many teachers are not confident to take any such matters forward as they have had no training in nutrition since second year in secondary school if that. There are several associations/companies and universities which try to address this lack of information but many teachers feel this is not mainstream knowledge and as such should be acquired only if time allows. The evidence of having some meaningful nutritional knowledge should be a given in all teacher base qualifications.

It would be worth considering that in schools nutrition education and especially practical food skills should be core and not an optional aspect of the curriculum.

The gaining of REHIS elementary food hygiene certificate should be an integral aspect of education for all year 1 and 2 in secondary schools and not just as an option.

It is well recognised and documented that education is best if applied in a practical sense and so the use of classes -given by qualified teachers who can connect various aspects of the curriculum-and which deal with practical food would be meaningful and worthwhile re the educational experiences of the cohort of young people before they become adult decision makers. Current health education programmes on this topic in most instances are tokenistic towards the real value of sound information and skills about how to eat more healthily and acquire some life skills re practical food. There are some scattered instances of good practice but as a national policy there is a lack of commitment and drive. I would include some classes for parents with children at the junior and the Pre 5 level to encourage a full understanding of how easy it could be to feed the family cheaply but usefully using good inexpensive and often locally gown food products.

The approaches of Hungry for Success and A curriculum for Excellence offer many opportunities for this approach but the thrust of such an approach would be more meaningful as part of a whole national policy about Food and not isolated to education.

University, para medical and full medical courses should have a compulsory course re food and nutrition education and not just a few cursory lectures which may suffice in a box ticking exercise.

It would be even a stronger driver for our national Food Policy and attitudinal shift if there was some form of nutritional understanding and knowledge evidenced as an integral aspect of entrance demand for such courses. [Ref the removal of advanced health and Food technology section on Lifelong learning!] I am aware that the new key aspects of A Curriculum for Excellence has as essential numeracy and literacy and for the first time aspects of health and well being. These aspects which have yet to be released publicly must be related to practical food knowledge.

The following approaches need to be strongly driven by the Government in collaboration with a range of partners and stakeholders:-

Ø Tourism would benefit from a higher profile on the great Scottish larder and the benefits of eating food lacking in food miles as opposed to eating food which has no relationship with the country in which the tourism is being promoted i.e. Scotland. This of course does not exclude food from other countries as we export and import and this economic status must be to the advantage of Scotland. The import ban on foods which are not helpful to some locally produced products eg Brazilian beef should be considered as a high level priority and consumers made fully aware of the current situation.

Ø The hospitality industry must be fully integrated into this debate as it is essential that food outlets in Scotland are seen to be promoting our best products at best value. There could be incentivisation opportunities for the industry to showcase and use more local produce thus enhancing the economic output of local producers.

Ø Scottish hoteliers and the industry should be encouraged by innovative means to use Scottish products where at all possible and there should be a national award for those outlets that are in compliance with such a scheme. It would perhaps be useful to start this approach using a limited range of products and then develop a more holistic approach after such a pilot project. There would of course be a need for serious monitoring and review of any such programme but this would be a meaningful approach.

Ø Menu transparency would be some form of support for the agenda while ensuring that outlets were in fact purchasing a majority of their input as Scottish produce where at all possible..

Ø Retailers and their staff require to be fully informed about issues relating to local produce and the value of same thus to enable consumers to access information at point of sale if necessary. This requires staff training and could be an incentive for staff and retailers if there were rewards for actively promoting this approach.

Ø Food assurance schemes [Food standards Agency] should be conjoined to produce some form of indicator which favours local produce and to make it easier for the consumer to identify same. Reference the Farm Assured Scheme products of the red meat industry.

Ø Labelling is a key issue but must be easy to understand, quickly read and purposeful in the information given. Some labels offer information which cause conflict in the mind of the consumer and as such may be ignored.

Ø Procurement strategies It should be essential that major food procurement contracts have an essential aspect of home grown produce as an integral aspect of the contract and not as a voluntary scheme. I am fully aware of' best value' for money but we are looking at a new way of operating and what must become best value for money and not just cheapness.

Ø The media. It would be very useful if there was some agreement with the media that supportive good news stories had as high an importance as inflammatory headlines such as 'Would Lock Ins for pupils support healthy eating at lunchtime?'. While maybe selling newspapers such an uncontrolled and inflammatory approach does nothing to support reasonable debate about opportunities for young people to access good school meals in a pleasant school environment.

Food processors and producers.

Ø This is an area of development re local food and food related products [like cattle feed etc] that must be more evidence in how the national food agenda is developed and the relationship between cattle feed and the environmental issue. The use of biofuels and other energy fuel sources has to be high on the agenda in order to allow some sustainable development in this matter. Some farmers may see this as an inconvenience but it should become part of the assessment process of farm assured and self evaluation to encourage a more 'eco friendly' approach.

Ø Consumers need to be informed about the rigorous assurance schemes in place applied to food produced in the UK for example as in the red meat industry.

Ø Levy Boards and the Food Standards Agency require to ensure that they inform the consumer as accurately as possible about food safety measures re food production especially but not exclusively in Scotland to enable good decision making skills by the consumer about food product choice.

Ø The issue of food miles should be a topic of general debate especially related to global warming. The media could be encouraged to have some accurate and useful reporting about this issue.

Ø The development of the levy boards should enable a more cross sectoral conversation re both values and collaboration with the range of food sources.

Ø There may be some sensitivities re various complexities in some Levy Boards and the positive post R Radcliffe agenda but this must be dealt with in an open and transparent manner in all sectors and at all levels of the boards and sector companies.

Ø This is a Scottish food policy debate but not in isolation from other parts of the UK and Europe re food assurance schemes and product procurement schemes.

Ø Many of the local authority and national bodies have no transparent policy about food procurement. This needs to be addressed in an open and accountable manner to support consumer understanding of such issues.

Ø The Hungry for Success programme needs a national coordinator to support and progress LEA developments and to work in tandem with HMIe and the local community groups involved in all aspects of health issues.

Ø Food should not be seen in isolation from activity and it would be useful to ensure that Sports Scotland is seen to be working in conjunction with the food industry to support the good delivery possibilities of the Future for Food in Scotland paper as presented to day.

Ø Public buildings should be clearly supporting an 'eat well' approach and evidence of same is important to the 'office' worker and those visiting public buildings. Ref canteens in hospitals /government offices /local authority canteens etc.

Ø Health centres and doctor's surgeries must be seen to be firmly promoting an eat well approach and giving support to such visitors. This done by action such as healthy option vending machines, free water available and competitive pricing in the vending machines /discouraging sweet eating and the consumption of fizzy drinks while waiting for attention etc..

Ø The career pathway of Food technologists must be given some improved status in Scotland. Research into improved eating quality of foods and the reduced fat and salt etc quality for foods especially those produced in Scotland etc should be seen as an important driver of economic success for Scotland. This has not been the case in the past despite very valuable research in some universities. The example of the progress in the bread production programme should be a catalyst for other products to be developed in a similar manner. This of course will require more research and as such bring into more prominence the valuable asset of food technologists working in Scotland and for Scotland.

Ø The major retailers are keen to be supportive of a better diet but there are opportunities for Scotland to lead the way in how this is implemented.

Ø Some super markets try to convince shoppers that the only way to shop is at their stores. While this is a convenience and one to be accepted as a 21st century approach it does not have to be the major way in which people continue to shop and purchase food.

21 Fergus Craig, Edinburgh

This is an opportunity to reconsider the evidence for what a healthy diet should consist of. The hypothesis that a low fat, high carbohydrate diet is beneficial in combating heart disease, diabetes and hypertension was ill conceived to begin with and is now largely discredited. It has been the established dogma for the past 40 years but has little convincing evidence to support it. Diabetes is far more effectively treated with a low carbohydrate diet, as indeed are many of the diseases of civilisation. If this was properly considered, it could truly put Scotland at the forefront of dietary thinking worldwide. What an achievement that would be!

22 Name, address and response supplied - Confidential

23 Sandra Smith

Thank you for giving this opportunity to input into Scotland's food policy. It's a burning issue and one of the things everyone is talking about these days - from taste and quality, to globalisation and intensive production methods, nutritional value (or lack of it), and general food adulteration in its many forms. It all adds up to a pretty unpleasant concoction that's seriously damaging to peoples' health and the environment. There's a bit of a mess that needs to be sorted out. We have an opportunity to make things a lot better in Scotland. I would like to comment specifically on the following areas.

Local food I would definitely support much more emphasis on fresh local food. I think there has been a gradual trend away from this and towards globalisation, which seems to have become the norm, and which is a bad almost insane thing. We should promote and support local produce as the first choice, for everything that is home produced. We do need to set up mechanisms to allow this to happen. Organic There is now such a huge demand for organic produce that current systems can't meet, and we end up with insane things like beef from Argentina and potatoes from Israel. I would definitely support active promotion and encouragement of responsible and organic farming and growing in Scotland, turning more land over to it and encouraging food diversity and innovation. The demand is out there for safe natural food people can trust.

Growing your own. More encouragement and support for growing your own food can only be good. In the cities however, this is an almost impossible thing to do, unless you have an allotment - like gold dust in the city. I would definitely support urban land being turned over for allotments, and urban food production in general. Without going into detail, there are ways and means. It doesn't have to be just a rural activity.

Education and the young. I think the whole food issue needs to be brought into schools in an innovative way to guide our young people away from a largely ignorant and passive attitude towards food and drink. They make poor choices and have become worryingly detached from reality. It could provide really valuable educational opportunities in many subject areas if food was taken through an entire process as an educational project - from the beginning in soil science and what will grow in the Scottish climate; planning a garden, planting and growing, harvesting; cooking and menu planning, nutrition and health. And at the end of the process could even slip into projects in enterprise (marketing and selling your produce in local farmers' markets for example). And I don't mean doing this just in eco-schools.

Food definitely sits very neatly in the Health and Well-being agenda, and certainly into all of the wider capacities of Curriculum for Excellence. GM technology Out of all of the food issues we currently face, this is probably the most crucial. Scotland needs to be GM-free as far as food and agriculture is concerned. In this issue precaution is not enough, and ignoring it won't make it go away. * GMOs have a negative and seriously damaging impact on the environment, and once they are out there, the effects cannot be undone. GM is a form of pollution that cannot be cleaned up at a later date. * GMOs are harmful to human health. Independent studies that have been done uncover an array of toxic and other harmful effects. * The biotech companies have behaved in a most undemocratic way, in recklessly forcing their (untested) products into the global food chain and undermining consumer choice all over the world.

Finally one other point I would like to make is in response to the prospect of 'walking more to the shops instead of driving' (in section How will we get there?). I would definitely support this, but retailers need to be open to making deliveries in their area. You can't carry much. And I wholeheartedly support 'using fewer plastic bags', but sadly this is still a norm and another message that needs to get across to retailers, who routinely pack into plastic, unless you can stop them first! Once again thank you for this opportunity. Best wishes.

24 Bob Bull, North Kessock, Inverness

I believe that it is vital that people should be given opportunities to learn about food and its production, and that we shouldn't rely on a process of "hearsay" for people to learn, as clearly this doesn't work- if it did we wouldn't be in the position we are in now. Equally we have to guard against people learning through campaigning organisations who have particular viewpoints. My family set up Glachbeg Croft Education Centre to provide programmes for schools, individuals and the widest possible community.

Our programmes provide first hand opportunities for people to have experience of aspects of food production and use. For example people have opportunities to be involved in growing food- both plants and animals- and then to use the products in cooking. I believe people should make their own choices through knowledge. This project has been funded from our own resources- with support from ABDS towards the construction of the building.Previously I ran an education centre for a local authority on which Glachbeg is modelled and also work with the National Association of Field Studies Officers and Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens. Please see www.glachbeg.org.uk.

We would very much like to increase opportunities for schools, other groups and individuals to take part in our programmes. I would also be keen to be involved in the wider debate on food education.

25 East Fife Allotments Association

We are voluntary organisation working to create an allotment site at Upper Largo near Leven, Fife. We welcome the opportunity to respond to the consultation on a National Food policy. The Association acknowledge the main focus of any future policy should be building a successful commercial food and drink industry. The Association feel however that some emphasis in future policy should be directed to encouraging people to grow their own food. We do not think this would be in conflict with commercial interests but rather, would compliment the development of a healthy food culture, providing more choice and contributing to the broader sustainability agenda. The provision of allotments is one way to provide opportunities for people to produce their own food. Demand for allotments has been steadily increasing and there are currently around 3,000 on official local authority waiting lists in Scotland.

There is further anecdotal evidence to suggest there is significant latent demand for growing your own food. Indeed our Association was established in an area where there was no official waiting list and no allotment provision. We currently have 33 members.

Reports and articles on the Scottish Allotments and Gardens Society website, www.sags.org.uk, point to an increasing number of communities either seeking land to establish allotment sites or lobbying their local authority to increase provision. We believe; that with the right forms of encouragement, incentive and co-operation from and between local authorities, national government and voluntary sector; there exists plenty of potential for local communities to successfully develop new provision.

An example the Scottish Government may wish to investigate is in England where the National Lottery has announced a £50million fund to support community food initiatives. We would therefore encourage the government to promote the increased provision and promotion of allotments as part of its national food policy. Yours faithfully Iain Anderson Chairperson East Fife Allotments Association.

26 Anne McKillop

The document raises many important points but is very industry focussed. I think it's important to get people, adults and children alike, growing and eating their own produce. I would like to see the Scottish Government supporting organisations that teach, enable and promote allotments, beekeeping and community & school gardens.

I believe there is a growing demand for more allotments from local communities throughout the country. Growing your own food focuses your mind on healthy eating through addressing the associated chemical and pest control issues. Schools working on their Eco-schools award, communities working on improving their village through BSBI etc are all well placed to engage with and promote these issues.

27 Roddy Mungall

I think that we need to know a number of things about our food. However, I do think we need to get smart about all this and rather than reaching a point where we tell people that this, that or the next thing is bad for us, it would be better to take a positive approach and take about a proportionate approach. By that I mean that we need to enable people to strike a balance and to make good choices about food. Even junk food is food, but it really does depend whether or not it dominates or is, as I would regard it, a treat. However, it happens to be cheap and accessible and so we also need to look at the price of food and how we make food which is acknowledged to be better for us readily available.

Poverty has not diminished and arguably has increased over the last few decades. This also needs to be addressed since this is surely the lynch-pin which enables people to make choices. There is also the matter of local produce versus that which comes from overseas. Whilst one does not wish to add to the problems experienced in developing countries by not taking their produce, we need to examine this (given the environmental issues which appear to be in play here).

28 Name and address supplied

This is a copy of an email I sent to the Competition Commission regarding supermarkets planning issues. I believe passionately that the issues highlighted below are key to the success of a future Food Policy. Supermarket - an oxymoron! They are not super and they do not offer a market experience in any sense of the word. Allowing the supermarkets more freedom to move into our town centres or, worse still take the centre out of town, is short sighted planning madness. Instead please allow the planning and business rates to encourage smaller independent grocers, fish mongers, butchers, bakers, delicatessens and markets back into our town centres - surely that would bring more competition? Your organisation has expressed concern about how the supermarkets treat their suppliers and it is right that you should but how can competition between a handful of corporate giants ever do anything but stifle any real competition? A wider range of retailers would surely be more beneficial to many suppliers, who have to put up and shut up, because of a lack of outlets. In the meantime the so called "super"markets are happy to let the nation sleepwalk into a microwavable waste land of real food choice, information or knowledge with the very real health problems which have already resulted from our change in shopping and eating habits. Please, please act to bring back our thriving town centres.

29 Mary Deans

I am delighted that the Scottish Government is at last taking food and health seriously. The need for understanding of nutrition and its practical application is essential to help the population improve well being. My role as community dietitian in South East Edinburgh involves me in both therapeutic dietetics, and nutrition in the community. The staffing levels for nutrition & Dietetics in the community are farcical, considering the workload that is required. Dietitians are trained and well qualified to enable community projects and grass roots interest in food & nutrition to access reliable and scientifically proven facts.

Staff who have practical understanding of food and its effects on health are key to helping the population make appropriate changes.It is this training in enabling change which makes the Dietitians role crucial. Facts and figures are not enough to make people change. There are many short term funded projects throughout Scotland who are doing important work, but living in fear of losing funding just when results are beginning to prove the value of the project.It is this short termism which prevents good practice from being rolled out broadly.

I urge the Scottish Government to encourage Health Boards to fund nutrition & dietetics to the level recommended by the BDA. This would give equitable cover to populations across Scotland. I am involved in advising people who are undernourished as well as those who are overweight. The costs to Scotland from those who are malnourished is largely hidden. Dietitians are again key to helping these folk back to full strength.

30 Dave Buchanan, Elgin, Moray

Scotland's produce is amongst the finest in the world! Having been a professional chef for 12 years working in some of Scotland and the world's top hotels, restaurants and resorts I can only agree whole-heartedly with what the Government is trying to do. The main focus however, needs to be on education and educating the public. Teaching children about healthy eating should be highly commended, but you must also provide them with the necessary skills to transfer their classroom learning to the home. For children who come from less priviliged backgrounds or for those with low incomes it's not so straight forward. Changing the attitudes of older people is notoriously difficult so the first step at school level is important, but it must be backed up latterly.

Fresh local produce must be encouraged further to ensure a prosperous local economy (and not to the detriment of our beautiful surroundings) and must be made accessible to the masses. Whether it be a reduced rate box scheme subsidised by the government or a fixed price set for suppliers and ensuring supermarkets do not take advantage. Supermarkets are the main cause of our nation's health problems as they provide (often) cheaper quicker alternatives suited to the modern family life of hectic, time-restricted schedules. Reducing salt, fat and sugar content in processed foods is a great idea, however it is still by far cheaper to make something from fresh than to buy a frozen, ready-made, pre-packed alternative. Clearly the health benefits are untold, but turning mince, butter, flour, milk, eggs and vegetables and herbs into lasagne for the uninitiated is not the simplest of tasks. Involving the entire family in food production is an integral part of family life.

I recall granny making dinner, only as and when the children and grand children had peeled the veg, browned the mince, chopped the herbs etc and opened the obligatory tin of tomatoes. You show me any family who operates to such a level and I may be forced to make an embarrassing apology as I have yet to see one in today's society. The breakdown of family life is no longer to be frowned upon as was previously the case. In fact having come from a broken home myself I am only too wary of the stresses and strains it puts everybody under. Latterly losing my father to alcoholism has not made my life any easier. Although it is fair to say that my own views on the subject are very stringent and being a licencee I also feel that a more continental attitude towards drinking socially and responsibly is also crucial to the success of our nation's health strategy.

We produce the world's finest whiskies and chose to drink cheaper, inferior, often sugar-loaded alternatives and cause mass riots at weekends when away from our 9-5s.

We need to encourage enterprising values in youngsters and equip them with the tools necessary for long, healthy, successful lives. The buck stops with individuals, but some of the above would maybe point the uneducated masses in a better direction... I am but one man, but my crusade for improving our nation's children's prosperity starts today!

31 Homeless Day Centre, Inverness

The Day Centre provided a cooked breakfast and two course 'evening meal' up until 2004. The food was sourced from external caterers. It was of low nutricious value, and very greasy and stodgy fare. There was very limited choice and virtually no fresh fruit or fresh vegetables. In consultation with our colleagues, it was agreed that a change was necessary to improve the diet of homeless/marginalised clients. A more balanced diet was required which could be accessed for a longer period of time during the day to reduce the need to queue.

After due consultation with clients and staff, we introduced a breakfast meal and afternoon snack system which offers a range of food which is both nutritious and varied. We now offer a range of cereals, porridge, fresh fruit and wholemeal breads. Freshly made soup is delivered every day, and the clients are very happy with the changes we have made. Contrary to popular misconception, clients did not like fatty/cholestral laden fare.

We felt that vulnerable people should not be denied the choice of food available to them. Many of our clients are not physically well, and the opportunity of having access to healthy eating, and therefore hopefully a healthier living style, is fundamental to addressing the needs of our client group.

32 Stirfresh, Arbroath - Response supplied

33 Iain Emslie

I would like to see e numbers and flavourings banned from school dinners. One of my kids has been diagnosed with ADD attention deficit disorder (has problems concentrating) and we have him on a strict organic diet and have witnessed a marked change in his behaviour (for the better) I cant explain the science behind this but since changing to organic food its like having a different wee boy (and yes I do relies that I may be getting fleeced by the shops but its my kids well-being on the line here) Some of the foods on offer at schools are just shocking something needs to be done. I am unable to let my kid eat at school due to the junk in the food. You are what you eat as they say. Please the kids.not just mine but all.

34 Iain Anderson, St Monans, Fife

On page 23 of the consultation document you highlight the opportunity for Voluntary sector & Community groups to be involved and highlight a number of options . While these are all positive and commendable, you omit perhaps one rather important option, that of actually growing your own food. While at present a minority interest, I believe the time is ripe, to actually promote this to members of the public and to the wider community sector.

There is a waiting list of 3,000 for allotments (with significant latent demand)in Scotland and in fact, there are many groups right across Scotland currently seeking land to start their own allotment sites or lobbying their local authority to increase provision.

In England , the Lottery has announced a £50million fund to support food initiatives and I would encourge the Scottish Government to consider as part of their strategy to include an incentive to community groups wishing to start up their own growing schemes. The outcomes would be good on all counts, healthwise, encouraging socialization, environmentally beneficial and indeed,good for people's pockets! On the broader aims of a national food policy, I would support all reasonable attempts to increase the consumption of local foods and the encouragement of pride in such produce.

35 Andrew McBride

I am pleased to note that you intend to encourage hotels, restaurants etc. to tell us more about the food they serve. I would urge you to go further and make it compulsory for all eating establishments to indicate which of their produce dishes are frozen or contain frozen elements eg. vegetables or chips. I would have thought that a standard menu, whether typed or written on a blackboard, could accommodate the addition of the frozen logo, much used in supermarkets, alongside individual dishes to indicate that the dish or item has been frozen and is not fresh.

Alternatively, there could be logo to indicate which items are fresh. Either way, the public deserve to know whether they are eating fresh produce or not.

36 Name and address supplied

I believe that it is essential for all government (National and Local) agencies to support and encourage local producers by requiring their catering contractors to source their ingredients as locally as possible. In particular this should apply to school and hospital catering. It is probably not widely known that PPP hospitals such as Edinburgh Royal Infirmary have been designed without kitchens for the preparation of patients' food, on the basis of catering contracts being let for provision of chilled meals from sources many hundreds of miles away! Such contracts actively exclude suppliers of fresh and wholesome produce, and are in breach of every principle of healthy eating and local economic benefit. The government must lead by example and bring an end to these disgraceful practices.

37 Name and address supplied

After taking considerable interest in this issue for many years, I am very pleased to see the Scottish Government putting forward a food policy which is rigorous in its approach and comprehensive in scope, and to be given this opportunity to comment on it.

The suggested aims set out in Part 6 are excellent. I would add to all of these the underlying need to work towards self-sufficiency in food production and supply. This is especially important since it is becoming obvious that the move into genetically modified crops for food, feed and biofuels abroad is threatening global staple food supplies and driving prices up. A related consideration is that Scotland as a very small player (we have about 0.075% of the population of the USA) and must not be allowed to be swamped by unnecessary imported goods due to inappropriate international trade agreements. On what we need to do, the following points need to be stressed:

Both the Government and Local Authorities must work towards: - providing training opportunities to the wider public in local agriculture and food production, especially those involving native crops and organic methods. - promoting urban agriculture, and food co-operatives such as shops, markets, farms and deliveries - promoting small businesses.

Regarding the vital need to educate the next generation in a healthy diet and the preparation of food, this should certainly be a focus in schools. However, in the longer term such learning will be left behind at the school gates if parents are not involved in parallel learning.

38 Name and address supplied

It is absolutely imperative that "proper" organic food is produced and sold locally and that supermarkets do not get to increase their current strangle hold on food supplies. Tax encouragement for small family enterprises' and small organic farmers/other food business's who work and think local is always best, instead of being a lazy fat nation that take the petrol station and the local "globally" driven supermarket as food supplier alternatives. Only Marks and Spencer's state clearly that NO GM or GM derivatives have been feed to their animals or used in their foods. The rest should be shamed into it. That way a healthy nation will arise.

We must develop and enhance policies that are completely contrary to the current EU's unbelievable stance on GM foods (are they mad?).No significant risk? would you eat 6 week old tomatoes? NO GM whatsoever (or GM derivatives) is the position. If you allow any percentage in food stocks, however small, the giant pharmaceutical and agro companies with massive budgets for persuading our gullible local authority and city politicians will escape legal redress. They can and will wriggle out of any legal cases that inevitably will arise. Rigorous testing and substantial fines will ensure compliance. People need to eat healthily and sustain ably and grants must be given to level the playing field such that every town in Scotland does not look like "franchise town USA" with nothing you want to eat or that has been "processed" to give them added value. Do NOT do any more testing on GM. The general public are very clear, they have had enough. Ask the corporations to be responsible globally and legislate if they don't. The only message to the Supermarkets is the language they understand hit them where it hurts.

Business will be good if you go truly green, not an advertising campaign to SAY you are. Assist the many small and medium genuinely "organic" business with tax reduction measures, set-up expenses offset against tax etc. Arrange that Scotland disposes of its organic waste and paper metal glass and other hazardous wastes like the rest of Europe..safely and easily. Tackle the huge chemical additives in everything not just foodstuffs. Encourage "Ecover" type products. Get them to change their ways to be biodegradable and NON TOXIC. Allergies SHOULD NOT kill 15 year old kids!. Reduce dependence on anti-biotics and intensive farming. Hospital costs will be cheaper.

Ensure that Supermarkets machine handle returned bottles and cans themselves as the main polluters just as ALL European supermarkets do. CHEAP food is just that. GOOD food is another thing. Encourage allotments and ensure a distribution system for all the surplus home-grown food that just goes to waste. Get them out into the "real" world and give grants to set up allotments themselves.

39 Scottish Association of Master Bakers - Response supplied

40 Name, address and response supplied - Consultation

41 Name and address supplied

This document paper covers a variety of issues and shows the importance of tackling health improvements from all angles ie consumers, retailers etc. Choice and availability of all foods, in a variety of portion sizes, in a variety of settings, will promote a culture of healthy choices. This will move the emphasis away from the negative aspects of unhealthy eating to a positive focus of healthy living. Empowering patients to make their own healthy choices will be the only way to sustain a cultural move towards healthy living.

42 Name and address supplied

The major change we should undertake is to move towards a completely plant-based diet. The UNFAO document "Livestock's Long Shadow" makes it very clear that farm animals contribute 18% of all global greenhouse gas emissions, which is twice what all forms of transport create. I notice the British medical Journal (26 Jan) is also coming round to this way of thinking. "While economists have been grappling with the resource implications of policies to tackle climate change, the public health implications of these policies have also come under scrutiny. The message this time is that they present unrivalled opportunities for improving public health.

Policies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions could also substantially reduce obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, road deaths and injuries, and air pollution. Take food production for instance, which results in substantial greenhouse emissions, similar in magnitude to those from transport or industry. Livestock rearing for meat and dairy produce is a major source of emissions, including methane from enteric fermentation and carbon dioxide as a result of land clearance for cattle farming.

Polices that internalise the environmental costs of livestock production would reduce the consumption of animal products. This would help stabilise the climate, but would also-by reducing the amount of saturated fat and meat in the diet-reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease and bowel cancer. Similar policies on other foods might decrease the consumption of the carbon intensive fats and refined sugars that are helping to fuel the obesity pandemic.

43 Name and address supplied

The public needs more information on whether imported produce is a good or a bad thing. Is is possible to have a situation where food can be air-freighted in an environmentally-sustainable way? This would provide jobs in developing countries and provide us with a wide selection of fruit and vegetables all year round. I would like to see every piece of packaging stamped or labelled with a symbol that shows what kind of packaging it is, for the purpose of recycling. On a related note, Councils should be given the funds to provide recycling facilities for all types of waste packaging, including all types of plastic and composite packaging (eg contaminated or waxed "tetra-pak" cardboard, cling film, cellophane, plastic containers with a built-in lid made from a different kind of plastic etc). I would like to remove a piece of packaging from a foodstuff and know exactly how to deal with it.

44 Katrina Bull

Moving to Edinburgh from Melbourne, Australia, I have been struck by the lack of fresh produce markets (often attached to a wholesale market in Australia). In Melbourne there is the Queen Victoria Market, the South Melbourne Market and a host of others. The markets have up to hundreds of basic stalls selling Australian fruit, vegetables, meat and seafood, as well as delicatessans, cheese shops, cafes and bakeries. Competition is fierce and a weekend outing to the markets provides seasonal produce at great prices, as well as alot of entertainment. It really brings the community out and about in support of fresh, tasty food and gets people interested in cooking from scratch.

I have also noted the absolute dearth of greengrocers, delicatessans and butchers in Edinburgh - the only option for reasonably priced fruit and vegetables is the supermarket, where trying to buy seasonal produce that has not been imported or wrapped in plastic is really difficult. My fiance and I don't eat much meat so we can afford to buy from the weekly Castle Farmer's Market when we get there (although it's quite tiny). I feel that getting a box of organic produce home delivered is the only option, but this removes the excitement and spontaneity and choice in planning meals.

I would like to see more fresh food markets around Scotland, offering an alternative to supermarkets and expensive 'boutique' stores. I think it's fantastic that the issue of food is being discussed seriously at this level - the state of everyday food for ordinary people in Scotland is absolutely parlous.

45 Margaret Tracey-Bower

I listened to Nick Nairns Video and agree that we have wonderful food being produced here in Scotland but much of it is expensive and a lot exported! Recently my husband bought two brace of pheasants in a local (not farmers) market. He had to defeather and gut them himself which he has done on previous occasions and is capable of this. We paid £1.50 a brace - £3 for 4 birds which produced 12 generous meals. I am not suggesting that the general public at large has either the access to the market or the ability to 'clean' the birds but I did very recently see one pheasant prepared and ready for the pot at a cost of £4.50.

Schools no longer teach their pupils how to cook and have not done this for some time, the subject is not 'academic' enough to gain entry to university! Cooking is fun and good for everybody, home cooking is better that any supermarket offering. We need to educate whole families into co-operating and enjoying being in the kitchen and that no one person (Mum) is left to do the lot and frequnetly have a job outside the home as well. My 3 year old grandchild can be left to get on with 6 eggs to crack into a bowl and beat up for scrambled egg. Assist in cake making and putting together vegetables for a casserole and she thinks its fun.

We used to have cookery programmes on TV for children I still possess both the Blue Peter Cookbook and The Fun Factory along with some other less famous books. Let's start with the children and I'm sure we can put the situation right. Good food should be available at a price people can pay!

46 Grounds for learning, Alloa

One of the best ways to teach children about healthy food is to give them an experience of actually growing, harvesting, cooking and eating it themselves. Grounds for Learning is the Scottish school grounds charity and has successfully piloted the creation of school growing spaces in 8 schools - at nursery, primary and secondary level accross 4 local authorities.

The learning from this project has been used to create a CPD training course for teachers who are interested in setting up school growing areas and a resource box of helpful publications and information. We have also established a network of around 20 trained and accredited school growing advisors across Scotland who would be able to provide schools with the bespoke technical support that they need. We have shown the value of this approach, learned how to do it effectively in a Scottish context and put in place the advisory framework to make it accessible to schools across Scotland.

But nothing further is going to happen unless funding is made available to help schools through the provision of technical advice from this national advisory network. The cost of tools, seeds and other materials for growing is fairly minimal and can often be met from within school budgets - the main constraint is the cost of professional advice and support.

The consultation document is wrong to claim that Eco-schools supports schools in food growing. Eco-schools has little or no interest in food growing and has no capacity to provide schools with individually tailored advice in this area. If the Scottish Government is serious about promoting healthy eating and a better understanding of where our food comes from then it needs to put in place a mechanism to support schools in this area.

Grounds for learning has over a decade of experience in this field and a national network of advisors ready to offer frontline food-growing support to schools and nurseries. SNH provide us with around 16% of our funding and the rest we need to find from the corporate, lottery and trust sectors. We have no other government funding to help make this expertise available to schools.

If you would like to find out more about this area and how we could help the Scottish Government to turn these laudible aspirations into reality then please get in touch. We are a little sceptical about how genuinely interested the Government is and will be surprised if we hear from you. Go on - prove us wrong!

47 Name and address supplied

I would like to see a big boost to free range meat and eggs, and organic dairy produce. Britain claims to have high animal welfare standards. But we have a long way to go before we can live up to that. Let's be a world leader.

48 Name, address and response supplied - Confidential

49 Name, address and response supplied - Confidential

50 Clare Horisk

Encouraging people to think local eat local can only be beneficial in terms of Scottish producers and the environment. Trying to keep the costs low so that all of society can enjoy fresh healthy food has to be a main consideration. A bag of frozen chips and some coke is often cheaper than a punnet of raspberries - hard for those on a low income. Encouraging the supermarkets to carry local produce like the milk in tescos from local providers should be another consideration as should the reduction of packaging.

51 Name and address supplied

This government's policies on conserving stocks are in the main deplorable but not of their making at the same time it should be recognised that fishermen only live for the day other wise the fishing industry would not be in the situation it is in to day, west coast white fish stocks are practically finished due to the removing of the 3 mile limit, and the belief that west coast sea lochs were not nurseries for small fish.

52 Louisa Brown

Cut drinking hours More specialist gym/games teachers/coaches in school food - Need to have more honest labeling: products advertised as 'low fat' are often very high in sugar and vice versa. No added sugar - but lots of artificial sweetners which have health consequences too. fat content info - is it correct that if label says fat free there are no restrictions on fat content? (programme on TV which I missed)Not sure of my facts here but they uncovered a loophole in package labelling that needs to be addressed. compulsory home economics classes for all children primary - secondary and 'real' healthy meals free cookery classes for adults with free child care subsidise healthy food and higher taxes on unhealthy 'Honey, we're killing the kids' type community/school projects - Real help/support for at risk families Advertising/programs that promote health above material posessions give incentives to supermarkets to stock local produce and get fair deals for farmers. Support local produce markets Subsidies/incentives for companies who produce truly healthy products - government endorsements? free fruit and veg/healthy snack for all primary school children and NURSERy children free school meals for all industry - if we get people to live longer healthier lives they will be able to afford products and also have more years to buy them. free leisure centres/activity clubs - cash incentives to parents who take children regularly cash incentives/extra holidays for workers who have less than .....days off work per year

53 Name and address supplied

Very interesting discussion document but nothing in it about supporting the ordinary people who wish to grow food in their gardens and allotments. Growing your own food makes people more aware of seasonal food, quality of produce and ways to cook vegetables and fruit. Children will eat vegetables they have grown and so learn to enjoy good food. In this way, awareness and educated tastes will feed back into the food chain and help fulfill the governments objectives.

The local economy would also expand through supplying seeds, plants, bulbs, fruit bushes and fruit trees. Many more people would grow food for themselves and their families if they had the opportunity to garden and help in acquiring the relevant skills.There is a great opportunity for skills training involving trained horticultural experts and chefs working with ordinary people, families and schools.

Please consult groups such as the Scottish Allotments and Gardens Society, the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society, RBGE, FCFCG, BTCV, Grounds for Learning, Trellis for ways in which gardeners can contribute to the National Food Policy.

54 Nuffield Council on Bioethics

In November 2007 the Nuffield Council on Bioethics published Public health: ethical issues, which considers the ethical and social issues arising when designing measures to improve public health, illustrating the discussion by reference to case studies, including that of obesity, which raises a number of issues around food and food policy. The report can be downloaded from http://www.nuffieldbioethics.org/go/ourwork/publichealth/introduction.

The Council concluded that the state has a duty to help people lead a healthy life and to reduce inequalities. It proposes a 'stewardship model' (see paragraphs 2.41-2.45), which outlines how this can be justified and achieved, and an 'intervention ladder' (see paragraphs 3.37-3.38) as a way of thinking about the acceptability of different public health measures.

We are pleased to see the emphasis on health and your reference to obesity as a priority issue in The Future of Food in Scotland. We support in particular your principles of "encouraging and supporting people to make healthier food choices" and "helping vulnerable people and those on lowest incomes, especially pregnant women, babies and young children, and older people, to access affordable healthy food". These principles are consistent with the values established in our stewardship model. Below, we draw your attention to several conclusions and recommendations from Public health: ethical issues that are relevant to food policy.

The quotes include paragraph numbers which refer to the extended discussion in the report. "Businesses, including the food industry, have an ethical duty to help individuals to make healthier choices. The food and drink industries should therefore review both the composition of products that they manufacture and the way they are marketed and sold. Where the market fails to uphold its responsibility, for instance in failing to provide universal, readily understandable front-of-pack nutrition labelling or in the marketing of food more generally, regulation by the government is ethically justifiable" (paragraph 5.25). "Due to the special vulnerability of children it would be desirable not to advertise to children foods high in fat, salt and sugar by any medium, including on the Internet… Following the planned review of the EU Strategy on obesity in 2010, the European Commission should consider whether there are cases in which self-regulation of food advertising for children has proved unsatisfactory and whether more binding regulation across the EU is required" (paragraph 5.23). "When the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has reviewed its commissioned study on the effectiveness of labelling schemes, and the findings have been peer reviewed, they should form the basis for adoption by the food industry of the most effective scheme.

If, however, the food industry does not accept the scheme, it would be appropriate for the UK Government to pursue legislation (if appropriate, at the European level). As we have noted elsewhere, such information-based schemes could increase health inequalities, and this should be monitored" (paragraph 5.25). "The stewardship model's emphasis on circumstances that help people to lead healthy lives, especially if they are in vulnerable positions (paragraphs 2.41-2.44), leads to an ethical justification for the state to intervene in schools to achieve a more positive culture towards food, cooking and physical activity. […] The UK Government departments responsible for food, health and education should develop long-term strategies for schools with the aim of preventing obesity, and changing food and exercise culture, accompanied by monitoring and follow up." (paragraph 5.36)

55 Maureen Stewart

I think we should be starting to move towards more sensible localised sustainability with food. I think if out-of-season food is available through shipping/flying it in from vast distances that we like having it but most of us do not 'demand' it. It is much better to have food available when it is seasonal as we are getting so removed from the natural order of the seasons now. I think there should be a tax put on food that is not seasonal so that if folk are desperate to have out of season food they can have it but at a cost.

Doing more to support localised farmers markets is something many people would agree with. Buying locally grown and produced food is a way for us all to support our local economy. If we value our local area and appreciate living in it we should do all we can to support local enterprise. With the massive increases in transport costs it is ridiculous to continue to move food around unnecessarily. I live in Shetland where we have a large, localised supply of lamb but you still sometimes see New Zealand lamb in the supermarkets. To me that is plainly wrong.

Cutting down on unnatural and unnecessary additives is another move I think we should support in Scotland. I believe that many of the increasing problems with allergies comes from food additives. Polution is obviously the main contributer but I think there are massive hidden digestinal and other health problems created by unnatural additives in food. Some have been recognised and dealt with but there is still a lot of work to do on that.

However, I think that we should not go overboard with pushing the healthy eating campaign. Gradual changes across the board works better. Banning all junk food in and around schools just alienates children. They just end up craving the foods they have had brutally taken away. Much better to gradually exchange the junk food with more healthy options - perhaps they could be subsidised for a time to persuade youngsters to choose the healthy option rather than forcing the 'choice' on them. None of us like to be dictated to. If good quality and varied options of fresh fruit were as accessible as sweets and chocolate (but you are given a choice) more people would choose them.

56 Name, address and response supplied - Confidential

57 Name, address and response supplied - Confidential

58 Milan Senior Welfare Organisation, Edinburgh - Response supplied

59 The Moray Council - Environmental Protection - Response supplied

60 Name and address supplied

I am at present researching the healthy food needs of the homelessness. How to give them advice on Healthy food when there lives are chaotic enough. I am trying to identify a strategy to put in place for a homeless unit that is a day to day bed basis. The clients change regular. How would you promote healthy Eating to them without leaflets, brochures which realistically will not be read. As we know health eating makes you physically and mentally stronger which can help deal with life issues better I am not sure how to advise on this and where to apply for funding.

61 Name, address and response provided - Confidential

62 Andrew McLean

I agree with the ambitious vision. I was hoping that there would be a specific mention of schools in the section "What do we all need to do?" Schools can help shape young peoples views and have an important role to play. I would like to see the specific role of schools to highlighted. When are the Scottish office going to publish the curriculum for excellence outcomes for Home Economics?

63 Linda Martin

The education of people to make the correct choices of food and diet is fundamental, but it is also essential that skills are taught so that everyone can prepare and cook food that is nourishing. I have been a Home Economics teacher for 36 years and although I have had a great deal of satisfaction from the job, it has been a struggle to convince those in charge of education of the merits of all pupils learning the subject. Scotland has kept Home Economics on the curriculum but has failed to support the teachers and departments.

We are under funded in terms of time and resources and there are no auxiliary staff allocated to Glasgow Home Economics Departments so teachers have to organise resources, pre-prepare ingredients, demonstrate and conduct practical tasks and clean up after pupils - who generally are taught in blocks of about 50 minutes. There is no provision made for any of these non-teaching tasks to be done by trained technicians. HE teachers are a dwindling species that must not be allowed to become extinct. Pupils are engaged with the subject and highly motivated to learn and cooking brings with it so many bonuses - reading and interpreting instructions, adding and working out basic maths, problem solving, making instant judgements and so much more. Learning to cook at school, with teachers who are able to concentrate on teaching skills and techniques would make a massive difference to the health of the Scottish nation. Schools in England gave up their food departments and are now trying to re-instate them. This will be a very difficult task and will need more than trained teachers and some cash for ingredients to bring it back to success. Don't let Scotland go the same way.

There is a chronic shortage of teachers of Home Economics in Glasgow and recently students have been accepted for training without a practical food background so they are unable to cope with the demands of the curriculum. Many teachers are leaving because the schools expect them to do all the admin. connected to a subject which requires resourcing weekly, all the preparation before lessons so that pupils do an assembly job in the limited time they have and keep standards of Hygiene and Safety at the required standard. Classes are 20 and include all levels of ability and behaviour.

I truly believe that school pupils can be given a good basic training in Nutrition and Food choices and can learn practical skills which will help them to provide themselves and their families with good quality meals in the future, but there must be understanding of how the subject fits into the curriculum and it should be a core subject, not one that can be squeezed to insignificance by an unenlightened Head Teacher.

64 Margaret McDonald

I am a Home Economics teacher at an Aberdeenshire school. I believe that all S. 1 and S.2 pupils should have practical cookery on their curriculum. Emphasis should be put on healthy eating, using Scottish produce, if available. A range of foods should be available and good accommodation provided. My experience is that accommodation is often old, in poor condition, with floors, walls and ceilings, inadequately cleaned. Insufficient is done to maintain the standards expected by adults and young people. The kitchen equipment is often worn, with cookers etc. needing replaced. These conditions do not attract young people to carry on with the subject after S.2.

Local authorities do not have the budget to improve conditions or subsidise food. In my experience the local authority expects food costs to be paid by parents so each pupil has to pay a termly or annual payment. Obviously the cooked food goes home with the pupil but may not reach home looking as appetising as when it left school! Teachers are following storage rules and providing labels with use by date and re-heating instructions so food, cooked at school should be safe. In addition the food is procured by the school and stored appropriately until practical cookery takes place. Some parents resent paying for practical cookery as they believe that education should be free. Others find it hard, due to their circumstances to pay and may simply not pay. Therefore due to these factors some schools find the problem of funding the subject almost impossible and may resort to more baking and less cooking with quality meat, fish, fruit and vegetables.

The present rising costs of food mean that many H. E. departments will have to set higher charges for parents in 2008 - 2009. Cooking from scratch rather than with convenience foods is recommended but due to time restrictions in the curriculum, a pupil may well only spend 50 minutes in Home Economics. An adult may be able to produce a range of home cooked recipes in the time but in a mixed ability class of 20, 12 year olds and 1 teacher, realistically the dishes which can be cooked are limited.

Few Home Economics teachers are training in Scotland and some schools cannot recruit a Home Economics teacher to fill a vacant post. Some S.1 and S.2 pupils in Scotland will not be taught food skills due to this staffing crisis. Despite all these problems, some excellent work is being done to educate our young people in storing, preparing, cooking and eating healthily!

65 Tracey Moynihan, Irvine

I think there is so much good food work happening already with cooking skills groups, local schools using local produce, food co-ops selling cheaper fruit and vegetables, free fruit in schools and nurseries, free school meals pilots............yet some very vunerable groups still need our input like the homeless, excluded kids, low-income families and so many local initiatives rely on short-term funding. We need these pieces of work to be mainstreamed especially community food work......its invaluable to teach folk to cook in their own communities and have workers to do this.........some areas in Ayrshire have them and some don't but the same needs are out there. Ayrshire in parts is very rural and food access for some folk is an issue.

Food co-ops with community cafes would play a great part in helping folk eat healthier by allowing them access to cheaper fruit, veg and staples. Local farms could supply these and local folk could run them.

66 Eleanor Campbell

Teaching young children to cook and helping them learn about taste and nutrition at a young age" is important but what is really vital is that children in secondary school are facilitated to cook at school. Secondary schools have Home Economics Departments and Home Economics teachers trying to do the best they can on limited finances. In my school we do not charge children to cook but that is a practice that is condoned all over the country. Why should children pay to cook?

If government financed Home Economics departments directly that could be eliminated. Presently I spend alot of my own time shopping as we cannnot afford to shop from wholesalers as it is too costly. With better funding we could increase the use of quality local produce plus use much more fruit and vegetables in appetising dishes.

However I do not think that cooking should be compulsory except for S1 and S2 as older pupils forced to do something could be very disruptive to those who genuinely have an interest in food and health.

67 Fife Diet

Congratulations on your efforts in this area. We are a year long experiment in local eating, and have over 200 people taking part in the project that asks people to eat food only from Fife for a year, and share their experiences.

This is essentially a research project and our experience is that there is a latent demand for local food but that the following factors combine against easy acess: 1) Poor availablility of local food. 2) Irregularity of Farmers Markets which desperately need improvement and development 3) Fractured links between - for example - fishing villages and wider communities. Why is it so hard to buy fish landed in Fife, in Fife? 4) Need to improve bottling and packaging - for example Bouvrage - a lovely drink of Scottish raspberries - has to be bottled out of the country.

http://fifediet.wordpress.com/

68 Tom Findlay

At long last I am delighted to see that some thought is going into the health of our nation from the perspective of what we eat and how we produce it. I hope that this will eventually lead to a decrease in health care costs from food related illness and consequently reduce the tax burden on us all.

There is, however, one glaring omission from the discussion document; house building. There is huge pressure to build more and more houses. The house builders want easy sites ie green field sites that are flat because these will give them the least head-aches and the highest margins. These sites are also usually our best and most highly productive farming land. Within our food policy we need to alter the planning requirements to encourage building on the poorer/steeper/brownfield land and leave the rest to farming and flood plain.

If, with luck, a new food policy is created which re-establishes the Scottish farming industry as one of great importance we may well find that previously uneconomical land will be brought back into production which will in turn require more input from the timber trades for fences, the agricultural machinery trade for newer equipment and the transport industry to transfer goods to market and not least more rural employment - all beneficial to the wider economy.

A second point that has been slightly glossed over is that of food miles. Home production saves the planet. Importing potatoes from Egypt may well help the Egyptian farmer but his land is neither suited to that crop without huge irrigation nor does it help with CO2 reduction. In the above case we are denuding a dry part of the world of water all for the sake of 20p off the cost of 1kg of potatoes but at what cost to our planet. Finally, bottled water. Scotland has some of the purest, cleanest water in Europe yet we readily import thousands of tonnes of water every month for no discernable benefit. Transporting water by lorry is vastly expensive and for us pointless. Again here the major issue is one of greenhouse gases and the impact on the planet.

69 Name and address supplied

I would really like to see foods containing Hydrogenated Fats being banned in Scotland. Tesco, Marks and Sparks, Sainsbury's etc have banned these fats from all their own brand products. Our bodies find these fats very difficult to break down, and they are linked with the rise in heart attacks, strokes etc. If the big supermarket chains have banned them, it is because they fear they are associated with health risks. Why are we allowing our population to eat this rubbish? The only reason manufacturers use hydrogenated fats is to increase the shelf life of their products, ie it allows us to eat older food. I can go into a Supermarket and buy an own-brand cake and be assured there is none of this rubbish inside it. But if I go into my local bakers, I don't know what it contains. If a complete ban isn't practical, I'd like to see big health warnings on these products when they are sold in Scotland, just like on cigarettes.

70 Name and address supplied

Although I now live in Ireland, I was born and raised in Scotland and still very much consider myself a Scots woman. When, on occasion I am at home visiting relatives, I cannot help but notice how uttely devoid of "edible greenery" the towns and cities are. There are large green recreation parks and golf courses galore, but not a jot to eat in these areas. For example apple trees, fruit bushes and hedges, etc. After all if grass and lawn will grow, there are undoubtedly shrubs, trees and vegetables which could be planted and with just a little minding, would then produce fresh fruits and vegetables. Are we to be a nation of grass cutters and golfers?

Would it not make more sense for the new Scottish Government to make moneys available for greener edible park schemes? Such a program would not be difficult to set up and if local children were invited to participate via their schools it would demonstrate to them exactly where food comes from - as they would be growing it! Its a cliche, but children are our future and with the problem of over fed but under nourished wee ones and even big ones, the time has come to weed out the misconception that food "comes fae safeway". Children as young as 3 can sow a plastic container (free from safeway with most fresh produce)with a bit of soil and some cress seeds or a jam jar with sprouting beans. Older children can grow lettuces in the same containers in summer on a sunny school window ledge. This connection between ourselves and the soil has sadly been lost and it can and should be regained and the simplest place to start is in our schools. If kids are out in the parks helping to plant trees and shrubs (that will reward them with a bounty of apples or pears or blueberrys), then they are not hanging about on street corners making old ladies nervous.

Instead of having an expanse of concrete or tarmac around our schools, would it not be better to have edible vegetable and herb gardens, tended to partly by the pupils. I would in fact advocate that a working knowledge of how to provide yourself with '5 a day grown your way' should be part of the national curriculum. It would certainly be of more use to children when they become adults and then parents themselves than algebra, as they would be able to provide themselves and their family with a certain amount of the freshest produce.

Growing nutritious food is possible anywhere on any scale from the smallest window box (lettuces, cherry tomatoes, various oriental greens and many of the herbs) to the largest park, where the sky is the limit, as polytunnels will even allow you to grow peaches in summer. Im almost sure that there must be organic farms in Scotland that would be able to assist in luring our youth away from the bus shelters and chippies and into parks and gardens.

One of particular interest is here in Ireland at The Organic Centre, it really is a marvel and would undoubtedly be able to advise anyone interested in installing gardens in areas where there were previously none. Look under the tarmac in the playground you will find soil down there somewhere. Why keep it covered when it can be of more use to our nation if it is planted? The bare brick and concrete walls of our schools can be used to grow trained fruit trees and peas and beans and much tastier things than grafiti and moss. Gardening and food production should not be a pastime for just little old ladies and farmers or those who live in rural areas, but for everyone, regardless of age, occupation or habituation. It just takes someone with the interest to show you the miracle of how things grow. If our teachers could start the ball rolling, our children and consequently our adults of times to come would have a greener, better nourished future.

With our culture of canniness regards finances, it would encourage people and even businesses to plant roof gardens and window boxes in the towns and cities if there were financial incentives to do so. Perhaps with a small reduction in council tax. This would also have the knock on effect of improving our air quality. We should be making use of all this available space and stop wasting it, its there waiting to be put to good use! A packet of broccolli seeds with 30 seeds costs a few pennies and can provide you with enough of that particular vegetable to feed a family for a year, whereas enough broccolli for one meal costs the same amount, if not more in the supermarket. Few people realise this is the case and think you need huge amounts of space and money to grow things. I have been successfully growing brocolli for my family in a half barrel for the last year, so you dont need much room at all. Housing developers are of particular interest to me as they seem to have no regard for providing tenants or owner occupiers with any amount of space in which to grow food for themselves. This should change (with either carrot or stick method regarding the developers) to give provision of viable areas to plant vegetables and the like.

I recently read that a family of four can produce enough to give each of them 5 a day from a space of only 3 square meters! Surely we can find this for our families? If we are serious about changing the health of our nation for the better there are simple, not even particularly costly steps we can take to do so, but its impotant to get started coz time is a'wastin!

I have witnessed success with gardening in towns and cities in other countries in Europe. On the doorsteps of many apartment blocks in France and Italy small areas outside the building are fenced off and planted with climbing flowers or beans or even tomatoes. Just think of all that available wall space! I realise that my ideas even if taken onboard are not of any particular commercial value to the Scottish Government but if we could change the buildings in the city to greener areas it would definitely make them more attractive, just look at the roof gardens in Paris.

I believe such schemes could also have success in our prisons. I do hope that Scotland has a great nutritious future ahead of it. With great hope for the people of Bonny Scotland!

71 Ella Drinks, Alloa

I have a small business called Ella Drinks which makes juice from Scottish raspberries, a brand called Bouvrage. My experience derives from trying to sell a healthy, low sugar high fruit drink in an industry full of deceptive products in a country which shouts about its primary produce but eats a diet high in fat, sugar and salt and which consumes far too much alcohol for its own good.

Farmers markets have been extremely important in our development and will be important for the future too. We attend markets across Scotland from Aberdeen to Glasgow.

Although Scottish farmers markets started 8 years ago as a method for Scottish producers to get their products to consumers while cutting out the middle men,

Scottish Farmers Market movement are the focus for the ambition to get local food to local people

It is more than just a market each Saturday in every town; it is a means to get local food in front of local people in all parts of the food experience of people.

Not just for the special occasion, not just for the better off but

- to improve fundamentally the FOOD CULTURE of Scotland

and thereby

- to improve the health of people via education and promotion

- to improve the environment via encouragement of a low energy lifestyle

- to boost the local economy, keep money in the local economy,

both for townspeople and country people.

Over the last 30 years there has been a growing gulf between towns and government sponsored farming with one side not understanding the other. Towns need to rediscover their rural hinterlands since both have been the worse off by their artificial separation.

- town centres have become clones of each other

- out of town supermarkets are run by the multiples with their 'cheap' imports and exploited workforces at home and abroad and based around the car

- factory farms are depopulated and mechanised

- the lack of ownership by local people of land and the businesses of food processing, banking and retailing have been a major disincentive to local food producers

Bad for the local economy, for the environment, for people's sense of belonging to an area and for their diet.

Now we need a change of mindset on behalf of everyone especially councils and farmers to be able to cope with a future quite different from the past.

The Future is going to be driven by the high cost of energy. The development of IT means we can be a more de-centralised society with less inefficient journeys. We will be more networked and we will have to be cooperative to live in harmony with Nature better. Ultimately a decline in the traditional economy based on food and services devised to cope with pressured lifestyles will be balanced by an expansion in the household economy (minimise use of new resources, self-sufficiency in energy). The goal will be sustainable consumption (and not unimpeded growth) which will bring real challenges for governments, the stock market and multinationals in trying to adapt.

A shortened food chain which uses less energy will mean buying food from producers directly. A low energy economy will also mean greater diversity and cultural enrichment, in which quality food will play a growing part.

Councils will have to appreciate that food is central to our lives: we represent ourselves by how we eat; we value ourselves and each other by how well we eat. Of course we knew this but we have let globalisation obscure the role of quality food in public procurement, thinking till now that we could always get it cheaper from elsewhere but the truth is we never got that quality and was it really cheap when it cost the world all that energy.

Farmers and producers will also need to adapt, learning how to cooperate and pool resources for labour, machinery and marketing their goods.

When I call a for a new food culture, I mean, a new set of beliefs, values, ideas and attitudes around food which contribute to a sense of identity and wellbeing, to sense of belonging to the land as well as an improvement to the diet.

In practical terms we need 4 key policies to inculcate the habit of local food:

• Central government providing training to local government and on sustainable procurement, guidance on how to help SME's and support local produce. Procurers should not only understand the benefits of buying locally and healthy food but also know how to put these policy objectives into practice. Procurer should be able to

- breakdown orders to suit local SME's and enable SME's to put in joint bids to fulfil an order, even if that means practical help like distribution hubs and vans to enable consortia

- specify healthy options and low CO2/food miles

- separate delivery from product supply which would help many SME's

while still within EU procurement rules (fair, transparent and no barriers to trade).

Their reporting system ought to show that procurers are helping deliver on the broad objectives such as health, reducing CO2 and supporting the local economy.

• Councils need to take a pro-active consistent approach across the country to the development of farmers markets.

- work with the presumption that each town should have one

- ensure the facilities for markets exist, notably power, toilets, parking

Investment in market halls to give back to farmers their ancient rights to sell produce in town centres. Forget the romantic notion of outside markets. 21st C consumers are used to comfort when shopping and if they are to become regular shoppers, then we cannot allow the vagaries of the Scottish winter weather to get in the way of that.

- develop a standardised approach to trading standards and environmental health issues eg allow short term but responsible advertising on key highways to get over market dates

- keep market fees for traders below £50 per market

- support local producers in organising their markets with potential to supply services to help producers with preparing their products (pack houses, abattoirs)

- see farmers markets as the incubator for small food businesses and help develop their distribution strategies so as to get their produce into local shops, restaurants, tourism outlets, public and private sector etc

Overall see farmers markets as a means of promoting sustainable consumption rather than as an attraction to bring people into town centres. Producers are not to be encouraged, given a market and then dumped at the whim of some town vested interests.

• Supermarkets and their unrestrained power

To the ordinary shopper the superficial choice and theatre of the modern supermarket is intoxicating. The negative but largely unseen impact of supermarkets on a global scale needs to be countered by measures to redress the balance in favour of local foods and local food businesses and the local environment. I suggest

- a new planning condition requiring supermarkets to provide space for local produce

- create a tax which will discourage the ever greater use of the cars visiting supermarkets

- with sophisticated bar code systems we should impose sales taxes which discourage purchase of foods with high food miles and poor health value (especially alcohol and HFSS foods)

- significantly more useful labelling and the banning of misleading visuals on packaging

• Changing Our Food Culture

There is a major problem in Scottish society in that what we eat is not what we produce. This is bad for both our health and our wealth. The Scotland that I experience as a small company is full of barriers/ little fiefdoms with pathetically little collaboration. I include

1. academics, food researchers, bioscientists

2. big food and little food (companies) -they seem to inhabit separate universes - even support mechanisms stream them into separate places

3. cities vs the shires, Aberdeen- shire vs Aberdeen , Glasgow vs Lanarkshire. They do not cooperate on food supply or markets

4. farmers/SNFU vs small producers represented by no-one

5. the SE vs HIE vs councils, SF&D, the caterers, the retailers, the schools, FSA, national/regional, public sector/private sector…

so many barriers/politics/ boundaries- we cannot afford them either funding wise or effectiveness wise. In all the workshops I have attended over the years never once have I been told the truth about supermarkets. It's all too hard for the small food company to feel engaged in the market. This is evidenced by the fact there are so very few examples of homegrown talent selling home-grown food.

While scrapping the support mechanisms and starting again sounds sensible I think looking elsewhere for successful, collaborating, visioning countries leads me to the experience in Finland, Asia and to England. Taste of the West or better Taste of Anglia developed a trading arm to enable small producers overcome the major problems of marketing and distribution. We have an unsympathetic environment (cheap food (if whole life costs ignored), ill-informed consumers, junk food diets, environmental damage to name just 3 effects) from supermarkets and global business. If we want innovation, high added value, cooperation, uniqueness, fleet of foot operators then small companies have to be the focus. We need

A FOOD GROUP that properly supports small producers with

1. PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT - consumer research, production methods, product testing, packing techniques, packaging, test production, test marketing, premises/equipment for rent, entrepreneurship support

2. TRAINING - vocational basis/FE, further and specialist qualifications in food industry, apprenticeship training, consultancy

3. MARKETING - test marketing, product demo services, fairs, product launches, sales promotion, design, market research, logistic services, trading arm as well as general support in Meet the Buyer, Networking, Regulations, Events

All best located in a Further Education environment but sustained, funded and promoted as valuable and with strong credentials and strong skills.

It must be centrally located, so accessible to Central Belt companies as well as North East ones. Food companies can learn so much from each other if brought together. Scotland is the unit. Regional splits are pointless.

But also A SCOTTISH FOOD & HEALTH ACADEMY with healthy diet education aimed at - children, adults, gardeners, cooks, etc through to food& drink companies, product developers, educationalists, district nurses, nutritionists, doctors, caterers, retailers, growers/farmers. Developing a more knowledgeable consumer is the only way to counter the effects of market rip.

It should also have a focus for

1. bringing all academics and research programmes together

2. promotional campaigns for healthy eating and buying Scottish produce aimed at school children and adults, business people and the food service sector.

There is no doubt that government funding is needed for a lengthy period of time if not ongoing. Turnover from trading needs to be at least at £1m (at present costs in 2008) to cover costs and that does not happen overnight. But with a successful not-for-profit collaboration it is possible to provide a conduit to market for many more small food businesses in a market like Scotland.

And some chance to turnaround

- extreme lack of Scottish food businesses

- chronic lack of processing capability in Scotland in so many food/drink sectors

- to add value to produce in Scotland,

- to develop healthy options in food,

- to make up for lack of external investment in food businesses caused by the high risk nature of a business dominated by effective monopolies,

- to involve academia

"A successful product starts with a consumer and determining their needs"

72 Name, address and response supplied - Confidential

73 Name, address and response supplied - Confidential

74 Name and address supplied

The food could be better but there is a good choice.

75 Linzi Hill

I cannot but agree with all the sentiments expressed in the document however there are quite a few references to schools and their place in the bigger picture. Sadly there are fewer Home Economists trained to deliver the skills and knowledge surrounding healthy eating and other identified issues than ever before and the profession is ever ageing. It is vital that that there is a drive to promote the number of students entering the profession.

There is a definite need for a return to Home Economics degrees as many students enter the profession with a degree in consumerism which has its place but does not promote or engender food skills. In the past Home Economists delivered knowledge in Primary schools however with the advent of devolved funding the majority have been ousted from their posts which is disappointing and unhelpful.

It should also be said that Secondary schools can struggle to deliver meaningful practical work due to time pressures and the current fashion of having 53minute periods thrusted upon us means we have to be extremely inventive to get a class of 20 pupils into class, set up, completing preparation and cooking of dishes. One person in the blog alluded to this and asked for schools to cook 'useful' foods however the ones she mentioned would be difficult within the time scale many of us have to work within.

As a subject Home Economics delivers from many of the areas identified in the discussion paper to help pupils become healthier, wealthier, safer greener and smarter and there is a case for the subject to become compulsory from nursery school through to S4.

76 Gateway Centre, Foregate, Kilmarnock

I offer a 'Healthy Cooking Class' to Nursery parents who cannot cook. I show them, and we cook together simple, healthy, inexpensive meals. The following week they tell me their 'fussy' child has eaten lots of varieties of foods we cooked the previous week. These parents have never been shown how to cook, they build up confidence and their balanced diet becomes more varied, they lose a little weight, their skin is clearer & they have more energy to play with their children. They are quite sad of the wasted years they have experienced in the kitchen.

77 Name and address supplied

Response in hard copy.

78 Name and address supplied

Response in hard copy.

79 Name, address and response supplied - Confidential

80 Name and address supplied

I am heartened to learn that The Scottish Government recognises that as well as being vital to Scotland's economy, food impacts on many other aspects of Scottish life - health, education and the environment. I am encouraged to learn that The Scottish Government wants to encourage food suppliers to grow high quality food to supply the local market and to promote the high quality of Scottish food both at home and abroad. I note too that The Scottish Government proposes that Scottish producers should be encouraged to provide more organic meat, fish, fruit and vegetables, grow more fruit and vegetables, train their employees to a high level.

What a pity then that only this week, HIE Inverness and East Highland have decided that they are NOT going to fund any places on the the Local Food Apprenticeship course offered by Highlands & Islands Local Food Network (HILFN) on the basis that that they wish only to support 'larger businesses with high growth potential', and that this does not include farms, crofts or small food producers. This left the course organisers with 8 places funded by 4 LECs and 7 places not funded by 2 LECs, making it impossible for HILFN to run the course for the smaller number of students. The course was designed to give students the practical horticultural and business skills needed to make a full time living supplying fruit and vegetables direct to consumers in the Highlands and Islands.

As one of the students who should have been starting the course tomorrow, 9 March 2008, I am bitterly disappointed at the decision taken by HIE Inverness and East Highland. Their decision has had a direct impact on those of us living outwith the immediate Inverness area where job opportunities are perhaps less available and where agriculture/crofting and the self-employed/small business are vitally important to the local economy. HIE's own Economic Update of 2007 states that "Agriculture and fishing account for a higher proportion of employees in the Highlands and Islands than in Scotland".... "Business start ups tend to be higher in rural areas than in towns or cities".

I suspect that, like myself, many of the students intending to undertake the course are new entrants or prospective entrants to crofting, some of whom may already have their own land and are willing to invest in their own futures and to provide fruit and vegetables to meet local demand. The practical knowledge and skills that this course would have provided would have been invaluable.

I am particularly disappointed that HIE Inverness and East Highland considered such enterprises to be too small to be worth investing in. Perhaps they should be reminded that many large Scottish food production firms first began in a very small way, e.g Baxters of Speyside, Walkers Shortbread, Dean's of Huntly, to name but a few.

I applaud The Scottish Government's proposal that The Future of Food in Scotland must be approached in a joined up way, perhaps it needs to remind some of its own quango's of its aims in order to get them to think and work in a joined up manner to ensure that Scotland is able to sustain its already declining agricultural sector, so that the Scottish people may continue to enjoy its quality food in the future!

81 Name and address supplied

In schools I feel that there is not enough money available per pupil to provide an appropriate range of well balanced meals. School cooks are restricted by budget and this affects the range, quality and amount of food they can provide to the children. Apart from the Catering Manager the remainder of the kitchen staff are not trained cooks, have very little training and in the absence of the manager they struggle to cope. They are extremely hardworking and dedicated but their pay and conditions are very poor and unfair. They deserve more! Surely if we are to improve the health of our children as "Hungry for Success" advocates, then our Government should fully support this financially as well as on paper.

82 Name and address supplied

I have not read everything in the report, but I would like to stress that I strongly believe there should be more local organic produce available at more affordable prices. It seems to me that all the things that are unhealthy and BAD for us are very cheap and the much healthier options are far too expensive. Also, I would like to see the supermarkets putting more 'special' offers, such as BOGOF, on wholesome, healthy foods instead of on products such as large family packs of crisps, fizzy drinks, sweets, fat laden pies, ready meals, desserts, etc. We hear all these healthy messages being promoted in the media but when we go into the supermarkets, cafes, etc, we are bombarded with cheap unhealthy options.

83 Name and address supplied

I would like to be able to buy local produce. I think the land should be farmed and not set aside. All produce must be GM Free and Organic as far as possible with regard for the countryside and nature. Local producers should get a fair price for their food, animals and produce. Take away the middle-man.

People should be encouraged to produce local food - as they did very successfully in Ireland. Such as the cheeses etc. Grants were given. There should be an end to the multi-national control, it is turning us into a 3rd World Country with the local people going out of business and choice being reduced dramatically. Nobody wants that for the 3rd World - so why accept it at home? Our government should be standing up for our country more. You should be protecting our industry to a far greater degree.

The fishing industry should also be looked after better. It is also a huge mistake to let the whisky trade be sold off abroad. You will seriously regret it, as the loss of the steel, shipbuilding and oil industries were regretted before. What a mistake to sell off the electricity as well.....all of these things are part of the food industry in one way or another. Part of making this country more successful. We have a beautiful country with many assets. We should look after them.

We should be self-sufficient as far as possible. It is far healthier for the nation and would bring back some self-respect. The lack of it and the talent that is leaving the country is tangible. Don't forget recycling as well - the supermarkets are the very first port of call to reduce packaging.

We should have national recycling - all plastics, cardboard, paper, glass and garden waste. As well as clothes, books etc. It is a very important part of the food industry and far too disjointed. Aim as high as you can, have more self-belief and put an end to the bullying of big companies. Other countries in the European Union put their countries and people first - when are we going to?

84 Name, address and response supplied - Confidential

85 Name and address supplied

Currently farming subsidies assist cattle and sheep farmers yet the production of meat is only about 10% of the efficiency of producing vegetables. As the squeeze on food supplies and prices grows through international demand (including crops for biofuels), surely more help needs to be focussed on fruit and veg growers.

Encouraging people to grow their own fruit and veg is necessary. What about more allotments and support for community growing? The lack of a local abattoir for Skye and Lochalsh is a real problem for those of us who keep small numbers of beasts. It might be economical for large floats to travel to Dingwall but not for small producers. Maybe an abattoir will not be a commercially profitable business but this does not take into account the environmental and sustainable benefits of processing meat locally. Too many crofts have become derelict which could thrive with the opportunity of rearing beasts to meet local needs. This would especially benefit pigkeeping on crofts which is not supported by the existing schemes.

Our local SAC offers courses on butchering carcasses but how much more useful if the services of a travelling slaughterman were available.

86 Aileen Hollywood

I fully endorse the proposals in the document. However, working in a school there are a few of areas I would like to highlight:

1. In my school, Home Economics is a highly valued subject and as such is given the financial support to deliver a practical curriculum based on quick, healthy recipes using fresh ingredients (including meat, poultry, vegetables and fruit);pupils cook such foods every week (two lessons)throughout S1 and S2. We have also found that in recent years the number of pupils returning to S3 and beyond is also increasing. I know for a fact that many schools are not supported to this extent and are still delivering an out-of-date curriculum with pupils completing a couple of practical cookery units over the whole academic session (my daughter's school is an example of the latter).

2. Linked to the above, there is a whole generation of parents in Scotland many of whom do not know how to cook real food. In my opinion, this is due to the fact that Home Economics in many schools was (and continues to be in some schools)underfunded and undervalued for such a long time. Also, many people still believe that fresh food is always more expensive than convenience foods and have been brainwashed into thinking this is the case by the media. There is also a direct correlation between pupils' behaviour and attainment in school and their diet. Particularly in areas of social deprivation I would like to see a commitment and strategy to teach parents how to plan, shop for and prepare inexpensive, simple, fresh meals and snacks. I accept this would be a costly exercise and it may be difficult to specify where funding should or could come from but there would, undoubtedly, be savings from improved health and well being and higher attaining and achieving young people contributing to the wealth of the country.

3. Despite initiatives such as 'Hungry for Success' some school canteens are still serving, and more often than not disposing of, over-cooked, unappealing school meals - a commitment to free school meals is to be commended but if the children are regularly opting for food such as the high fat, high salt paninis and the like it defeats the purpose of the exercise.

4. I am appalled that councils who, on one hand try to promote healthy eating, grant permits to ice cream vans and burger vans to sell their junk food outside schools encouraging pupils to eat there - not to mention the volume of litter this generates. In my role as a Home Economics teacher it always amazes me to hear what young people (from all backgrounds) eat at home (very little of which is healthy or fresh) and I am constantly taken aback by how little our young people know about fresh food e.g. a recent quote "do you have any other potatoes; these ones have dirt on them?" In my role as depute head teacher I deal regularly with behavioural issues and under-achievement much of which, I believe, is as a result of poor diet and lifestyle. I would be happy to be involved in any way I could to try to come up with strategies to improve the eating habits of the nation but particularly our young people who are the future of the country.

87 Highland Natural Products Ltd, Beauly Inverness-shire - Confidential

88 Name, address and response supplied - Confidential

89 Name and address supplied

For some time now Scotland has looked to be at the forefront in the pursuit of a Healthier Option for those members of our communities served by the institutions such as School Meals, Hospitals et al. One such initiative was the "Hungry for Success" programme designed to improve what we gave our children to eat whilst in the care of the school. As a responsible seafish manufacturer and long term supplier to schools throughout Scotland by way of the Consortium Contracts, we spent a great deal of time, effort and money in the development of a standard and very popular lunchtime meal - Breaded Scottish Whitefish (Whiting & Haddock)designed to meet all the criteria of Hungry for Success and add a few benefits as well.

The one problem that exists in schools is the fact that in order to serve the fish it was dropped into a deep fat fryer and fried for 10 - 12 minutes. The product was therefore subjected to a deep frying process whereby the quality of the oil, the temperature of the oil and the time left in frying were huge factors and the control subjective. It is known that in normal conditions with fresh oil at the right temperature and cooked for the right length of time, Breaded fish will pick up 15 - 18% of its weight in fat. So when targets for reducing Fat levels to less than 10% were published the existing product was never going to make the target despite the wish of the government to see fish eaten more and more.

We therefore looked at producing a natural fish fillet product in a coating system that enhanced the health of the product and also met or exceeded all the criteria laid down in the published targets. Breaded natural fillets of locally sourced Whitefish with a predust enhanced with long chain Omega 3, in a crumb that could be pre fried so to allow for oven baking. Salt levels reduced and a fat content less than 10% and within the criteria that could be measured on every single serving and enhanced Omega 3 oils encapsulated in the coating system. All this at no extra cost to the authorities - perfect - wrong! The schools just don't have sufficient oven space for batch oven baking and so despite a vigourous information campaign, schools chose to continue with the staus quo and deep fry our fish - to this day such a scenario exists. For our part we have lost nothing, we still supply fish for frying - our children miss out because they still get deep fried food whose fat criteria cannot be measured or controlled. So we would like to join this debate on how we can best provide healthier and safer food for those members of our communities that rely on public sector provision but we do need to witness a realisation that producers alone cannot provide all the answers - there must be positive input from Government to that will allow for an increase in infrastructure and investment in the facilities that provide the healthier options.

90 Name, address and response supplied - Confidential

91 Rowett Research Institute, Aberdeen

1. Food is at the centre of all human life and activities and its production and consumption impacts upon every aspect of Government interest. Food is also a major contributor to the global economy, and the Government has to find a balance between the free market economy that determines most of our food supply and the protection of our indigenous interests to ensure national food security is preserved. The discussion document 'Choosing the Right Ingredients' recognises these issues, and as a framework building towards a National Food Policy it is timely and an important initiative for Scotland.

2. The consultation document proposed three main aims for the policy: namely healthy well-nourished people; a profitable food industry and to achieve this in a sustainable way. These are entirely appropriate.

3. The title of the discussion document 'Choosing the Right Ingredients' indicates that choice is at the heart of the National Food Policy. However choice in isolation will not be enough. Price and convenience are likely to remain the dominant factors in food choice over food quality, healthiness, taste or environmental impact, unless the consumer can be convinced of the benefits of widening the scope of their choice. For this reason improved knowledge and understanding about how food is produced, the influence of diet upon health and the environmental impact of food production and retailing must be the central plank of the National Food Policy if it is to be successful. It is only when armed with this knowledge that there can be any hope that consumer attitudes and behaviour towards food choice, whether it is for health or for environmental reasons, will change. The benefits to the Producers and Retailers will come naturally if the consumer is looking for the change they can provide.

4. The importance of strengthening our knowledge about food across the population is not apparent enough in the sections 'How will we get there?' and 'What do we all need to do?'. While it is proposed to teach all school children about food in schools, it is important that children are reconnected to the food chain, and understand that food starts out on our farms, not on a supermarket shelf. Food production, nutrition and environment need to be embedded into the educational programmes of our children during their early school years, and this must involve some practical experience (e.g. visits to farms, etc).

5. If the National Food Policy is to be more than a collection of existing initiatives/policies, then the overall policy aims (stated above) need to be linked to some definable and measurable outcomes. On p19 of the consultation document, a number of ideas on 'how we might get there' are listed. These include some targets from previous initiatives or on-going policies. For example, producing leaner meat, eating more fish, eating less salt and saturated fat and sugars, are all recommendations which are either part of the current Food Standards Agency Guidelines for Healthy Eating and/or they were part of the Scottish Diet Action Plan 1996-2006. In the review of the Scottish Diet Action Plan in 2006, one of the main conclusions from the review was there had been a lack of joined up action across the food chain (producers, retailers, consumers, etc), and this had contributed to the poor success rate in achieving the healthy eating targets that had been set. This was an important lesson that needs to be taken on board and not repeated here. If different sectors have contributions to make to the policy, then these have to be clearly understood by them at the outset.

6. One important aspect of the policy has to be that a "one size fits all" approach does not work. Dietary requirements for different ages and different populations are different. Pregnant women, newborn babies and the elderly are some examples of populations with very different needs. As we develop our understanding of the relationship between an individual's genetic make up and dietary requirements, government recommendations may need to be modified. Folate requirements and the type of MTHFR genes an individual carries is only one example. Another is the gene for hereditary haemochromatosis, a disorder of iron metabolism. This is very common in the Scottish population (as many as 12% of the population carries the gene), but how it alters dietary iron requirements is not known. Without the research elucidating these links, policy will always be targeted towards an "average" population, and may not be optimal for sizable minorities.

7. Clearly the Scottish Research Institutes and Universities involved in Agriculture and Food and Health Related research activities have much to contribute to the improved knowledge and understanding both through research and educational initiatives. The formation of a new Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, involving merger with the University of Aberdeen will further enhance the research capability in understanding the health benefits of food and for improving food quality.

92 Scottish Food Advisory Committee, Aberdeen

The purpose of the paper was to facilitate a discussion and highlight the major issues which were pertinent to the Agency's policy remit including:

· Helping vulnerable people and those on the lowest incomes to access affordable health food.

· Advising people about the importance of safe food and good nutrition.

· Supporting business in leading change to reformulate healthier products.

· Encouraging and supporting people to make healthier food choices.

He added that the paper highlighted the role Scottish Government envisaged for government bodies including FSA for taking initiatives forward. This included:-

· Helping

· Advising

· Supporting

· Encouraging

Does the Committee agree that the areas of proposed future government involvement highlighted are comprehensive enough?

• Members made the following comments:-

· Members agreed the major points raised were comprehensive and it would be difficult to have issue with any suggestions within the discussion document however they recognised the suggestions were far from being policy and the major work would come when making this conversation into policy ensuring it was meaningful across the population.

· Members raised the Scottish Diet Action Plan and issues with achieving targets within this document. They added while the policy was important in relation to the food policy debate it was crucial the actions which would come out the Food Policy Debate, were completed.

· Members suggested the Scottish Government look into ensuring a level playing field for Scottish producers, manufacturers and retailers. Particular emphasis was placed on retailers and encouragement was needed for greater diversity of food and beverage retailers so there is greater diversity of Scottish produce available to buy.

· Members recognised the document was heavily based on diet & nutrition and asked that food safety element was not lost within discussions as the microbiological safety of food was still an important issue.

Are there any other areas the Committee think the Agency should be involved in?

· Members were in favour of promoting Scottish foods however they questioned if this within their remit (i.e. pushing commercial elements forward)

· Members recognised there were nutritional reasons for the promotion of Scottish producers/manufacturers within Scotland.

· Members recognised the importance of education in all elements of food.

Where does the Committee consider should be priority for Agency Involvement?

· Members recognised there was a need to ensure all elements including working with consumers, industry and looking at science all form the basis of a strong policy.

· Members highlighted the need for education and the need to change consumer attitudes towards food.

· Members again highlighted the need to continue work within food safety.

· Members recognised the Agency was already involved in many areas of work suggested within the discussion document and emphasised the Agency should continue with setting standards in nutrition and quality and communicate these to the appropriate bodies.

· Members felt there was a role for the Agency in supporting community food and health projects in deprived and rural areas through colleges and health departments.

· Members asked the Agency to recognise the lack of skills and shortage of knowledge with the technical workforce, especially with regard to reformulation, and within the enforcement community.

Does the Committee have specific advice to give the Agency on:

- Country of Origin Labelling to assist identification of 'Scottish Produce'?

· Members asked if it would be possible to label a product 'Scottish' if the majority weight of its composition was from Scotland.

· Members asked the Agency to ensure they worked with industry to ensure clarity with regard to labelling products from Scotland.

· Members raised concerns there could be exclusivity of Scottish products over UK products.

- How the Food Policy might assist Scottish industry to improve the diet of the Scottish population?

· Members encouraged the Agency to continue their work with regard to reformulation and working closely with Scottish manufacturers.

· Members questioned the buying power within public procurement across health boards and local authorities to encourage the use of Scottish produce.

· Some members hoped the food policy debate would link into other policies already in place such as obesity

• A member mentioned an initiative being piloted in the Outer Hebrides where local producers provide food to schools for a two week period. They felt this could provide best practice if successful.

93 British Society of Animal Science, Penicuik

We welcome the opportunity to contribute to the discussion on a National Food Policy for Scotland. We believe that the initiative is innovative and timely, and we strongly support it. We are especially keen that the relevant parts of the evolving policy are science-based.

We list below the areas of science in which BSAS is active, and which appear to us to be highly relevant to the proposed policy (we also give in brackets the element of the policy which seem to be most relevant):

• Improving animal genetics, nutrition, management/systems, reproduction, welfare and health - as important contributors to the economy of production and quality of livestock products (smarter; wealthier).
• Environmental impact of livestock production and assessing and improving animal welfare (greener; fairer).
• Relationships between animal products and human health (healthier).

We would be pleased to help in future, for instance by providing more specific advice on elements of the Policy as it develops, or by hosting scientific sessions of mutual interest at our meetings.

We believe that good animal science is needed now more than ever - to provide scientific underpinning for important national policies, such as the Food Policy, but also to be able to set these in the context of global drivers such as climate change. Climate change is expected to reduce food production capability in many parts of the world - a particularly serious issue in the context of the growing human population, and the expected doubling of global demand for livestock products in the first half of this century. However, agricultural productivity in Northern Europe is expected to be less affected by climate change, and may actually increase in places. These changes should increase the comparative advantage of livestock industries, such as those in much of Scotland, that produce a high quality product from land that is unsuitable for growing human food directly.

While not wishing to diminish the livestock industry's current problems, this scenario creates both a tremendous need and a great commercial opportunity for the sector in them medium term. We need to ensure we still have the industry capability, and the science capability, to rise to these challenges. We believe that these issues will be central to the success of the Food Policy.

The Scottish Government and its predecessors have been long term investors in animal science, and that has delivered many advances relevant to the Food Policy. However, animal science (and other areas of science relevant to the Food Policy) is still under threat in Scotland, as it is throughout the UK. This is partly because of a decline in some other sources of government funding, and it is partly because of the decline in industry-funded R&D. Defra funding of animal science, for example, has declined by about 20% over the last decade. Also, at a GB level red meat levy funding of R&D has declined by ~30% over the last 10 years and milk levy funding by ~80% over the last 5 years. We need to increase funding from all sectors if we are going to match the investment of our main global competitors, or the EU target of investing 3% of GDP on R&D by 2010. We believe that an important aim of the Food Policy should be to encourage and help co-ordinate greater investment in R&D that supports it.

94 Frank Yorke

I am very supportive of this new attitude to food in Scotland, at last the government is taking a positive stance. Consumers should be made aware of the products they are eating, do they contain chemicals to retain fats that will strangle there arteries, has the chicken been injected with salt to avoid import taxes whilst travelling from Thailand, is the local beef steak pie on the lunch made from 7 year old cow beef imported from Italy or Argentina. How many food miles??? Large scale caterers and there suppliers should not be allowed to damage health and use sub standard produce on the Scottish public, take the profits back to there alien head office and leave the country with the medical bills and poor health record. We have in Scotland the best produce, world renowned, creating affordable healthy produce, by smart people. Lets use it, make it happen.

95 Name and address supplied

I think the Scottish Government suggestions are worthwhile and necessary we must make everyone aware of healthy eating, healthy lifestyles and to care about food quality and provenance. Can we start in primary schools and continue into secondary. making it second nature to care about food, composting, waste - not just 'health week', but all the time, with small allotments, window box vegetable gardens or farmers/growers visiting with produce. Persuade supermarkets to stock at least 25% local fresh produce. Take the pantechnicons off the roads and get produce etc delivered by rail where possible. I'd also like to see severe restrictions on using plastic bags and unnecessary packaging.

96 Name and address supplied

I have been studying and campaigning on energy issues for over 10 years and am increasingly concerned about the impact of climate change and rising oil prices on food production. Scotland could and should be growing much more of its own produce than it does at present. This would create jobs in Scotland (both rural and urban as food can and should be grown in towns and cities too), reduce 'food miles' and increase our food security. Rising oil prices will lead to increased transportation, production and processing costs for food, all of which will be passed on to the consumer. If we are to have a healthy Scotland we should be ensuring that this country grows significant quantities of local, ideally organic, food.

I edit a magazine called Reforesting Scotland and we looked at Food last year (the magazine can be found in the Parliament's Information Centre). There are many local schemes being set up by committed individuals who understand the importance of good, local 'home-grown' food. Many such schemes are linked to schools, which has the added benefit of teaching children where food comes from and how to grow it. Such schemes should be supported by Government, as should allotments, city farms and Community Supported Agriculture (which links communities to their local farmers). Planning legislation should show preference to local food production schemes and, in my opinion, should restore the High Street and move away from the 'out of town' shopping experience.

We should also increase the biodiversity of farms (e.g. by reinstating hedgerows and reducing the scale of farming - more small local farms to reduce the need for transportation of food and to create jobs). Climate change will demand that we use less fossil fuel energy in all sectors, agriculture included, as will rising oil prices and growing global demand for energy. Scotland should lead the way in adapting our food production systems to the needs of the future, not the ways of the past.

97 David Bellamy

Schools should teaching children how to grow their own food and prepare it. There should be no VAT on materials that are used to grow you own food, e.g. certain gardening implements. All food should have the town and country of production on it, not just 'UK' or worse 'EU'. If it has travelled by air then there should be an aeroplane symbol on it. All products that contain any egg or meat from caged hens should be labelled, rather like cigarettes carry heath warnings. All fish and seafood products should carry a sustainability rating, like electrical appliances carry efficiency ratings. Ingredients should list all species of meat and fish by there English and scientific names, i.e. fish cakes should not list 'fish' as an ingridient, but Atlantic cod, 'Gadus morhua' from a un/sustainable source. Plastic food and drink containers should be banned.

98 Name, address and response supplied - Confidential

99 Name and address supplied

In general Scotland is self sufficient in food and I believe in sourcing locally and eating seasonaly. Why have supermarkets educated us to expect every kind of fruit and vegetable every day of the year no matter where it was sourced? But the key to any joined up thinking here is the water for growing and drinking. Scotland has an abundance of water and with the onset of global warming and the accelarating speed of glacial melt it is an appreciating asset. This is why it should be kept in public control. It will soon be worth as much as oil (and we all know what happened to Scotlands). This is why it should never be privatised. We have seen what has happened in the energy supply, they charge what they want and we have no control.

100 Name and address supplied

Make food a pleasure, not just something to keep us going through our busy lives. Encourage people to eat food (rather than processed stuff full of unrecognisable ingredients and made by unaccountable multinationals), eat local and seasonal food, eat slowly and preferably in company, and eat at the table (not on the go)! Children's eating habits are crucial but they have to be tackled through their parents. Food is about more than fuelling our bodies. It should be the opportunity to engage with nature, an opportunity to stop, relax and socialise, and it should be enjoyable not just sweet, salty or 'mayonnaisy'. Read in "Defence of Food" by Michael Pollan - it might seem like it states the obvious in places, but it certainly makes a lot of sense and is a offers a useful way to look at things in a way that will meet our long-term social, economic and environmental needs. Will watch how you take this work forward with interest...

101 Ronnie Eunson, Shetland

I am an Organic farmer/crofter in Shetland who finds it easier to sell my produce in London than nearer to home! Shetland lamb and beef is the only native, regional produce to have been analysed as such for its healthy/unhealthy fats. I did this in association with scientists at the Scottish Agricultural College and the North Atlantic Fisheries College. Consumers are persuaded to eat the standard supermarket commodity beef and lamb. Native breeds are too small to meet the standard, but they do have flavour and importantly for consumers are healthier. Food policy has slavishly followed the standardisation of produce thereby losing valuable health conferring traits. The small producers(crofters) need to access markets with native, regional produce. Currently they are excluded through lack of available infrastructure. A handful of operators control what enters the marketplace and, crucially, what is perceived as 'quality'. Scottish Food Policy must relect the diversity of produce and to let consumers judge 'quality'.

102 Name and address supplied

Children definitely need more cooking lessons. Why not use local people e.g. grannies or retired professionals to come into school and give lessons. The cooking should not be 'educational' but practical, and focus on making healthy simple cheap meals. This means the instructor doesn't have to be a qualified teacher. We should enable and compel the public sector to source as much local food as possible to support local producers and reduce food miles. Schools should be empowered to keep children in school at lunchtime so they don't go out to use vans and take-aways. Or why not ban all vans from a 1 mile radius around schools UNLESS they have a permit to supply food that meets Hungry for Success criteria. This will increase supply of healthy food (vital for schools with inadequate catering) and enable children to buy their lunch outwith school (seen as 'cool' by many children). Re: low fat, low sugar, low salt food products, we have to take into account consumer tastes and market success. If the products don't sell high volumes within a few weeks, they get delisted from supermarkets. This is why food companies are reluctant to develop healthy alternatives. If sugar, fat and salt is removed from many products, taste suffers. Consumers then don't buy the products and the investment in new product development has been a waste of time. It's a difficult one to solve. I prefer reducing portion sizes and putting calories in big numbers on the side of packets. Why doesn't Signposting include calories if obesity is such a problem in the UK? We should also compel takeaways to put up a sign showing average calories, fat, saturated fat and salt of their sandwiches, fish suppers, curries and other takeway foods. Some meals are in excess of 2000 calories per portion!

103 Tony Bown, Orkney

A method for the production of high quality food with high yields with out the need for toxic rescue chemistry or fossil fuel fertilizers. Fundamental adjustment of soil fertilization techniques to produce a win, win, win for human health, our environment and economic status. Food should be processed and produced to be of its most nutritious, for the benefit of the consumer. The biological method of farming which is the only way to achieve this has several simple steps:

1. Stop using chemical fertilisers- these damage the microbes in the soil and damage the soil structure. They are also expensive and take a lot of fuel to produce.

2. Take soil samples and analyse them using the Cation exchange capacity soil test, we use Thompson and Joseph, T &J House Plumstead Road, Norwich

3. Balance the soil calcium and magnesium levels using shell sand, magnesium limestone- all natural (and cheap!)

4. Promote biological (microbial) activity in the soil by improving aeration and drainage of the soil- we use a sub-soiler and a spiked aerator.

5. For more information read "The Biological Farmer " by Gary Zimmer, or "Hands on Agronomy " by Neil Kinsey. Anyone in any position to advise or educate farmers must have read these books. They will have a more open-minded approach, better understanding of agronomy in general and much much less dependence on the chemical company propaganda.

We have found this low input method of working with nature not against it, to be highly profitable, our yields are increased but are costs reduced, our animals are healthier and job satisfaction increased hugely. Food as Medicine, Medicine as Food. Micronutrient dense food is the key to good health in the animal and the human. The only way to achieve micronutrient rich food is to grow it in a soil that is biologically active. Aerobic microbes in the soil are the key to releasing minerals from the soil into the plant - thus into the animal/human. This will provide the body with all the minerals and vitamins required for good mental and physical health.

20th century N.P.K and spray soil farming practices lead to a dead anaerobic, compacted, mineral imbalanced, carbon (organic matter) depleted soil, which is incapable of producing micronutrient dense food. The soil is unhealthy - the plants are unhealthy, thus needing sprays to protect from fungal, insect and weed attack. Toxic rescue chemistry residues in food produce leaves the humans consuming food, which is at best nutrient deficient and at worst toxic. (E.g. Wheat allergies, only in conventional not in organic.) On average half a kilogram of pesticides are consumed per person per year.

A good biological soil will: · Provide as much quantity of better quality more sustainably. · Will increase soil organic matter content - i.e. take carbon out of the atmosphere and put it into the soil. · Is less hungry for N.P.K. thus no environmental impact on water and greenhouse gas emissions. · Reduce run off in heavy rain fall reducing flood risk and have better water retention - reduced drought risk. · Be economic due to fewer inputs of sprays and N.P.K. and more easily tilled soil.

Food should be processed using techniques that are not toxic to the consumer. E.g. E numbers, aspartame, mono-sodium-glutamate saccharine - all should be banned. Forage fed beef, lamb, milk, eggs and pork for vitamin A and beta-carotene enhanced levels in food. There are healthy fats and unhealthy fats. Good fats can be and should be enhanced in beef, lamb, pork, milk, eggs and chicken by the way they are raised. By reducing concentrate feeding and increasing the forage element in the diet of our animals we can produce beef, lamb, eggs and milk much richer in the health giving fats such as omega3 and conjugated linoleic acid. These essential fatty acids should be promoted by good farming/food processing practices.

Good fat is better than carbohydrate and sugar for providing slow release energy all day rather than a big peak and then a trough in the energy release leading to continual hunger and eating more. Rocketing diabetes levels show our diet is too rich in carbohydrates! Sea Salt fertilizer - a cure for cancer! I have read a book by Dr. Maynard Murray. He qualified in 1934 as medical doctor. During his studies, he noticed fresh water and land mammals were less healthy, lived shorter lives and were prone to degenerative diseases - cancer, arthritis in comparison with sea living animals. He experimented on soil treated with seawater, the results were astonishing; the crops yielded as well and suffered less plant diseases than conventional crops grown with the "best fertilizers and chemicals" The plants could resist disease when deliberately exposed to viruses. So he extended his experiments to animals and found if given a choice they preferred the salt-water treated soil grown crops. He took laboratory rats used to experiment for treatments for mammary cancers; they all normally died of cancer at nine months of age. He divided them into two groups, one fed conventional food, and the other group were fed salt water grown feed. After nine months the conventionally fed group all died of mammary tumours. After eighteen months he killed the salt fed group to look for tumours and could find none. The sea is a constant 3.5% solids soup of 92 elements and all are available in the sea for the sea creatures. Hence they live longer and are healthier. When it rains on land the micronutrients are washed into the sea, depleting the soil hence the food grown in the soil is low in micronutrients. Hence degenerative disease occurs in land creatures.

Modern farming usually only replaces five of these elements regularly: Nitrogen, Phosphate Potassium in regular fertiliser and Magnesium and calcium with lime. The sea has 92 elements that we know about. To solve cancer etc. feed the population seaweed, and food from soil treated with salt water. 600 ml/square foot lasts for 5 years, cheap effective and healthy. Nobody makes sea salt. Nobody sells it. Nobody promotes it. It is good. Common sense science - not vested interest science. Award winning Orkney beef, lamb, cheese and ice-cream all come from grass sprayed by salt spray from the sea all year round. Thus it is top quality and tasty and healthy. In spite of the imbalanced N.P.K. fertilizer used. The cure for cancer is in the salt in the sea through a plant with the carbon atom attached, not out of a chemistry lab run by people educated beyond their intelligence. When my wife was expecting our fourth child she was anaemic. The doctors gave her iron tablets 300mg. These gave her an upset stomach. She began to take iron tablets in a food form and 15mg a day cured the anaemia without the diarrhoea! The iron combined with carbon was easier for the body to handle.

Common sense science is nature. Genetic Modification of foods is both unnecessary and a con. Unnecessary because the crops we have, if grown and managed to correct farming practices will provide all we need, it is only bad farming (conventional, chemical farming) that causes the need for sprays etc which is the argument for using GM. GM is a con because it will not provide what it says. If you feed animals only GM foods they die, liver and kidneys change and cancers form. Not enough is known and it is too complicated to allow Monsanto etc to experiment on the population as a whole. When they only want to make money, not make good food. Dr Elaine Ingham is an eminent soil microbiologist. She has investigated effects of GM on the environment. It is essential you speak to her and listen to what she has found out before you make up your mind about GM in Scotland.

Pay farmers for quality not quantity. At present farmers are paid for how much they produce. In the meat industry emphasis is on weight and conformation. Taste is not considered. Brix readings measure the sugar content in the plant sap. This reading is high if there are lots of trace elements in the sap, and a high reading is only achievable by biological farming methods. Vegetable and grain growers are paid by weight. If this were changed so that micronutrient density (brix) and eating quality were rewarded then more farmers would leave the chemical farming treadmill and start producing real food.

Summary Good food is the most important element for a healthy mind and body. Good food is micronutrient dense, balanced and free from man made chemicals and industrial processes. This can only be achieved by a well-balanced soil using the correct tests (Cation exchange capacity soil tests, looking at balance of soil not just isolated measurements). Then monitor and adjust using soil friendly fertilisers, which promote aerobic microbes in the soil. This is the only way to produce healthy plants to feed healthy animals and therefore people. Healthy people have mental stability, moderate behaviour, are industrious, are not obese, have stamina, and energy. They have little or no requirement for NHS services because they have a good immune system, coming from micronutrient rich foods not vaccines or potions from the chemist.

104 Lynn Ross

What I would like to see in the food policy:

-information for preventing diabetes in the first place wherever possible

-recommendations for a "healthy" diet and other nutritional information to encourage confidence in diabetics as to what they should be doing to maximise health under the constraints of the condition.

105 Name, address and response supplied - Confidential

106 Brigitte Cosford

I think the place to start is at primary schools. Young children should be given the opportunity to touch, taste and prepare foods they may never get to try at home (very simple, healthy, affordable foods). It is likely that as children are introduced to a wider variety of foods, they will encourage their parents to widen the scope of their diets. Still thinking about the 'hard to reach' communities, simple, affordable, healthy foods need to be available from corner shops. We also need to be aware of the terminology used: words like 'healthy eating' and 'organic' can often ask as a turn off for people (the first being associated with guilt and ear-bashing, the second with so expensive as to be out of reach). Finding ways of promoting food as an enjoyable social experience would be extremely beneficial.

107 Federation of Small Businesses, Glasgow

Scotland has one of the worst health records in the developed world. This is not just bad for society in Scotland, it is also bad for business and the economy in general. Time off work due to preventable illnesses, associated with poor diet costs the Scottish economy millions of pounds every year. By improving our diet as a nation, we will allow ourselves to live longer, be healthier and more productive. It should also improve perceptions of Scotland abroad, where we have a poor reputation for our cuisine. This is unfortunate, given the high regard in which much of Scotland's produce is held abroad. Indeed, in the Index of Success (2007), the FSB stated that, " Scotland 's poor health performance is the main drag on improving the quality of life. Diet and fitness issues need to be addressed seriously."

Procurement

Small businesses often feel that they are overlooked in the procurement process, through not having the resources to participate in the tender process. The paperwork, form filling and regulations involved are also a deterrent to small businesses taking part in the process. There is a belief that the process is skewed towards large suppliers who can provide the product at a lower price due to economies of scale, but which does not necessarily represent best value. By using local suppliers, local produce could be promoted; local businesses could be supported; and 'food miles' could be reduced, thus helping to meet our environmental targets. When talking about procurement, we often talk about local authority buying power. We do tend to forget about the other government agencies, such as Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Government itself, who due to their scale could be providing a lead by buying local products from local suppliers for their premises.

Skills

The food industry has long complained about skills shortages across a variety of sectors within the industry, such as bakers and butchers. Through this discussion paper, the Scottish Government must tackle this problem. It will involve investment and it must also be done in conjunction with the industry, through meaningful engagement. The FSB has called in the past for the Modern Apprenticeship programme to be more accessible to SMEs by lifting the barriers to participation and also allowing the training to be more focused on a particular business. Many small businesses simply do not have the resources to take on and train an apprentice, so consideration should be given to how SMEs can be both financially and practically supported to participate in the scheme. There also needs to be increased flexibility in the scheme. Employers should be given some choice within the modern apprenticeship framework about what modules and qualifications are most appropriate for their business and employees. These changes should help those in the food industry to train a new generation of employees. We would also support ideas such as "Food Academies" which could be established not only to teach the preparation of food, but also to deal with the more scientific and research aspects of food production.

Regulation

The regulatory burden is one of the key issues for small business. While we recognise the need for stringent hygiene regulations, given bacteria outbreaks in the recent past, we would welcome a review on behalf of the many small businesses who are constrained by the burden of over regulation. The regulatory framework is at times constraining the local processing, sale and transport of food and is causing it to be transported over long distances for processing and packaging.

The High Street

The FSB campaigns for a vibrant environment where small businesses can flourish. This includes fighting for small local shops, which have been struggling in recent times, due to the rise of out of town shopping centres and supermarkets. Indeed the FSB is currently running a " Keep Trade Local" campaign, which aims to highlight the plight of so many small retailers across the country. Any new food strategy must consider the suppliers and retailers on the High Street. A number of policies could be implemented to improve "foot fall" in High Streets across Scotland. For example, improved parking facilities, including where possible free parking, in order to compete favourably with out of town alternatives.

Labelling

Many small businesses feel very strongly that the labelling and traceability of food is extremely important, as these businesses often trade on a positive local reputation. Many small firms take the opportunity to differentiate themselves from their competitors by providing additional information on the product label about the origin of the ingredients used in the product. While we see this as a positive development, we also see it as an individual decision on the part of the business owner, and it should not be taken as an indication that additional information is required by the public at large and thus requiring additional regulation for small business owners.

Conclusion

The new Scottish Government has pledged to do everything within its devolved power to grow the Scottish economy and make Scotland a healthier, more skilled and more productive place. If their hopes are to be realised, then a sensible and properly thought out strategy to improve the nation's diet will be a key component in the process. Only by having a well nourished and healthy population can Scotland begin to put its unenviable reputation behind it and move forward to a healthier and more prosperous future. Small businesses will welcome such a move as it is they who can least afford to deal with the effects of a poorly nourished and generally unhealthy workforce.

108 Name and address supplied

I am pleased to see the government tackling the issue of food standards at last. I also feel the tourist board needs better standards and training to police the quality of food served to tourists. For example, the tourist board issues stars to establishments (hotels and bed & breakfasts etc), but this gives the customer no idea of the standard of food being served. A bidet in a hotel or B&B seems to help them gain a star rating but the food could be sub-standard to say the least. It's embarrassing that tourists are given this kind of impression during their visit to Scotland, a country which produces some of the best quality food in the world. These establishments act as ambassadors for the nation and more importance should be placed on the impression they create. To be brief, no establishment should be awarded a star rating unless the standard of their food matches the standard of their facilities. The tourist board needs to get its act together. As well as denying star ratings to establishments serving low quality food, education must also play a role. This would also be a major opportunity for local producers of food in this country to benefit from a shake up in the system.

109 Name and address supplied

Thorough traceability schemes so that food and animal feed are clearly labelled with details of their origin. Help Scottish farmers to grow organic feed rather than have to import from abroad. - work with local food producers - encouraging local markets and allotment schemes. Use creative thought - work with local allotment schemes and farmers to not only supply box schemes and markets but local schools, hospitals, care homes etc. LETS schemes set up to help those that find it difficult to pay in cash form. - education - children shown where their local food is produced so that they can meet the producers, see how animals are kept and crops grown. Shown how local markets and box schemes work and how they help create a caring, connected community. Shown how to produce healthy, low cost meals from local produce - how the cost to your health of buying "cheap" food can be very costly in the future. - promotion and sale of qood quality Scottish produce which is grown and reared to Soil Association standard.

110 North Lanarkshire Council Environmental Services

The Discussion Paper outlines a broad and holistic approach to food in Scotland and makes a number of aspirational statements in relation to food production through consumption. Its vision is of a much more joined-up approach to food issues with commitment across a range of sectors. As much as a food policy for Scotland must be ambitious and is required to provide direction, it requires far more detail as to how the vision for food in Scotland will be achieved and how this will be funded.

General points

The Paper makes reference to improving the nutritional quality, safety and freshness of food on offer in institutions and the catering sector. In terms of public sector catering, Scotland has come a long way in improving nutrition through the introduction of nutritional standards. However, private sector catering establishments do not have to comply with these standards; therefore, an immense amount of work is required to improve nutritional quality in this area. Thought is required in relation to the use of incentives to encourage the private sector to improve nutrition, promote healthy eating, and improve information provision. A review of uptake of the Healthy Living Award amongst private sector catering outlets would be useful.

To ensure the long-term viability of primary producers, measures must be in place to guarantee a fair price for their produce, particularly from larger retailers with immense buying power. This must be balanced by affordable prices to the consumer (particularly in relation to organic produce).

The survival of smaller, local shops is often challenging in light of the numerous, larger supermarkets which are now near to most local communities. Local grocers, fishmongers, butchers, etc must be supported to ensure they continue to provide fresh, quality, and affordable produce to families who may not have access to out of town stores.

Scotland's food and drink export market does make an important contribution to the economy. However, thought must be given to greater use of Scottish produce within Scotland. Schools, hospitals and other public sector institutions are continually encouraged to source locally produced, healthy food, yet, there are often issues of accessing local produce easily, which is affordable and in the quantities required by public sector organisations. Those involved in procuring food and drinks in public sector organisations require support in altering contracts and financing change, to allow more locally produced food to be utilised.

In light of the introduction of nutritional standards in public sector catering, further funding is required. Good quality, nutritious food and additional skilled staff to prepare food is required if standards are to be maintained - this requires greater investment in catering servicesSupermarkets need to step-up their promotion of healthy food to consumers and address their till-point promotions of food and drinks high in fat, sugar and salt. A consistent food labelling scheme amongst all manufacturers and retailers would be of more use to consumers and cause less confusion. Information provision in terms of nutritional content, where food comes from, seasonality, etc needs to be more consumer-friendly.

Scotland has developed a trend of eating convenience, ready-made foods and dishes due to a reduction in time spent in the home preparing food and family meals. Although it is important to develop convenience foods which are healthier (e.g. lower in fat, salt and sugar) it is important that we encourage a culture in Scotland where more time is spent preparing and cooking fresh foods, as well as encouraging the social aspect of enjoying eating with family and friends.

Food preparation and cooking skills should be developed from an early age. The Home Economics curriculum in secondary schools needs to be revamped and shaped in to a popular, contemporary subject that pupils wish to participate in. Perhaps young people should be consulted and involved in a review of this subject to make sure it is appealing to the target age group. Should cooking in schools be an assessed subject or simply an activity which pupils experience in schools as part of 'golden-time' activity?

Thought needs to be given to the cooking abilities of parents/carers. Often, good work in schools to improve diet and nutrition is not supported in the home due to lack of knowledge and skills around food and nutrition, as well as affordability and availability issues. Local authorities, health boards and the voluntary sector could jointly facilitate the provision of cooking skills courses for parents but this would require appropriate funding to ensure a sufficient number of appropriately-trained tutors to deliver food skills and nutrition sessions were available.

Challenges exist in relation to changing attitudes towards food and influencing consumers to choose the healthy option, whilst retaining the level of choice and autonomy the Scottish population enjoy in relation to food and eating.

111 Terry Hegarty, Edinburgh

The paper is full of laudable ambitions, and the past and present Scottish governments are to be congratulated on taking food supply, nutrition and the food industry seriously. The initiative to produce this paper and welcome responses is itself welcome.

General comment

My initial reading of the paper is that it paints a somewhat idyllic picture of the future possibilities of this neatly integrated production and processing operation, focused on producing healthy food in abundant quantities for an increasingly healthy population in an increasingly eco-friendly environment. Sadly, this may be missing the point entirely. As the paper says, Scottish agriculture supplies only one quarter of all the Scottish food and drink industry's raw materials. One of the country's major exports is whisky, which makes use of an agricultural product grown in Scotland but has nothing to do with food or nutrition (other than in a negative sense). Agriculture is a fragmented business with numerous small producers and different marketing chains operating in different ways for different commodities. And the whole industry needs profit to survive. There are many idealists and dedicated people involved, but unless they can make money they will go out of business. Despite some altruism this is a hard-nosed operation that sells what it can where it can for whatever profit it can make. Vertical integration (plough to plate) may make sense in some instances, but many of the operations of the agricultural and food businesses based in Scotland have their own ends to pursue.

Another impression given by the paper is that we may be on the verge of an improving world where those with the worst diets will be educated or encouraged to purchase more healthy food and break the destructive link between poor nutrition and poor health. Unfortunately global forces suggest that food prices will increase sharply in response to rising demands from countries such as China and India, and as competition to use land for non-food crops also increases. Poor current harvests in certain parts of the world have reduced reserve stocks of base commodities to the bare minimum, and the supply-demand equation is in full operation. Climate change is likely to make cropping in key areas increasingly unpredictable. World prices will surely continue to rise. Countries will respond in different ways to this pressure, but supplies on the world market could be profoundly affected.

As a result of food price increases I understand that there are already signs of a polarisation of the demand profile in the UK. Those with the least disposable income are inevitably seeking out the cheap-food retailers whilst those who are more affluent are likely to continue to support the organic/Fairtrade/farmers' market/sourced supply niche where a premium is paid for assurance about how food has been produced. In other words, the poorest will find it even more difficult to escape the poor nutrition/poor health syndrome.

If seen against this background, many of the challenges outlined in the paper are made even more difficult. Government has control over a limited sphere of influence, and it is within that that effort should be concentrated.

Specifics

Agricultural production is increasingly market led as subsidies and incentives have been phased out. Whilst there is a plethora of rules and regulations regarding crop and livestock diseases, welfare standards and so on, the main control lever left to government now relates more to the environment than to the mix of products leaving Scottish farms. It might be nice to think that more of the food consumed by Scots could be grown and processed here, but the processing and retail industries work in wider national and international contexts. It seems unlikely that government could now start to influence the Scottish agricultural product mix in any significant way compared to the influence of the market. (Biofuels might be the one area where support from government would encourage growth of crops that would compete with land otherwise used for food or feed production.) The production process itself will presumably still benefit from government-funded research work done in Scotland.

The processing industry is more amenable to influence from government through financial incentives. This gives some scope for manipulation of the industry in support of Scottish agriculture, or to meet Scottish food needs. Whilst those entrepreneurs with the best ideas should continue to receive support to get established, realistically, old and new companies in the Scottish food industry will only survive if they make profit in the long term. R&D could certainly help to bring this about. Encouraging processors to make "healthier" foods will, again, only be successful if the product is profitable - if individual companies feel that they will be putting themselves at a disadvantage they will opt out - or maintain their original lines as well. However, it is difficult to escape the irony that one of the major products of the Scottish food processing industry (and a profitable use of barley) is whisky, which is rarely consumed for its nutritional properties!

The retail industry is similarly not in business for altruistic reasons. All sorts of innovations can be tried out but will not survive unless they either act as loss leaders or make a profit. Niche products (eg organics) may be tolerated because they make a modest profit in their own right, or because they attract customers who buy other more profitable items whilst shopping. It is no surprise in such a competitive environment that there may be a promotion for Fairtrade one week, and for the cheapest forms of meat the next, possibly produced in countries that lack the welfare standards demanded in the UK. Retailers are, of course, in control of the specifications they set for the fresh and processed produce that they sell but there are clear limits on what they feel they want to impose. Waitrose and Marks & Spencer may be able to take the risk that their customer base will pay the extra for free range eggs, for instance; others may offer the choice but are likely to retain the cheaper option as well. The business is mainly about providing customers with what they want rather than imposing choices on them. At the other extreme, direct sales from farms to customers will meet the preference of some, but it is difficult to see how this could operate on any sizeable scale.

The public sector is clearly where government can exert some influence by "pushing" better nutrition. The food supplied in all public institutions should, of course, try to meet customer demand, but it should do it in a way that establishes proper nutritional standards as a first priority. Others will argue that this is the opportunity to link demand with local supply but I believe that this should be a secondary consideration. Hospital food, for instance, is still disappointingly poor, and would probably remain as poor under current regimes whether the food was produced locally or not. Imagination is a separate commodity that doesn't come along with the ingredients. Whether we're talking about schools where some or all of the food is locally prepared, or hospitals where the food is likely to be bought in ready-prepared, imaginative specification of menus is required in helping to supply daily nutritional requirements. Resistance to change is inevitable but experience suggests that it can be overcome (eg the Finnish experience is often quoted).

Education is the complement to the "push" that the public sector can exert by helping to create the "pull" for better nutrition. This will be a long hard flog but has to be attempted, starting with pre- and post-natal care, continuing at primary and secondary school, and then following up with the adult population. Many will continue to ignore the advice given, but some at least will respond. A category needing special attention is those who would wish to improve their own and their children's diets but find that the additional cost of change is prohibitive. Helping these people to improve their eating habits would reward investment.

Flexibility

Eating habits tend to be conservative. As food prices rise, those with least disposable incomes will tend to try to buy the same sort of food but will seek the lowest prices available. Quality in a variety of senses may well suffer. Vegetable protein is generally less expensive than animal protein yet if combined correctly is as nutritious. As price squeezes choice, nutrition can be maintained by altering the mix of ingredients in a diet, increasing vegetable-sourced components and reducing meat content. This may not be the easiest argument to put over to the general public, but it could be particularly relevant in the public sector where budgets are always pared to a minimum.

112 Jules Weston

I think it is very important that we have a more co-ordinated policy covering healthy food farmed in a sustainable way. I would like to see increased biodiversity around farms (through support schemes)and much stronger financial support for Scottish organic farming. I think the Govt and LAs could be very helpful with distribution of healthier more sustainable food and also lead the way in their own procurement. In terms of fisheries we should actively promote MSC fish in Scotland. Fish farming should be seriously looked at in terms of environmental impacts, which usually far outweigh any local economic benefits. We should support organic, small scale local farms and promote fresh seasonal produce.

113 Valerie Moffat

I am vegetarian and do not eat diary products although I do eat eggs. I prefer to eat organic produce and get an organic veg box delivered every two weeks. The only other reliable source of fresh organic fruit and veg locally is Tesco! The reason I prefer organic is because I wish to avoid any potential dangers related to the ingestion of herbicides and pesticides. I care very much about the quality of the food I eat and fortunately I can afford the premium organic commands. I fear that in the future I may not always be able to.

I find it very difficult to eat out because although restaurants provide what they think are good vegetarian choices they are usually cheese and or cream dishes - not healthy to eat on a regular basis even if I did eat dairy! There does seem to be an attitude problem with a lot of caterers - vegetarians are a nuisance/fussy eaters. The easy option for them is to do the cheese.

Sadly it has become apparent to me that many chefs do not have a good understanding of how to cater for a healthy vegetarian diet and I wonder how good their understanding is about any healthy diet. A calorie rich meal is an indulgence and eaten too often does nobody any good. Perhaps the chefs of the future should be trained to create tasty, attractive food which features more vegetables and less fat?

We need to work towards encouraging people to enjoy eating fruit and veg more for health and the environment. In a world where population is increasing it will become more important to maximize the amount of food that can be produced per acre. A vegetarian diet requires much less land and water use. Already, even in rainy Britain we have water shortages! In the 50s when I was at school all girls were taught how to cook. Nowadays very little meaningful cookery is taught in schools. The population is exposed to endless seductive advertisements for fast food and convenience foods.

As a retired teacher I have some insight into how little understanding there is about nutrition and the preparation of raw ingredients. It is vital that this gap in very important knowledge is filled. It was my experience that there was little or no time and resources (in the primary sector at least) for any meaningful work to be done in this area. In my own time and on my own initiative I established a school garden where fruit and vegetables were grown, harvested, cooked and eaten by pupils in the gardening club which took place after school. What an uphill job it was to raise the necessary money to establish and maintain this garden. Now that I have retired the club has folded. Many of the pupils who belonged to the garden club were very picky eaters and actively avoided vegetables. However, after they grew their own vegetables they were encouraged to try a much wider variety and were delighted when some of the vegetables they had grown were on the school meal menu! Sadly I was only able to work with a group of a dozen pupils at a time. Another benefit of the school garden concerns behaviour - the garden gave the less academic pupils a chance to shine at something. As more children appreciated what was going on in the garden pupils respected their environment better. I would love to see vegetable gardens in ALL schools and proper resources to allow pupils to get involved in the production and preparation of food.

114 Name, address and response supplied - Confidential

115 Pam Thomas

As a secondary school Home Economics Teacher, I think it is vital that the Scottish Government address - as a matter of priority - the major issue concering the desparate shortage of HE Teachers. We are ideally placed in schools to address the work being done into healthy eating and addressing the lack of food preparation skills. We can, and are willing to do much more (compulsory HE for all year groups for example), but are being hampered due to lack of qualified staff. The situation is only going to get worse, unless the numbers being trained is addressed - NOW!

116 Name and address supplied

Peak oil and gas decline will come to dominate food issues over the coming years. Oil production has been growing for the last 100 years. We have now reached a global production rate of about 85 million barrels per day. The global rate of oil production has tended towards a plateau for the last two years. It seems we are at or near peak oil. We have run out of cheap and plentiful oil, and are scraping barrels in the deep water and tar sands. There will be less oil in future and fierce competition for oil by price. Oil prices will rise to the level necessary to cut demand year on year, or economic decline will reduce the cash available to buy oil and food. This is separate from the issue of climate change which also requires cuts in oil use. Food production is addicted to oil. Oil for tractors, trucks, trawlers and food processing, as well as all the links with the wider economy. Food production will become local, simple and manual as oil use declines. Natural gas is also becoming expensive and scarce. Natural gas is used to make nitrate fertilizer. Expensive and scarce gas means expensive and scarce nitrate fertilizer. Food production is addicted to nitrate fertilizer. Topsoil on conventional arable farmland is deficient in organic matter. Food production will become organic as fertilizer use declines. It would be a considerable advantage to Scotland if measures to cope with peak oil and gas decline were started before prices or scarcity force change. $100 per barrel of oil is a warning-is anyone in the Scottish government listening?

117 Name and address supplied

All food waste should be composted or digested, as locally as possible to cycle nutrients and organic matter. Soil should be treated as a precious resource. Local producers and retailers should be promoted and helped (QUICKLY). The climate change implications of all aspects of our food production, retail, consumption and waste processing should be taken extremely seriously. The outrageous dominance of supermarkets should be stopped immediately. Their damaging behaviour (to the environment and communities - local and global - ) should be limited immediately. The negative impacts of certain foods, ingredients and production methods should be publicised widely. Foods should be labelled as 'produced with chemicals' 'produced with artificial fertilisers' etc rather than the organic producers having to pay for certification. Organic should be normal. Beans should not be flown in from Kenya etc etc. Only relatively sustainable practices should be encouraged. GM should never be considered and its damaging effects on communities and environments around the world should be publicised. Scotland should take responsibility for all its habits related to food consumption, production and retail. The retail and tourist industry should be encouraged to generate less waste e.g. restaurants should have to offer different size portions. Farmers markets should be established wherever possible. The advertising of unhealthy 'food' should be banned. There should be more organic and fair trade food, in fact the branding should be combined as one, as it cannot be fair if people are having to work in fields with pesticides which harm them and the animals which live in the fields. And the fields are being fertilised with fertilisers which are produced in an energy/fossil-fuel intensive way. Scotland should not allow the import of products which can be produced locally. Battery eggs should be banned, as should bad practice in terms of keeping animals. Scotland should not be bullied into bad practice by the WTO.

118 Robert Hunter

Alcohol: Far too readily available eg in service stations and small shops; needs to be treated as different from other commodities. i support the idea that supermarkets should have areas where drink is sold that is separate from other items on sale; I also think that drink especially fortified wine, cider and alcopops is too cheap and too available. We need educatio in the home and schools about sensible use of drink and support for pubs as places that sell coffee, food, drink and are convivial social settings. Cheap booze in clubs, outlets setc should be outlaweed and the pollurt should pay in terms of antisocial behaviour. Food: We need to eat more food grown locally and processed in Scotland. Supermakts in particular should be penalised if they do not give strong support to this idea; I also think that there should be some subsidy to small shops in town cenres such as delis, fishmongers, etc; perhaps preferntial tax regimens for small businesses or subsidy from spermkts to support small shops. The power of large supt mkt chains must be controlled and regulated. I understand that some of these companies are sitting on land they have bought to the detriment of other businesses starting. This should be outlawed.

119 Name and address supplied

I like what the Government propose to do with regard to food. One of the improvements I would like to see done quickly is that Scottish food should be made available in the supermarkets. At present I have problems finding scottish produce in the shops, escpecially vegetables, ones I know can be grown in Scotland at this time of year. i think that education around food is also a high priority. Teaching the population to cook the food will help to reduce the waste. people like Nick Nairn can be very influential with this. Teaching simple recipies from local produce. Even publishing cook books with recipies for local in season produce. providing us with info on how to compost and the containers to compost in will also help the general public to learn how to compost. I aslo think that the joined up vision of the government is good. I have read the paper and agree with all aspects of it. I think the important issue is that it is all properly funded and committed to from the gate to the plate. This means the Government will have to reach out and involve the public at every step not just consultation for agreement to the plan.

120 Name, address and response supplied - Confidential

121 NHS Borders, Melrose

We agree with the vision but not sure how we will be able to achieve it as a country, particularly in areas of inequalities We feel it is a start but it needs "fleshing out" It feels like it is the bare bones of something bigger. The paper doesn't seem to take on board the many issues that people have in trying to attain and consume a healthier diet e.g.. knowledge, cooking skills, motivation, time, money/budgeting etc. We feel there is a great deal about organics and healthier processed foods - these tend to be more expensive. This aspect is not geared towards inequalities. It does however seem to be looking to address access issues

All Government, Local Authority and NHS premises should be setting an example by providing locally sourced healthy food in their dining areas etc. This doesn't happen at the moment. We feel the Government should be exemplar in this. Government should be doing more to regulate "junk" food advertising especially to children and should be more proactive in food labeling.

Pages 13, 15 and 17 all refer to responsibility with Hotel, Restaurants and Pubs in terms of catering. However the document does not refer to the 'lower level' caterers such as cafes, hot and cold food takeaways who are in greater abundance, more affordable and more accessible. In that respect it is not addressing inequalities Page 16, first bullet point refers to local government encouraging suppliers to tender for public contracts. Perhaps it is the role of central government to make that pathway easier as it may be their rules/restrictions that local government are complying with.

Page 16 Health Promoting Schools and Hungry for Success have a huge role to play in ensuring children are taught about food - probably more so than eco schools. Home Economics should be supported and developed for all children Page 16 Local Government have a huge role in the access and availability of food through supporting local producers and local retailers; planners have a role in ensuring easy access to food for all (rural inequalities) Local Government should recognize that "food" is part of their remit also - not just NHS Page 16 Other Agencies - can support access and availability of food - rural inequalities. Page 17, Industry Bodies, 2nd bullet, education of caterers should be the responsibility of a range of agencies and organisations, not just industry bodies eg NHS, Colleges Page 17, NHS Boards, big ommission of the wide and diverse role played within the NHS in relation to food and health Page 17, Voluntary Sector/Community Groups - communities have a far wider remit in the food agenda than the bullets listed reflect.

Page 17. Academia - all further education establishments should be encouraged to provide locally sourced healthy food in their dining areas. Sports and Leisure have been omitted. Sports bodies both locally and nationally could support the role of healthy food in a sporting environment Groups such as Scouts, Guides, Brownies, Boys Brigade etc have a huge influence on young people and should be encouraged to support this Policy. There needs to be a robust monitoring and evaluation of this Policy from the very outset. On a personal level I like how it all fits together with providing better quality, "greener", more ethically correct food with less waste, however I just don't think that this will reach all communities.

122 Name, address and response supplied - Confidential

123 S Murray

Food Labelling. I wish manufacturers just plainly stated how many calories is in the whole of the product as well as its weight. Trying to work out, for example, 426 calories per 100g when the portion you have bought is in total 240g is too confusing. I want to know the total calories in the portion as it is bought then I know easily decide how many calories I will be consuming and work out the calorific value if I only eat half or a third of the product.

124 Name and address supplied

Support oganic initiatives, local production as much as possible, farmers markets and the like, allotments, build on less useful land like hills and rocky bits, keep good land for food production. Itegrate with theme park scotland to attract tourists for holidays, in touch with the land.

125 Planting to Plate Steering Group, Crofters Commission - Confidential

126 Hilary Burgess, Shetland

I am a veterinary surgeon by profession and my husband and I run a dairy and sheep farm in Shetland. I would like to raise the following issues.

1) Producers need some stability in order to farm successfully. Global markets can change in days whereas farming planning operates over years. Farmers need to be protected from the power of the large retailers to dictate price and conditions. Boom and bust cycles where prices are driven down to below the costs of production, supply falls and then there is a short period of increased prices before the cycle begins again are disastrous for farmers. If Scottish food production is to increase farmers need stable incomes, not reliant on changing subsidy regimes or the whims of individual supermarket buyers.

2) Levels of regulation and beaurocracy need to be dramatically reduced. Complying with existing regulations is not only time consuming and expensive but demoralising and prevents farmers initiating new food enterprises. Constantly changing regulation regimes are again time consuming and fighting against poorly considered and inpractical regulations demands further time and energy.

3) The importance of local shops in providing a supply of local Scottish food and establishing links between producers and consumers should not be underestimated. Recent national government policies which undermine the viability of these shops ie. post office closures, will have a negative impact on local food markets.

4) A lot of good work is being done currently but more needs to be done to increase links with producers and consumers and increase the general knowledge of the Scottish population regarding farming and food production. Addressing health and safety fears which often prevent farmers from getting involved in these types of project would help as would increased coverage in the school curriculum. Educational initiatives would need to also include the social and political aspects of food production with both a local and global perspective.

5) Diversity of Scottish food production should be maintained which is able to provide healthy and nutritious food for those on the lowest incomes as well as more expensive product aimed at niche markets. The most vulnerable in society ie. children, the elderly and the sick in our hospitals should not be fed the poorest quality imported processed food.

6) Farmers need to be able to feel a pride in what they are doing and feel valued by society as a whole.

7) Native Scottish breeds should be valued for their abilities to survive in our unique environment and convert rough ground, not suited to other agriculture, into protein, and not disgarded in the short term because they do not fill the supermarkets specifications.

8) Educational and marketing efforts to encourage people to eat a greater variety of meats and cuts. For example mutton rather than lamb or rabbits.

127 Lyndsay Clark

I have three main concerns: Not everyone has the same access to affordable healthy foods. Supermarkets are driving out local shops and prices charged in local shops are more expensive and often limited choice of 'healthier items' are offered. Perhaps the Govenment should look at some incentive for local shops ie rent/rate reduction therefore enabling local shops the opportunity to offer good quality reasonalby priced healthier foods as overheads would be lowered. Cooking skills is a major issue especailly in regeneration areas, and needs to be addressed if we are to improve the health and wellbeing of the Scottish people. Cookery lessons should become complusory at all levels in the curriculum and adequate funding should be given to support this. Are producers/manufacturers committed to supporting a food policy? Without their cooperation this Food policy won't work.

128 Name and address supplied

I agree wholeheartedly that food is a very important issue. The best way of eating to ensure good personal health and a sustainable future for the environment is a plant based diet. Precious resources are currently being squandered growing crops which are used as animals feed, and the breeding/keeping and killing of animals involves wasteful methods and adds to pollution problems. Of course as well as the environmental worries the rearing and killing of livestock involves significant cruelty and obviously death of the animals in inhumane and degrading fashions which are also commonly un-sanitory and therefore also dangerous to human health. There are many people on low incomes who could benefit from being educated about the health benefits of a balanced plant based diet which should also have the added bonus of being kind to the environment and the household budget. I feel strongly that it is totally wrong for children in schools to be given misleading information about the purported 'benefits' of animal flesh and dairy products, the production of which entails a serious amount of cruelty. Humans are not 'designed' to drink the milk of another animal and dairy products are harmful to the health of humans, as well as being completely unnecessary. Meat is unkind to the animals and the environment, and we are starting to see that the consumption of meat and dairy products may have serious health implications. It is high time that we started looking towards a sustainable future by taking plant based diets seriously.

129 Maureen Chalmers

I welcome this debate. I would like to see: - more food grown in Scotland including encouragement and support for school and community allotments - market days in towns - extend current farmers markets as they bring a real sense of community to the town centre and farmers often advise on preparation and use of produce; I would like to be bale to shop at local market weekly; -support for local shops - fishmonger, greengrocer and butcher - I try to always shop local but I know local shops struggle to keep going - improve procurement of food in hospitals etc - when any of my family are in hospital I always need to take food in as the food is such poor quality; food should be freshly prepared and appetising for people who are ill -support restaurants and cafe culture to use seasonal and local food; Glasgow is good for this - but travelling around highlands I have found some really seriously poor food.

130 Simon Clark, Glasgow

I think it's great that we are developing a policy on food (which should include drink and I am not 100% sure whether it does or not). I've read through the Discussion Paper and offer the following reactions:

• there is no doubt that food security is a key issue now and for the future. Scotland needs to look carefully at its food, water and energy needs.
• exhortation will not be enough! A great deal of education will be needed but the Scottish Government will have to be ready to legislate as well......
• ....which means that we probably need to try and forget about the European Commission. How can we take seriously an institution that cannot define "organic" properly and that is essentially protectionist of major agri-industry?
• .....and we need to shut out DEFRA who clearly don't like the countryside life in general and farming specifically (and I am not a farmer and have no relation with farming).
• we must wean ourselves away from oil - we eat too much.Food policy has to line up with energy policies.
• we could do with some clear reasoning on what is really important. Governments like to muddy the waters with a diversity of objectives that can be juggled as required. Let's face it, healthy eating (and we have made food a health threat) and environmental sustainability are key - everything else follows.
• agri-businesses, producers and retailers are there to make money, not feed he world. That's not a value judgment, it's a fact....
• ....but we - the people and our agencies and representatives - have a responsibility to ensure we can feed the world. This means effective tactics in relation to market distractions like the rush to biofuels but also sound long-term policies on issues such as population. More joining-up needed.
• an argument is being promoted , notably from Westminster, that cutting food miles will hurt - for example - Africa economies. Actually, what we need is a re-orientation of our aid policies and practices.
• keep GM out!
• limitless "choice" is not a natural thing.
• our public sector institutions should show the way - and this should not be "optional", it should be a requirement.
• back to education......you need to work on people, to change their behavior and to persuade them to do their bit to influence others. If you can fix them/us then all the market interests - hotels, restaurants, producers etc - will follow on.

131 Name and address supplied

We should be educated about Food & Drink from a young age - so Home Economics should a large part to play in school in addition to making use of Royal Highland Education Trust who provide a range of learning material to ensure children know where food comes from. The importance of local food is now becoming more widely appreciated, although agriculture policy is largely determined at European level with an increasing emphasis on free-er world trade. Against a backdrop of declining number of farmers in the EU and UK, we need to ensure we have a farming left to produce food: It is imperative public procurement strategies for goverment departments use strategies for food which take food provenance into account (as British food may not be the cheapest but it is produced to a high standand with a good levels of animal welfare and low levels of environmental impact). The retail industry should and could do more to help in terms of food labelling (large nos of people want to eat British, but either food is not labelled or is labelled British as it is processed here). This should apply to shops, supermarkets and restaurants.

132 West Lothian Food and Health Steering Group, Broxburn

West Lothian CHCP welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Scottish Government's plans to tackle the significant issue of healthy food production. We believe that the vision for doing so is clearly laid out in the discussion paper. We agree that there are significant gaps in 'field to fork' policies which need to be tackled to ensure that the population of Scotland can benefit from greater access to healthy food.

Although the discussion paper is a good position paper, there are significant issues that still need to be addressed before policy can be effective and our comments in relation to this are outlined below:

1. Given the differing goals of the commercial and public sectors, there are serious potential conflicts to overcome in aligning policies in relation to food production and healthy eating. We would welcome more detailed plans on how the government would overcome these conflicts.

2. We would welcome clarity on how the mechanisms to achieving the vision could be carried out national and local level and how these would be aligned.

3. The discussion paper outlines a voluntary approach to engaging stakeholders. We would welcome clarification on incentives for the various stakeholders including those consumers most at risk.

4. We would welcome clarification on the range of competence that the Scottish Government has to bring in statutory measures to control the production and sale of healthy food (including food labelling, banning the advertising of junk food, banning the sale of cheap alcohol, controlling the content of processed food) and to what extent such measures are under the control of the Westminster and European Parliaments.

5. We welcome the ideas outlined in relation to the food supply chain (p13). We do not see that there would be any disagreement to the principles, only to the extent to which they are achieved.

6. Although mentioned, the issue of tackling health inequalities has not been adequately addressed. We believe that, without particular targeted activities in the more deprived communities, many of the suggested activities could result in a widening of the inequalities gap.

7. Although presenting a compelling vision, the paper lacks robust medium- and short-term outcomes to which the disparate range of stakeholders can pledge themselves. Without these, there is a danger that activities will tinker round the edges without making any significant impact on the health of the nation.

8. The environmental health profession has a key role to play in the provision of safe food, which must be an underpinning element of the national food policy. It is not clear from the discussion document that this role is clearly recognised.

9. The safety and quality of food production is key enforcement role for environmental health. There is also an increasing imported food market to meet the demands of consumers for affordability and availability of a range of food stuffs. Again the monitoring of imported foods relies on a fully resourced environmental health service.

10. There is a concern regarding the importance of food sampling and the reducing resources available to environmental health to continue this key role in protecting food safety. Key issues in recent years regarding illegal dyes in foods etc. highlight the importance of this in regard to protecting public health. Food sampling has been undertaken looking at nutritional elements of food stuffs. This would be useful information to share, and allow others to follow up.

11. If there is increasing demand for healthier, ethical food stuffs this could lead to more misdescription and food fraud issues. Claims on labels should not mislead consumers.

12. A good example of partnership working (although still in early stages of development) can be found in West Lothian. Environmental Health are working closely with the Community Health and Care Partnership in encouraging and supporting local catering businesses to develop healthier choices in terms of their menus. It was recognised that the catering establishments were an untapped market for the Health Improvement Team. A seminar was organised and environmental health officers are encouraging businesses to work towards Healthy Living Award criteria. We are looking at further training and establishing pilot businesses to take issues forward. This can be done without excessive burden on environmental health resources.

13. It is particularly important to recognise the fact that more is being spent by the public on eating out than eating in. There will be very little if any nutritional information available with take away food to inform consumers on making healthy choices.

14. Another key consideration for future consideration is how to engage the planning process with local authorities, particularly when considering the location and siting of food premises within an area. This also links in with the environmental concerns arising from our food choices, use of cars for shopping trips, increase noise and environmental pollution from more take aways etc.

15. Healthy food has to be safe food. Increasing food choice brings with it increased demands on food industry to meet demand at an affordable cost. Consideration needs to be given to implications for food safety in reducing certain ingredients, such as salt, which has preservative properties and also in vacuum packed foods can prohibit the growth of harmful organisms such as Clostridium Botulinum. This has implications for the food industry and enforcers alike. At a national level enforcers, industry and consumer groups are all part of the Scottish Food Enforcement Liaison Committee. A group supported by the Food Standards Agency Scotland. This can be a good place to establish some of the common issues to take forward in helping to produce safer and healthier food. This could be a useful group for Scottish Government to contribute to in a wider sense.

16. This has to been seen as a long term objective. There is a concern that funding is only considered in terms of short term initiatives. At a local level a key target must be accessibility to fresh fruit and vegetables. There needs to be greater support for such community initiatives, and also greater support for teaching basic food preparation skills in terms of providing low cost healthier options for families in these communities. These projects need enough time to establish and gain community support to become embedded in the community.

17. We would welcome an indication of how the government will measure and monitor progress and where accountability will lie.

133 Sustainable Development Commission Scotland, Edinburgh

Response can be accessed via link:

http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/publications/downloads/SDC%20Scotland%20Response%20The%20Right%20Ingredients%20for%20the%20National%20Food%20Policy.pdf

134 Name and address supplied

My vision. The following are my priorities - I am glad to see that they are included in the vision of the Scottish Government, although perhaps given different weightings.

· A more self-sufficiency, sustainable and secure food supply; to protect us if/when rising fuel prices make transport of food difficult and in the event of world food shortages. Reducing food miles will aid in cutting CO2 emissions. Producing a surplus for export will, I hope, be useful for some time to come as we will need to import some items. Should our sugar beet industry be revived ? What are our global responsibilities to sugar cane growers in less developed countries ?

· Decentralised, local production and distribution; this has many parts- more small local businesses, support for individuals growing fruit and vegetables, supermarkets having many, small distribution centres, and so on.

· Food chain less dependent on oil; organic food production tends to use fewer fertilisers, and sometimes less fuel driven machinery.

· A fairer market system; we are used to the idea of Fairtrade products, but Scottish farmers need a fair system also - reports are that they barely cover costs while supermarkets make huge profits.( for example Business section of Sunday Herald 13/04/08 ) This must be changed.

· Informed and involved consumers; imaginative projects will be needed to engage some of the more hard to reach consumers.

Getting there.

· There should be face to face discussions involving all the huge number of different people and organisations involved with food. Somehow these need to be managed in a way which encourages all participants to be valued for the contributions that they make, even while some of their practices are criticised. ( see New Scientist 5 April 2008 Comment and analysis)

· Include 'joined up thinking' about the complexity of issues: for example

o Farmers have 'stewardship' of the countryside as well as the task of providing food; they may need support to farm difficult hill land

o Growing anything, especially food plants, is claimed to give mental health benefits as well as nutritional ones.

Changing attitudes of consumers.

· Changing what is produced and how it is sold will make little difference if consumers continue to put low cost as more important than quality or sustainability.

· Changing attitudes is the big challenge; exhortation by TV adverts or leaflets has not been very effective in changing eating habits over the last 40 years or more. Active involvement, preferably in a community setting, I think, has a greater chance of bringing about change. The infrastructure of local shops with fresh produce on sale may need to be provided in some areas to allow people to make choices.

· There should be many pilot projects, and their progress widely reported. One such project is in Middlesbrough Urban Jungle fruit and vegetable growing in town centre planters and parks ( www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/mar/26/cityfood ) The Sustainable Development Commission Scotland has a number of Case Studies on its web site, including a Food for Life project in the Highlands and the Mull Slaughter house - a community co-operative.

· The growing Transition Towns movement should be involved as part of their focus is on becoming more sustainable in all aspects of our lifestyles. The Slow Food groups should also be given a role in promoting the value of traditional preparation of food, rather than only spending 18 minutes a day heating up a prepared meal.

Some specific points.

· Biofuels: pressures to use agricultural land for fuel production should be resisted to allow for maintenance of or increase in food production.

· City food production should be increased- connects people to growing crops and reduces food miles. ( See Middlesbrough, above, or Cuba in Monty Don's Round the World in 80 Gardens BBC2 )

· Waste of food: supermarkets should, if possible, be banned from having 3 for the price of 2 promotions - why not reduce the price of the 'unit' of food ? Such promotions encourage people to buy more than they can.

· All NHS and local authority establishments should have local kitchens and use a good percentage of local food. If the Royal Infirmary Edinburgh still has cook/chill meals coming byroad from Wales this should be stopped.

· Protecting fish stocks: this is a big issue which I am not trying to cover here: I would like to see more ' no take zones' - I am told these encourage the fish to breed and the some of extra fish spread out into the nearby sea so becoming available for catching.

· Children: while the work of Eco-schools, and the Royal Highland Education Trust is valuable, the problem is too urgent to wait for children to grow up.

135 Name, address and response supplied - Confidential

136 Name and address supplied

I welcome the approach that food is everyone's business, but think that your approach could be widened to include more about re-skilling and supporting society generally to grow more food, in gardens, allotments, parks. The Transition Town movement is focusing on local food and on equipping local people, as individuals, co-operatives and businesses to grow and sell food locally as a response to the twin problems of climate change and peak oil.

Our vision. A wealthier and fairer Scotland - if Scotland is more self sufficient in food production it will be more resilient. A greener Scotland - a greener Scotland will also result from greater production and consumption of locally grown, organic food. A smarter Scotland will result from society generally being re-skilled in the art of growing food. Page 9 - what we choose - this section needs to include something about people choosing to grow their own food. Allotments in Scotland are heavily over subscribed with households typically spending 2-4 years on allotment waiting lists. Obstacles to more people growing their own food include attitudes, habit, space, skill, knowledge, experience, planning regulations, ease and money (taken from Portobello Energy Descent Plan. PEDAL)

Page 11 - I welcome your thinking that we have to focus on local food. I think your approach, however, needs to be widened to include individual and community food growing, as well as producers, retailers and consumers. I also welcome the action you have taken to educate children about where food comes from. The best way of doing this is surely to encourage the involvement of schools in locally community food growing schemes such as community orchards so they not only learn about the origins of food but also learn the skills to produce it themselves. How do we get there - p.13 Again I think you need to include local community groups and individuals in your list of groups as potential local food producers rather than simply consumers.

I also think that the how do we get there section needs to have more clear action pointers with timescales. p.15 - Scottish Government could: * fund local food growing pilot projects * develop local food initiatives * provide incentives, awards, competitions to stimulate the growing of more food locally in cities towns and villages. Please see this really inspiring article from the Guardian a few weeks ago about food being grown by local people all over Middlesborough - in Parks, derelict spaces etc http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/mar/26/cityfood * Provide Health Boards and schools with incentives to source food locally Local Government * Championing a greener, healthier approach to food could include local councils developing local food initiatives, providing incentives, awards competitions etc around local food growing * See comment above about all children being taught about food - this could be by practical involvement in local community food growing schemes * Provide space in parks for local community food growing schemes (community orchards etc) * Ensure that all new trees planted in parks and for landscaping produce edible fruit or nuts * Guidelines to planning regulations specify that all new developments must provide an edible landscaping plan NHS Boards * Provide hospitals with incentives to source food locally. Voluntary sector/Community Groups * Encouarging more people to grow their own food Retailers, hotels, restaurants and pubs * Offering a wider range of affordable, healthy, quality and local foods.

137 Dr Fiona Macpherson

I would like to see more recognition of and promotion by the Government of a vegan diet. The benefits are many: (1) Such a diet ensures the utmost ethical integrity towards animals. (2) In a groundbreaking 2006 report, the United Nations (U.N.) said that raising animals for food generates more greenhouse gases than all the cars and trucks in the world combined. Senior U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization official Henning Steinfeld reported that "The livestock sector emerges as one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global. The findings of this report suggest that it should be a major policy focus when dealing with problems of land degradation, climate change and air pollution, water shortage and water pollution, and loss of biodiversity.

Livestock's contribution to environmental problems is on a massive scale and its potential contribution to their solution is equally large. The impact is so significant that it needs to be addressed with urgency. Major reductions in impact could be achieved at reasonable cost."("Livestock's Long Shadow: Environmental Issues and Options", Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, By H. Steinfeld et al.2006, http://www.virtualcentre.org/en/library/key_pub/longshad/A0701E00.htm.) (3) It is exceptionally healthy.

I would like the government to do the following: (a) Promote the clear labelling of all food - in supermarkets and, where it is lacking most, in take-aways, hotels and restaurants. In addition, the clear labelling of all alcoholic beverages, which are often made using animal products, should be required. This last fact is little known by the general populace. (b) Encourage food producers and providers (supermarkets, restaurants, etc.) to make and provide vegan food. For example, I would like to ensure that there is vegan provision of food where choice of food is limited. For example, at all airports and on all trains. Vegan food is often suitable for people from many different ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds, when other food is not. (c) Advertise the many benefits of a vegan diet and help people to see how easy, cheap and delicious it is to switch to a vegan diet. (d) Consult with the British Vegan Society concerning all the above.

138 Rev Ivor MacDonald, Isle of Skye

First, congratulations to the Scottish government for giving recognition to the central importance of food and its production to the nation's well being. First and foremost I believe that it is crucially important to increase the number of people directly involved in food production. That goes against many notions of economic efficiency ("efficiency" in agriculture usually means reducing human inputs and increasing inputs of machinery and fossil fuel- no longer a rational way to measure efficiency). This change of direction is vital for many reasons including effective environmental care. Governments are spending increasing amounts on beaurocratic environmental measures. The best way of looking after the earth has alwasy been to retain people on the land who have an intimate familiarity with it. Increase the numbers of people producing food and you have the best resource for environmental care.

Secondly, diminishing the numbers involved in food production leads to an alienation from the land which actually has tangible social consequences. Agriculture is more than just an industry. The communities, landscapes and culture it creates are very much part of the national soul. If our people are detached from the land then something of immense value is lost. This national identity/national soul is less easily defined than the endangered species we do our best to protect but it represents a much more significant, deeper treasure. How does one achieve the objective of reversing the detachment from food production? The new entrant scheme to farming is a good initiative but so far is not bringing new blood in to farming. It should be re visited and more money needs to go in to train up people and provide land for them. Support in general should be targeted at farms on the basis of their contribution to stabilising the labour supply rather than mere output. Many of the most heavily subsidised farms are large units which have gone furthest in replacing labour by non human inputs. Farms should not be rewarded for dispensing with people.

Organic farming should be encouraged as it is an effective way of retaining people on the land. Moves to reward producers more fairly for their products should be introduced. Retailers, especially the supermarkets, should be required to indicate the price paid to the supplier alongside the price being asked of the consumer. Let the consumer exercise his right to patronise outlets that are actually dealing fairly with the producer. Develop a Fair Trade scheme for Scottish products. Support Scottish Farmers' markets. Pursue a relentless attack on the red tape which prevents farms adding value through small scale on-farm processing. Farms are grossly over regulated. Food hygiene regulations are over zealous and simply encourage the large scale, low labour industrialised methods of food processing. We need to do all we can do to encourage farm based cheese and butter production.

Reverse the trend towards centralising abbatoirs especially in the islands. This is killing off the tradition of raising stock partially for home consumption. Require hotels and restaurants to indicate the source of their food on menus. Encourage schools to stress the value of locally produced food and the importance of eating foods in season rather than importing from across the globe. Encourage schools into food producing enterprises. One of the threats to the heritage of food production is the loss of good land to housing and motorway construction. Posterity will look back in anger on a generation that concreted over some of our best land and allowed housing development on the green belt at a time of static/declining population. However I am greatly encouraged by the government's willingness to address these issues. There is a growing mood to move in the right direction. May you have every success!

139 Donnie Macleod, Inverness

I greatly welcome this discussion about our future food policy and have read with interest some of the comments so far. However there is some very vital omissions in the discussion concerning the practicalities of us ever achieving what is generally desired. The issue of cost is fundamental to all the discussions and therefore we need to bring into the discussion a full and factual analysis of what the actual costs of producing, processing, marketing and distribution of our food are. This should include a full exposure of where and to who all public expenditure on food production is going. The general public believes that government subsidies go to help farmers reduce the cost of producing food for their communities. But in reality this is not the case. I would like to see a full appraisal on this issue by the government on this web site as it is fundamental to the problem. For example, why do some large agribusinesses get millions of pounds of taxpayers money when some small local vegetable growers get nothing ?? And --- How much money is poured into biotech research compared to local organic farming experiments ??? I will be making a full response later on the consultation as the subject is so important but I want to hear some comments on this aspect.

140 Robin Bate, Edinburgh (also 7)

i am very glad to hear Scotland is reviewing its food policy. i would like to see a significant rise in organic and biodynamic produce. In fact i would like the Government to find out more about organic and biodynamic food, its knowledge on these 2 types of farming is sadly lacking. Organic and biodynamic food is much tastier than modern farmed food, therefore more enjoyable to eat and much less need to add flavouring. So people who have tried it are eating healthier food and not ruining the food by adding additives. How can you ask children to eat fruit when modern farming methods make it so bland. So please please please have a policy that looks to have 50% of farmed produce organic by 2015 and 10% of all farmed produce to be biodynamic. Scotland food is potentially the best in the world and attracts a premium price, so why pass up this opportunity to lead the world in yet another area. As JW Goethe said "boldness has genious in it, once you commit to an action all manners of providence step in to assist, including financial and programme support. Begin it now."

141 Name and address supplied

Having healthy options in food in scotland has to be applauded but this should not be to the expense of having choice. we have to safeguard our traditional fair from outside influences such as the amount of time we hang meat from europe we have to protect what we have before it is lost. The european template one size fits all dose not harmonize with scottish food & drink.

142 David Muir

The recent discussion paper on Food Policy in Scotland is a welcome examination of food policy and the way forward. In particular, the objective of developing an overall strategy that encompasses a thriving industry from primary supply to the ultimate consumer is welcome. In addition the recognition of the impact of food on national health and on the global environment puts the policy proposals into context. However, there is a basic weakness in the current system that has not been recognised. That is, the provision of appropriate tertiary education and its related research activity.

The Scottish Executive has never supported food education or research per se. Food has hitherto been a preserve of the English partner of the Union. It is true that education in food-related topics has been available until recently at, for instance, the Auchincruive campus of the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) and research on food-related topics was carried out at the Hannah Research Institute (HRI). In addition, there was a degree course and research group with a specific interest in food at Strathclyde University. The SAC and HRI facilities no longer exist and the Strathclyde connection with food has diminished to the provision of a postgraduate degree course. These food-related resources have not been replaced.

If Scotland wishes to have a thriving food industry it must have a mechanism for providing higher education in food-related topics. This in turn will generate appropriate research. To achieve this end the Scottish Government must make a conscious decision to support a Scottish base for a food-related degree(s). Current undergraduate courses that offer token degree options do not suffice since they do not attract the high level research activity. One option might be to endow a Chair with a specific remit in Food Science.

143 The Royal School of Dunkeld, Perthshire

As a teacher who has spent more than 20 years working with children to grow organic vegetables in our school garden I would like to stress the importance of youngsters knowing where their food comes from. Through our Sowing and Growing programme our children sow seeds, tend the growing plants, harvest them and importantly eat them in as part of their school lunches. In this way they learn about the complete cycle of food production and are more motivated to 'eat their greens.' If, as a result of this national debate, steps can be taken to make it easier for schools to grow and eat their own produce in the school dining room, it would be a great step forward. Over the years, we have had to work around bureaucratic obstacles to make this work. These are sometimes of a Health and Safety nature but more often arise from ignorance and an unwillingness to engage with the issues and explore the potential. To be told you can't take freshly harvested potatoes or carrots from the school garden into the school kitchen 'because they have dirt on them,' is just one example of the unhelpful responses we have had to deal with. Having said that, we have gradually developed a mutually acceptable way of working and this shows that with perseverance and patience children can enjoy this valuable learning experience, make healthy eating choices and form the positive attitudes which can serve them through life. Support us and encourage us in this work.

144 Anne Diack

There are a couple of points I would like to make: 1) Those who are the leaders need to lead by example. 2) reduce planning permission for the big supermarkets and encourage local shops and fruit and veg markets. New housing schemes tend to focus round one big global supplier such as Morrisons, Tescos or Asda, therefore community planning needs to be better thought out. 3) Apart from the major cities the choice of good eating places is low across Scotland. Many rural hotels serve up freezer to microwave/deep fat fryer foods (with chips). Education to think of quality as well as cost is important. 4) employers need to seriously think what they are stocking in their canteens, energy bars, crisps and chocolate and not healthy snacks (this includes Scottish Government canteens - again practice what we preach). 5) supermarkets that do exist need to make a real effort to ascertain what they stock in terms of percentage of healthy v not healthy. Aisles of chocolate biscuits, crips, chocolate, alcohol and fizzy drinks v the rest of the store. There is an imbalance here.

145 Helen Cobb

As a mother I find the whole thing confusing and difficult. I have a 10 year old daughter. In the past I thought I could go into the supermarket and buy and prepare healthy food for my family but now I am not so sure. So I buy Organic from a local box delivery veg scheme. This is really good but a bit limited in the winter so I supplement from the supermarket. The food miles from their organic produce does worry me, but not as much as feeding pesticides to my child. I try to buy free range or organic meat and poultry, but this is really expensive. I feel I am being exploited for my concern. I would like to eat pork especially Scottish but the availability and cost of outdoor reared is prohibitive. What I would like to see: 1 Really high animal welfare standards that are properly enforced 2 Standards that give the benefit of the doubt to the possibility of harm rather than requiring full evidence of harm 3 A way of knowing what the carbon footprint really is. eg is it better to buy Scottish tomatoes grown in heated greenhouses or Spanish ones transported by road.

146 Food Standards Agency

147 Eco-Schools Scotland, Stirling

Introductory Comments

Eco-Schools Scotland welcomes the Scottish Government's plan to introduce a National Food Policy, set out in the discussion paper 'Choosing the Right Ingredients - The Future of Food for Scotland'. Such a policy will have the potential to raise the nutritional standards of food in Scotland's schools and to embed in law a healthier school food culture. What we eat and where it comes from also has an impact on our environment as well as our health and Eco-Schools Scotland believes that such a Policy offers Scotland the opportunity to look at both of these important issues together. We welcome the opportunity to comment.

Background

The Eco-Schools programme is an international initiative designed to encourage whole-school action for the environment. It is an award scheme that accredits schools that make a commitment to continuously improve their environmental performance. It is also a learning resource that raises awareness of environmental and sustainable development issues throughout activities linked to curriculum subjects and areas. Involvement in the programme empowers pupils to make decisions and to take action about these issues in the school and the wider community. Involvement in the programme is linked to the Scottish Government's National Priorities in Education, specifically relating to values and citizenship education. But evidence shows that involvement can have a beneficial and positive effect on others of the five National Priorities, relating to such issues as pupil motivation, confidence and self-esteem, discipline, inclusion, attainment & achievement and on whole school ethos. All schools - nursery, primary, secondary, special needs - state and private sector, can be involved in the Eco-Schools programme - truly 3-18 years.

The Eco-Schools programme can help schools to: • Encourage active citizenship • Improve the schools environment • Reduce litter and waste • Reduce energy and water use • Devise efficient was of travelling to and from school • Promote healthy lifestyles • Build strong partnerships with a variety of community groups • Develop international and global links Issues covered under the Eco School s programme include litter, waste, energy, water, transport, health & well-being, school grounds, global issues and biodiversity. Many of these issues are also currently high on the agenda of the Scottish Government - health, climate change, waste, sustainable development and citizenship, to name but a few. Current Activity Levels To date, 3,100 Scottish schools (which equates to 93% of the total number of Local Authority schools) are now registered on the Eco-Schools programme and 567 schools have achieved the prestigious Green Flag Award.

The Proposed National Food Policy

Eco-Schools Scotland is hopeful that a National Food Policy will provide the ideal opportunity to bring about attitude and behaviour change in both our children's eating habits (at home and at school) and in issues surrounding sustainability and local food provision. For example, the Policy would be in a position to build on the successes already achieved through existing Scottish Government's programmes and policies, such as the 'Hungry for Success' and 'Health Promoting Schools' Initiatives, where schools have been encouraged to look at healthy eating options. Such a Policy could also encourage local authorities to source food locally for school meal provision. For example, the Soil Association Scotland's Food for Life campaign, launched in October 2003, is widely recognised as leading the way on the provision of fresh, local and organic food for Scotland's schools and could be rolled out across Scotland. Soil Association Scotland works with several Local Authority catering services to pilot the introduction of Food for Life targets (75% unprocessed , 50% local , 30% organic ingredients, the same nutritional targets as 'Hungry for Success', food education, including visits to organic farms). East Ayrshire now has 26 schools taking part in their Food for Life project. Highland Council has two Food for Life schools - Strathpeffer and Strathgarve. North Ayrshire has started the pilot in all 8 schools on the island of Arran. Five other local authorities are at an early stage of working towards Food for Life.

A National Food Policy could also address the issue of the provision of free school meals to pupils in Scotland's schools, which would encourage all our children to eat more healthily. This is something being piloted now in a number of local authorities with remarkable success. Many children in Scottish schools are involved in projects growing their own food. This is usually undertaken in the school grounds (in tubs, raised beds or allotment areas) or in partnership with an external body, such as a local community allotment. One school in Highland Council has created an organic farm on part of the school playing field site. The Royal Highland Educational Trust (RHET) and Scottish Allotments and Gardens Society (SAGS) are Scottish organisations very involved in initiatives encouraging schools to learn about food and farming locally and are a great resource that schools can make use of. Often, children have no idea where their food comes from or how it is grown, so such projects are to be highly commended, because school children are learning about growing, harvesting and tasting their own 'home grown' food. This has the additional positive outcome of children actually trying new fruits and vegetables and enjoying eating them! A Scottish Food Policy could encourage all schools to grow food in their school grounds and/or local environment and could possibly address the problem that some schools experience of being told by their Local Authority that they cannot eat the food that they have worked so hard to grow because of health & safety regulations.

148 Name and address supplied

I would like more to be done to teach people how to make simple, nutritious meals from scratch and rely less on processed foods. I think that we have relied on processed foods for so long that most people of my generation do not know how to make simple family meals that are healthy. My husband and I both work full time and have an 18 month old daughter so we tend to use lots of ready meals and processed foods and I would really prefer not to, but I also don't want to spend all evening cooking. A lot of recipe books have recipes which seem to be quite complex and over fancy and use lots of ingredients and I would like to see more recipes showing how to make quick easy and cheap good food. I would also like more pre made foods to be healthier as some can be a real time saver, e.g. ready made mashed potato. I definately think that schools and colleges can play a big part in the re-education of todays children and young adults but would also like courses to be available and cheap for adults like myself to go and learn new skills and better existing skills with regard to healthy nutritious cooking.

149 Name, address and response supplied - Confidential

150 Julie Sheridan

Since being diagnosed with Coeliac's Disease two years ago, I have found it virtually impossible to eat safely in restaurants and canteens, as they are under no legal obligation to detail the ingredients used in food. This makes it very hard to know which foods contain gluten/wheat and which don't, with the customer reliant on the goodwill of food providers who feel like volunteering the information. If supermarket chains, etc, have to detail ingredients, why don't other food providers? I know an increasing number of people with wheat and dairy intolerance, and feel this is bound to become more of an issue in future. It seems like a minor thing for restaurants to do, but would make a huge difference to people's quality of life.

151 David Keys

Policy should dictate that food being purchased for schools, hospitals, armed forces, government offices etc. should be purchased wherever possible from local producers. If government and councils want to reduce carbon footprints, food miles etc then they have to lead by example and purchase locally. If that happens the wider community is more likely to listen and follow.

152 Name and address supplied

We have to start with the basics. A Curriculum for Excellence sets out our aspirations for Scotland's young people - to ensure we can become successful learners, confident individuals etc. we need to bring cooking skills back into early education. It should not be a bolt-on approach in Secondary School. Invest in this in a child's early years and we will reap the benefits in the future. If there are opportunities for children to grow food then this should be encouraged too and will develop that enterprising attitude we need in our youngsters. We also need a major shake-up of packaging in supermarkets. It's ridiculous the amount that cannot be recycled due to a lack of facilities.

153 Name, address and response supplied - Confidential

154 Michael Russell, Isle of Skye

Our current food system - growing and distribution - is dependent on oil, whether in the form of fuel or fertiliser. As the price of oil has risen, so too has the price of these inputs. Farmgate prices have risen as a consequence. Given the global nature of the current supermarket system, it seems eminently sensible to source more of our food domestically if food is to remain affordable and, thus, widely available. I would question the wisdom of relying on globalisation to meet our future needs. Shorter supply chains are surely more reliable, not to mention sustainable.

155 Scottish Countryside Alliance, Edinburgh

The Scottish Countryside Alliance (SCA) welcomes the chance to comment on the Scottish Governments plans for a National Food Policy for Scotland - indeed we welcome and wholly support the idea of such a policy.

Scottish Food Fortnight (organised and funded by the SCA Educational Trust) has, over the past 5 years, given the food industry in Scotland a chance to highlight and celebrate quality, locally produced, nutritious Scottish food and drink. Over 1000 businesses have taken part in SFF, and each year the SFF message reaches at least 1 million Scots. This annual celebration has been well received by consumers, and we hope has at least partly contributed to the renaissance in local food. But much more needs to be done in order to boost sales of Scottish produce for the other 50 weeks of the year and in so doing boost the health and well being of consumers. As the National Food Policy for Scotland is developed, we hope that it can achieve these aims.

Particular issues that we would like to see addressed under the banner of the National

Food Policy for Scotland include:

• Measures to ensure the long term sustainability of Scottish livestock farming, particularly in the uplands and the LFA and also in the pig, poultry and dairy sectors. This should not just be an issue for the Scottish Rural Development Programme, it is very much a food policy issue, as without livestock farmers there will be no Scottish meat!

• The lack of abattoir facilities in many areas. This is a huge problem for many producers of local meats. Animals have to be transported over long distances, which raises welfare concerns and adds to costs and environmental impact, just to be slaughtered. This scenario contradicts the ethos of 'local food'.

• Labelling issues. Particularly 'co-mingling' of Scottish and non-Scottish produce on supermarket shelves and the lack of clear country of origin labelling in the food service sector.

• The procurement policies of the public sector. Much more needs to be done to ensure that Scottish producers are able to tender successfully for produce supply contracts.

• Bureaucracy. The plethora of rules and regulations that Scottish food producers have to operate under ensures that Scottish produce is amongst the most traceable and safest in the world. However, some rules and regulations, both current and proposed - for example in Planning or sheep tagging - may hinder the ability of Scottish produce to compete financially on a world stage and even in the domestic market. The National Food Policy must look at ways of 'cutting unnecessary red tape'.

• More promotion of Scottish game meat, particularly as a wild, natural and free range alternative to imported intensively produced poultry meat products.

• Promotion of a balanced Scottish diet. Some indigenous Scottish food products, eg Scotch pies or Scotch whisky, may be unhealthy if consumed to excess, but can be consumed as part of a balanced diet.

• Education and information campaigns to help consumers (from an early age) to understand and relate to the provenance of Scottish produce, thus helping them to make informed purchasing choices.

• Equality issues. The National Food Policy for Scotland should help to ensure that fresh Scottish produce is available and affordable to all consumers regardless of issues of disadvantage.

We hope that the National Food Policy for Scotland will be able to address these issues and that as a result Scotland will be healthier, wealthier and greener.

156 Scottish Countryside Alliance, Edinburgh (also 155)

157 J Shergill

As a recent arrival in Scotland I was surprised to learn that the myths about poor diet are in large parts true. Research has shown that leading a vegetarian diet is not only healthier but greener too and I think the government could play a role in that by encouraging producers, caterers, businesses and schools to provide decent, nutritious vegetarian meals. This would encourage people to try a non-meat meal and who knows, some people may even find it an enjoyable alternative! There is a surprisingly lack of 'food literacy' in the UK but it is more apparent since I moved north of the border. I see no good reason, other than a lack of enthusiasm from providers of ready made meals, supermarkets and educators. The historic problems may be due to supply and demand (i.e. not enough demand) but then I think the supply is of a poor quality so no wonder there is little demand for it! We have some great produce in Scotland and it'd be good to see more reliance on fruit and veg to satisfy the hungry nation!

158 Name and address supplied

As the parent of an 11 year old child with a severe nut allergy I would welcome any improvement in both food production and labelling. I think that the defensive labelling used frequently by manufacturers is disgraceful. Companies should be made to ensure that their equipment is cleaned thoroughly and this would get rid of the warning stating that the equipment has been used previously for products with nuts. if a company like Kinnerton can do this why can other groups not? I understand that it is maybe expensive to start off with but worthwhile in the end. As far as the "may contain traces" warning,this too is unacceptable. I feel to a certain extent people with allergies are actually discriminated against. If they had an illness or disability which was more mainstream or visible there would be legislation to help them. i hope that other people have contacted you with this but what I would really upset me would be if as a result of your work the labelling and warnings became even more common.

159 William Davies, Isle of Skye

I would like to see the end of environmentally damaging one use packaging in the food processing industries. Packaging such as Polystyrene is one use and in many places in Scotland ends up in landfill.

160 sdenterprise.co.uk, Paisley

Food has to return to being locally grown, people need to learn more about sustainable living at an early age, through education and into lifelong learning. More home grown and community grown food is just the start, large food chain stores have to be held to account for forcing local farmers out of the market as a means to increase profits. ADHD and many other learning and behaviour problems are made more agresive and even caused by poor nutrition, e numbers and lack of exercise, this needs to be addressed.

161 Name and address supplied

I think we should be encouraging more people to support our local producers, I myself buy my milk, beef, chicken and as much other locally produced goods as I can. Far better to if need be spend a few pence more to get quality fresh goods while at the same time keeping the money in the local economy. The various farmers markets are ideal as are some of the remaining traditional local shops, as an example i buy milk and oatcakes from my local dairy and the quality of both is far superior to supermarket bought equivalents. Beef and other products from a local butcher again are fresher and are free of additives and you can taste the product as it should be without the usual salty/spicy taste associated with processed goods. I believe that we are lucky to be living in a place which produces most of what we need, we should all support the food industry where possible.

162 Conditions for Learning - Confidential

163 Joy Brown

I believe all school children (male and female alike) ought to have basic education in healthy cooking & basic nutrition, the value of organic food, how to save money and buy excellent quality by simply creating interesting dishes based around vegetables and so-called warm salads (I'm not a vegetarian myself but avoid meat, hence can afford all the fish I want, etc etc). For people with health problems - or those who are just interested as they never had the privilege of such an education - perhaps there could be government-funded classes for adults as this would save the NHS plenty of money in the long run.

164 Name and address supplied

An excellent start. People, on the whole, know what they should eat but sometimes don't know how to get the ingredients into a recipe. Recipes and food tasting would be of benefit at food counters for a period of time - even on a specified day a week for a time. Recipes could be marked 'budget', 'ready quickly' or 'easy to make' etc. Large supermarkets should not be allowed to put small food producers out of business and the small producers should be given a fair price for their produce. In addition, the supermarkets should not be allowed to reject vegetables that are not of a standard shape thus reducing waste. The public would soon get used to different sized/shaped vegetables just as they used to.

All school/nursery children should be given, not just free lunch, but free breakfast. It is well known that children who do not eat breakfast do not perform as well academically. Fisheries should be required to provide large amounts of space and organic food for fish. The fish should not be crammed in so closely that they cannot swim as nature intended. One can see the difference between farmed salmon and wild salmon, ror example, just by looking at the formation of the tail. We need 'natural' food not forced, unnatural food with the increased stress hormones that we will then eat. Same with battery hens. Should be abolished forthwith not wait until 2012. Is there a way to discourage the production of intensively reared meat, poultry and fish and reward those who use humane methods?

165 Name and address supplied

More measures need to be taken to support our local food producers such as pig farmers. The government should force supermarkets to increase the amount paid to dairy farmers. People should be encouraged to shop in local, small stores and farmers markets by reducing the number of new supermarkets being built (this is not fair competition). More allotment provision should be provided in towns / cities. Also, home economics at school should teach children what ingredients are, their origins, the moral and ethical reasons not to eat fast food and most importantly how to cook. Free schools meals should be provided for all and parents should be invloved in supervision at lunchtimes where possible. Scotland has a wealth of potential in terms of agri- and aqua- culture and this needs to be supported financially and politically by government immediately before the industry and required skilss die out.

166 Name and address supplied

My first issue is with the price of food that we seem to have an abundance of, e.g. lamb. Why does lamb cost so much when our fields are bouncing with lambs. I would suggest that we export far too much and cheaper imports flood the market. The same is true of vegetables. I really object to having to buy tomatoes from Holland when Scotland, notably Tayside, is a massive producer of tomatoes. The same is also true of fish, especially shellfish, e.g. langoustines. Ok, great, there is a huge demand for this product in the swanky restaurants of London, but why can't we keep some for ourselves. Environmentally there are issues too. Having just driven from London to Glasgow on Monday I was appalled at the number of trucks carying food up and down the M6. What is going on? Finally, why is the Government not making a stand with regards food packaging. I don't want my apples in a nice wee cardboard tray and shrink wrapping, I don't care if my carrots are dirty, I have a cheese grater therefore can grate my own cheese, I have knives therefore can cut up my own vegetables. Scrap the packaging and watch the rubbish mountain drop!

167 Shora Robertson

I think the current issues have been well-summarized in the paper. As I ordinary food consumer here are the things that I think need to be addressed: Re-connecting with food. Food is no longer an integral part of life for many people. It is bought pre-packed ready made or ready to blitz in a microwave. We need to re-embed food and the joy of cooking and eating into our culture across the board. Irresponsible advertising, profit v quality are issues that need to be addressed by the food and drink manufacturers and food retailers.

168 Hetty Lancaster

I think your Discussion Paper has the all the right ingredients (no pun intended) for Scotland's future health needs - healthier, greener, affordable, etc. As a farmers daughter i have always been very interested in food and where it comes from, and as a parent i am concerned with children's eating habits.

My main issues are noted below:

- healthier food needs to be cheaper so that low income families can afford it

- people who traditionally eat 'junk' need the opportunity to be educated about the choices they are making and how it effects them and the environment

- higher health and welfare standards for livestock

- increased support for local producers (especially small, family run farms and businesses)

- education of school children to healthy food habits and why they are important, reintroduction of home economics (or if we still have it then it needs to actually teach some cooking skills along with why it is important to know what's in your food and where it comes from)

- decrease the amount of additives, sugars, salt, etc in processed food

- move towards sustainable traditional farming methods (not necessarily organic) and a decrease in the use of fertilisers, pesticides, hormones, etc

- the production of high quality produce to boost exports

- banning the farming of genetically modified crops

- encouraging the population to buy Scottish/local produce to support our own economy

- increase in community gardens?

Sorry those were in no particular order and just off the top of my head. In general i would like to see better education around the importance of what we eat, where it comes from and it's effects on our health and the environment. Support for traditional farming methods and local producers with an increase in welfare standards for the more intensively farmed livestock. Lower costs for healthy food along with higher costs for unhealthy food.

169 Dundee Trades Union Council, Dundee

We would like to take the opportunity presented by this consultation to flag up the benefits of local allotment gardens. Allotments fulfil a crucial role in a number of ways in that they: a)Provide the opportunity to grow cheap, nutritious food. b)Eliminate food miles and packaging. c)Provide opportunities for exercise in a healthy environment at little or no cost. d)Provide access to social interaction and so help counteract social exclusion. e)Provide educational opportunities, for all ages, in horticultural theory and practice. f)Provide young people with awareness of different types of food and where they come from. g)Contribute to a diverse environment and provide many different localised ecosystems. h)Are virtually carbon neutral. i)Particularly benefit areas of urban deprivation, although demand for rural allotments is real. j)Have an inherently democratic ethos based on cooperation and mutual support.

The aspirations aimed at in this consultation could be enhanced by encouraging the use and development of allotments as part of the overall strategy. To this end we would suggest: a)The development of a coherent Allotment Strategy for Scotland in liaison with Cosla, local government and in consultation with representative organisations in the allotment community. b)The provision of a central (or localised) source of funding to assist allotment associations and sites in financing both the maintenance of and improvements to infrastructure, including paths, boundaries and services (water, electricity and waste).

170 Name and address supplied

I feel that we need to move away from the barbarism of farming animals for our own manipulation, slaughter, and consumption, and direct our ethics and public resources into healthier and more compassionate means of food production, e.g. organic, free range (if animals must be involved), and vegan, i.e. no meat, dairy, poultry, etc. I wish to see less public funds, and strategies, being directed towards farming, including the fishing industry, both on a local and national level. We are on a 'hiding to nothing' with this approach, in terms of environmental, sustainability, and health concerns.

171 David Martin

The food we eat is probably the most important factor in our health and cultural wellbeing. A great deal more could be done in education to help children experience the benefits and joy of good food and learn how to use wholesome food in their daily lives. However, cookery and an understanding of ingredients is not given sufficient prominence in the school curriculum. Sadly, the skills and knowledge that were once taught by mothers and grandmothers in the home have been largely lost. Education in this important area should be a requirement for all children at secondary level, however I understand it is not. Certainly my own children learned very little, if anything, about cooking from school. I am told that in many schools the support for cookery as a subject is very limited, partly because it is expensive and partly because it is not seen as an academic subject that will provide results in the academic league tables. So that, in many schools, the support for a cookery class, in terms of resources like finance for ingredients and classroom assistance to the teacher, do not match those that would be made available to a class in science or technical subjects. There are many good reasons to give food and food preparation a higher priority and more resources in education. Health benefits and savings in remedial health treatments; benefits in quality of life and life experience; and economic benefits in improvements to our catering and leisure industries. We know that tourism is one of Scotlands biggest service industries. However, it is also generally known that the quality of catering in many of our hotels, restaurants and bars is average to poor, relying largely on pre-cooked and frozen meals, because staff with the necessary skills to prepare food can not be found. While the quality of food provided may be acceptable to a large part of our indigenous population who have been raised on on 'burger and chips' diet and culture, it does little to attract foreign visitors to Scotland.

172 Elizabeth Nicoll

As a Home Economics teacher I am anxious that the teaching of food and health related to the healthier individual is being stifled due to the shortage of specialist teachers in this area. It is time practical food skills were made compulsory on the curriculum. The earlier we can teach children the basics the more chance it will last and have an impact on the nations health. Education efficiency savings do not do justice to this possibility. We teach the whole food supply chain and the importance of choice in relation to an individuals health and well being. Let us give every single child that opportunity.

173 Kerry Walker

1. I think we should do more to educate and advertise the benefits of eating locally produced Scottish produce(to the environment, the economy and health. I remember being in Australia, where a well known businessman had endorsed food products manufactured within the country, and these were branded with a specific logo, this helped to market and educate on the benefits of eating local produce. A similar initiative might be a good idea for Scotland. I don't think people give much thought to where a food product comes from and the impact it has. (ie we might buy butter from Holland, when there is butter made 10 miles away, tasting exactly the same!)

2.I think it would be good to encourage supermarkets to stock more locally sourced ingredients. I have frequently looked for Scottish products in supermarkets and not found them, for example last week I found honey from New Zealand, Mexico, Australia and Spain in my local supermarket, but none from Scotland. The only honey made in England had been sent to Denmark for packaging!

3. It would be good to have more incentives to bring down the price of foods grown organically or with strict animal welfare standards. I may be wrong, but I have heard that supermarkets tend to put a bigger price increase on organic/free range products as they know people will buy them anyway for ethical reasons. This is unfair, and I strongly feel that these price increases should either be the same as standard products or less to help to support this more sustainable and ethical type of farming.

4. There should be measures in place so that it is illegal to retail any meat products from abroad that do not conform to British standards of production and welfare, and that this is closely regulated. Hopefully this may help in part to help local farmers.

5. I think farmer's markets are a great idea, and it would be good to extend these where possible as often they take place infrequently and not in all areas.

6. It is often difficult to support small local food shops when one works 9 -5 full time, even though one would rather use these. It would be good to promote initiatives to tackle this problem.

7. More help needs to be made to tackle people's lack of cooking skills. I see many people in my profession who do not know how to prepare food. More emphasis should be given on home economics in school and providing opportunities to learn about healthy food provision and cooking in the community, particularly for new parents etc

8. There have been some great initiatives in schools and nursery education recently - Hungry for success, free fruits, water bottles,improved dietary education.I think it is really important that these interventions are protected to continue and are built on. Some other interventions to improve children's diets could tackle parental education and skills in providing a healthy diet, and encouraging healthier food choices outwith the school and home (ie work with food outlets near schools, incentives to make food choices healthier etc)

174 Community Food and Health, Glasgow - Confidential

175 McCarrison Society - Scottish Group, Arbroath

Thank you for your phone call and letter in response to my letter to Richard Lochhead MSP dated 8th February of this year. I had intended to enclose the two sided information sheet about the McCarrison Society and the food guidelines which we promote. So it is enclosed this time.

Our views are broadly in line with those of the Soil Association. We believe that food should be produced in as natural state as possible, grown on healthy soil and supplied locally as far as possible. We believe that we should try to eat as much organic food as possible. Sometimes it is better to make a local choice - Reg. free range chicken rather than an organic alternative from another country.

I recommend that you and the Minister read a paper delivered on the 22nd November 2007 to the Soil Association by Prof. Richard Heinbergh, Prof. of Environmental Economics, University of North Carolina. It was the Lady Eve Balfour Lecture. His lecture was entitled "What Will We Eat As The Oil Runs Out?" He concludes that a hundred years from now everybody will be eating what we would define today as organic food, whether or not we act to tackle our dependence on fossil fuels.

You will see that we hold public meetings about twice per year at which are usually held in Edinburgh or Perth. I enclose a poster and flyer about our next meeting which takes place on 26th April at the Friends meeting House in Edinburgh. We are a small society but we are quite active. The UK Chairman is Prof. Michael Crawford of the Department of Brain Chemistry & Human Nutrition at London Metropolitan University. Michael will be speaking in Scotland at a FAB (Food & Behaviour) conference at Nairn in September I believe.

176 Scottish Association Of Meat Wholesalers - Confidential

177 Jim Riach

I would recommend a shift to the development local supply chains providing nutritious local grown seasonal food. Reduce packaging and food waste. Make a shift from road to rail distribution but maintain a focus on local supply chains. Reduce car dependency for shopping and encourage more "in town" development as outlined in PAN 59 Produce public sector procurement guidelines for catering services to make sustainable consumption the priority, emphasising fresh, seasonal and local fruit and vegetables. Focus on local food production and distribution networks to create greater food security for Scotland so building goals of sustainable development into the existing food economy. Build on the existing work of "Hungry for Success"

178 Name, address and response supplied - Confidential

179 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Isle of Lewis

4.1 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar welcomes the opportunity to respond to the discussion paper on the Future for Food in Scotland. The Islands almost total reliance on imported food from the mainland and further afield is of concern at a time of rapidly increasing food and transport costs. A more sustainable approach to the consumption of fresh produce in particular could be of significant benefit to both the inshore fisheries sector and the agricultural/horticultural sector in the Islands.

4.2 The development of the regional qualities for food production in relation to the tourism industry would benefit both the producers and the tourism operators. The distinctive regional produce locally sourced will enhance the visitor experience and benefit the producer who can sell locally without having to incur high transport costs to markets on the mainland or beyond.

4.3 Direct support for the local food sector would be required for a sustained period to allow co-ordination activities to both facilitate provision of produce and also promote production beyond its current low base. A critical mass of producers is required to give the industry stability and capacity to continue expansion over the next five to ten years. Experience on the Islands with relation to local markets is that this initial kick start is essential for success.

4.4 Much of the inshore waters fisheries catch is sent off to the continent, the market infrastructure that has been established over recent years has been developed with the high paying continental market in mind. A more local market could be established to add value, reduce transport losses and costs. There are however peaks and troughs in the fisheries and tourism sectors that are at odds with a stable local market - for example; the peak inshore fisheries season is in the run up to Christmas when the tourism sector in the Islands is in low season. Local markets would have to be able to both supply the local market at its peak but also sustain the fisheries sector during its peak period. It may be that a public/private sector approach would provide this flexibility enabling the public sector procurement to increase during the tourist low season.

4.5 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar believe that there is potentially great benefit to producers and producer groups who can supply to the public sector. The public sector in the Western Isles is a substantial part of the local economy but constraints on supplying to the public sector are such that small producers find it difficult to comply with the regulations. It may be that the best option for the Western Isles is for some form of co-operative venture between producers in order that they can "gear up" to provide for the demands of supplying to the public sector.

4.6 The proposed National Food Policy should take cognisance of the current constraints limiting production as mentioned in 4.4 above. To enable a rapid growth in production, support from development agencies should be re-focused towards small to medium sized businesses. As mentioned in the discussion paper most food and drink firms have fewer that 10 employees yet it is these small businesses in the Islands that struggle to get support.

4.7 Although the discussion paper highlights the rise in organic production crofters, in particular, have not been able to take full advantage of the organic premium for livestock. In reality the extensive nature of livestock production is equal to or exceeds organic standards but this cannot currently be recognised due to the fact that common grazings are accepted as being of organic status. More should be done to investigate a realistic interpretation of standards to allow crofters to participate in organic production whilst still utilising their common grazings.

4.8 The discussion paper outlines what local authorities might need to do to help meet the Scottish Governments' goals such as; Sharing Best practice with other public bodies, ensuring that all school children are taught about food and taking responsibility for good nutrition in schools, promoting local food networks and farmers' markets and increasing the collection of food waste from households for composting. Comhairle nan Eilean Siar are working positively in relation to the points mentioned above and indeed have agreed a pilot supply of local food to Island schools later on this year. The Comhairle have also agreed to host a local food conference later in the year to promote concept of "local food for local consumption" However, in order to provide developmental support to the sector more financial resources are required to assist and enable sustained growth.

180 Denise Matthew

Where we buy food - supermarkets decide our quantities for us;it can be very difficult to buy fruit and vegetables loose. This creates waste. The organic choice is still the expensive choice. Air miles can be misleading; yes the food may have travelled further, but its carbon footprint may be smaller. Food grown out of season here uses more pesticides, and is often kept refrigerated for long periods of time. Stop councils allowing developers to build houses with no local plans for shops that people can walk to. Teach children from a young age what is healthy to eat, and how to do it. Get councils to pilot household compost bins-educate the children.

181 Name and address supplied

That Scotland's consumers have access to wholesome, affordable food · That animals reared for food production are always treated with respect and humanity · That consumers are provided with the information they need to make informed ethical choices · That the effects of diet choices on public health are acknowledged and addressed · That the effects of food production on the environment are acknowledged and addressed · That public procurement policies make high animal welfare standards a requirement Ethics come first - now and always.

182 Name, address and response supplied - Confidential

183 Name and address supplied

The food industry spends too much time and money transporting goods around the country. Apart from the environmental and monetary costs, the items in question are deteriorating rapidly from the moment they enter the chain, resulting in a poorer quality article for the consumer. An example I encountered some years ago was where Halls of Broxburn (now Grampian Country Pork Halls)delivered sausages to a Co-op distribution depot in Leeds which then delivered the products to outlets in Scotland. This type of nonsense is common place as all the major supermarkets have large distribution depots. My other comment is on "washing vegetables". Most potatoes, carrots etc are sold by the supermarket as washed and bagged. The produce has a much shorter shelf life than that with dirt still attached, as we used to be able to buy.

184 Ann Stevenson

The Government should support the farming industry as the backbone of the rural economy and make sure that food bought for schools and other government contracts is purchased locally in Scotland and that the meals are nutritionally sound to ensure a healthy future for the Scottish people.

185 Name and address supplied

There are two main issues. One is the health of the population; physical, cultural and spiritual. The other is sustainability of food production. Both are interlinked: a well-informed population who are educated to know the best that food can offer will favour local, healthy ingredients. Scotland is well-placed to make progress on both issues, being blessed with abundant land and waters. However it is coming from behind in terms of local food, and knowledge of healthy eating. There is a myth that healthy eating must be expensive: untrue if meals with a preponderance of pulses and fresh vegetables, are prepared from scratch. We have been educated by global corporations to seek highly processed, packaged and unhealthy foods. In order to reverse this, Government has a key role in terms of legislation, education policy, and public sector leadership.

The key lies within education: if children can learn to cook with from scratch, using a mixture of local and international food to reflect and celebrate our multi-cultural society, they will learn: the value of food; key aspects of other cultures; healthy eating; vital life skills; the origins of our food. Thus within our schools we need to promote 'home economics' or a modern iteration of this, promote local and organic food for school meals (witness Hurlford Primary as an exemplar), and actively discourage the provision of obesogenic sweets, drinks and fast foods. Councils should have the authority to prevent mobile food vendors from parking within 2 miles of schools. Sustainability will be a key issue in the 21st century, with Peak Oil (officially recognised by the Government, anticipated in 2030, but some commentators and Government documents now referring to 2020) having a major effect on food security. This is because so much of our food consumption depends on highly industrialised agriculture, use of petroleum based products, fertilisers with high energy costs, and 'food miles'. Thus although a return to local food sources may cause economic pain and in some respects is less efficient, it is demonstrably more sustainable in a post-oil world.

Excessive use of natural resources such as over-fishing must be prevented: fish stocks off Newfoundland have never recovered from the failure to prevent stock depletion. Policy must also account for fair treatment of local producers in developing countries. One policy area tying all these themes together is the back-garden vegetable patch and the allotment system. I believe there is evidence that the cohort growing up through the second world war were healthier, due to restrictions on meat and sugar, the physical activity, community aspects and high proportion of vegetables consumed. There have also been experimental ventures in England based on co-operative investment and collective assistance to local farms, which are worth investigating.

186 Emma Patterson Taylor

As a student studying Sustainable Environmental Management, a worker who chooses to be employed by purveyors of quality produce and a person who believes that the issues of food and the environment are inextricably linked. I would like to see importance emphasised, awareness shown and support given to the following topics reflected in your policies for Scotland; - local produce, producers, traditional skills - food miles, issue of not being able to feed ourselves - organic produce, made more accessible and grown closer to home - fair trade, the need to support others less privileged then ourselves as a western nation - artisan producers, specialist on a small scale, high value and sometimes exclusive but should not have to be and is important in raising the bar as far as food production is concerned This scramble of issues is unfortunately like this because I am in the middle of deadline but I hope they can be recognised and understood.

If there is one issue that I would like remembered though it is the problem of the supermarkets. I know we are in an age that depend on them but things have to change in this respect. They have become like a drug, the spread of which is supported by the phrase 'but the customers want them' - this is not a good enough excuse. Do you give someone their hit of the day just because they ask you to? I refer mainly to Tesco as the real poisoner of the system but they are all guilty as charged. The price of everything that is bad for us drops thereby sucking in those who are most at risk of only surviving on this type of produce. Cheap alcohol, white sliced bread, crisps.... this is not the answer. Scots are poisoning their bodies and although no-one can just blame the supermarkets, after all we do have free will, however they really aren't helping. Neither is the governments support.

I would ask it to be understood that they way forward for Scotland is for us to take responsibility for our health and for the government to do everything they can to support this. Encourage little shops, keep money in the local community, the better the place you live the higher your well being is likely to be, which ties into relieving the NHS of its already very heavy burden, inform us, point us in the right direction, and don't narrow our choices by blanketing our country with a tesco metro on every corner, keep them open by letting all the options compete fairly. And most importantly think holistically. Remember that everything ties into everything and that the little girl will not be happier just because she got her five a day or because her local superstore is green-washing her local community by pretending that it counteracts its carbon footprint with a small windmill prominently positioned over it's front door. She will be happier if she knows the farmer who grew her apple got a good price and does not have his job continually threatened by a new promotion, if her coffee has helped a village in Kenya, if her cheese is the produce of someone who truly cares about the ingredients and how it is made, if when she does her shopping her pocket money stays in the local community, if she can buy organic without bankrupting her mother and so on... If she's anything like me anyway. Again sorry for the rambling rant but this stuff is really important. Good luck! Please produce something which we as Scots can be proud of and acknowledge by getting ourselves sorted out. Then hopefully those horrifically high numbers of heart attacks, instances of diabetes, short lives and so on can stop and we can maybe become aware, be informed consumers and turn our health track record around and in doing so become happier people... You never know... Little girls (or 21 year old ones in this case) dreams do sometimes come true......

187 Name and address supplied

Until supermarkets start stocking fruit and veg which is both ripe and flavoursome, rather than stock chosen for its ability to withstand shipping, and to last on the shelves almost indefinitely, we will have a problem with people not wanting to buy and/or eat it. For example, most of the tomatoes available (unless you can afford a premium range) are red on the surface and hard, tasteless, and colourless inside. Most fruit has been picked green, force-ripened, and as a result is hard and unappealing despite looking good. I am lucky to have a supplier locally who delivers, as otherwise I would be living off frozen and tinned veg.

188 Maureen Potter

I think we need to start looking at the quality of food which can be sourced in Scotland and reduce the number of imported expensive foods. We have excellent beef, lamb, fish, poultry, etc. We have become used to over processed foods and forgotten how to savour the distinctive flavour of real quality food. Many of the sauces whcih are used in other countries were used to disguise the poor quality of the initial ingredients. However we do need to cut down on the use of animal fats when cooking and also the use of salt. That could be remedied through vegetable or sunflower oil and appropriate use of herbs rather than salt. Education must begin in the school but perhaps there should also be adult cooking classes similar to the adult literacy classes as there is generation out there who nothing about traditional cooking.

189 Name and address supplied

I would like the national food policy to ensure the following: 1. That Scotland's consumers have access to wholesome, affordable food 2. That animals reared for food production are always treated with respect and humanity 3. That consumers are provided with the information they need to make informed ethical choices 4. That the effects of diet choices on public health are acknowledged and addressed 5. That the effects of food production on the environment are acknowledged and addressed 6. That public procurement policies make high animal welfare standards a requirement.

190 Name and address supplied

Thank you for the chance to comment The discussion paper includes "sustainable growth" as part of the vision. The only sustainable future for food production can be organic farming. Agri- chemicals will become increasingly expensive as oil supplies deplete. In addition, pollution from chemicals damages our environment. And a recent study has shown that organic food is healthier. I would like to see the promotion of locally sourced food produced by organic methods. People have become disconnected from the land and the production of food. The government can help by encouraging the expansion of allotments in cities where there are long waiting lists. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is another way of connecting people to food supplies and needs to be supported. All public services including health and education need to be encouraged to buy local organic produce where possible. Children at school need to be tempted to cook their own food and therefore develop new skills. A recent sudy in hospitals in Cornwall showed an improvement in patient health with locally sourced food. I see the future as local and organic rather than based on the power of supermarkets.

191 Name, address and response supplied - Confidential

192 Mr Edwin I A Hill, Dunbar

Food health scares eg. CJD have happened before. Regardless of animal welfare itself - animal welfare is in the interests of people! Animals first, is a better policy for human welfare!

193 Name and address supplied

I welcome this opportunity to comment on food policy in Scotland. There is no mention in the leaflet of game as a food source. Meat that does not require an imported cereal input is clearly of importance to Scotland and venison certainly doesn't. Presently there is little or no marketing of venison in contrast to the position of lamb or beef. The Deer Commission does not play this role. The culling rates are still not as large as the Commission would like. The retail sale of venison in the West of Scotland is split between the fish shops and the butchers. Typically venison in fish shops, while of good quality is badly cut up. Even venison coming from the large game merchants is not well prepared. I feel that the sale of venison for home consumption should be supported.

Some suggestions for action.

1) Ensure that there are the training courses for butchers include game.

2) Set up some sort of marketing organisation in line with the ones for other meat. In the case of venison I suspect that more needs to be done to establish integration of the distribution side. This organisation would need to consider barriers to higher consumption (lack of recipes, never eaten in school, can't eat Bambi) and stress the environmental and health benefits of increased venison consumption to Scotland.

3) Direct the Deer Commission to be more pro-active . More dawn raids. I have commented particularly on venison as in this section of the game production there is a known capacity for more supply. Ducks, hares, rabbits also do not require cereal input - woodpigeons may. Encouragement of home production in gardens and allotments of fruit and vegetables should play a role in the new strategy. This requires input from Scottish Government to Local Government to implement more speedily their statutory obligations to provide allotments, and to ensure that all Councils do have an allotment strategy.

194 Name and address supplied

Marketing of foods high in fat, salt and sugar

The Discussion Paper makes little reference to the marketing of foods and drinks high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS) to consumers, in particular children. As a Nutritionist and a parent I urge the Scottish Government to look seriously at how to restrict further the marketing of HFSS foods, especially to children. Measures should address marketing in all its forms, including novel forms of marketing using SMS messaging and the internet as well as more traditional methods such as sponsorship of school football clubs and swimming badges. As a parent I am made very angry by food and soft drinks companies' attempts to undermine my efforts to instil in my children an appreciation and enjoyment of healthy foods and drinks. I learned recently, for example, that the football club my son attends at his primary school on a Wednesday lunchtime has sports bibs with a well-known fast food company's branding on them.

Red meat

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) "the livestock sector has such deep and wide ranging impacts that it should rank as one of the leading focuses for environmental policy" [1]. Livestock production is responsible for 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions from all human activities measured as CO2 equivalent1, higher than transport which accounts for 14% [2].

A recent high quality systematic review of the evidence by the World Cancer Research Fund and American Institute of Cancer Research also concluded that: "Red meat is a convincing cause of colorectal cancer." [3]

For both environmental and health reasons, in my view Scotland's national food policy should look at ways of reducing the amount of meat produced and consumed in Scotland, in particular smoked, cured and salted meats. This need not mitigate against our economic success (which is clearly of the utmost importance) but would, I recognise, require significant creative thinking and structural adjustment within the agro-food sector.

Make explicit the full range of data and rationale for what is and is not included in the new national food policy

I suggest that it is critical that the new food policy for Scotland is more explicit about the data and factors in addition to consultees' views which have been collated and considered by policy makers in developing the new national food policy. There may be an equivalent and equally rigorous analysis of the context within which the new food policy will operate underpinning the Discussion Paper, similar to that produced recently by the Cabinet Office in England [4], but in the present discussion document this is not make clear. I would encourage policy makers to ensure that a rigorous analysis of the evidence has taken place. This will help ensure that the policy is realistic in its scope, and sets achievable objectives.

Be more outcome focused

The vision set out in the Discussion Paper is very welcome. However I suggest that the final national food policy needs to go much further than this vision, and needs to identify specific, measurable and time-bound outcomes which are within its gift to deliver. It then needs to establish a clear plan of action to deliver these outcomes, preferably also setting interim outcomes to check progress 'en route'.

In conclusion I would encourage the Scottish Government to be brave in championing the interests of consumers and the environment in its new national food policy, and to ensure that the policy is firmly grounded in evidence, is achievable, and progress in implementing it is measurable.

195 Elizabeth Furey

I think it would be good if food was seasonal and we bought local produce but I feel we need more education about this and Supermarkets encouraged to buy in local produce and to make people aware of whats seasonal and to encourage eating what's in season as I feel that would help to make us eat more healthily.

196 Helen Willis

I believe that the state of our food habits and obesity is so far out of control that we must take drastic measures to reverse the trend amongst children. This means restricting their access to fast food at lunchtimes, forcing them to stay in school to eat and serving healthy meals not the current choices of hot dogs, pizzas, chicken burgers etc. We should tax unhealthy food to a greater extent to prevent it being a cheap option for low income families. Encourage local shops to stock fresh fruit and veg to make them more accessible.

197 Vivienne Moir

That Scotland's consumers have access to wholesome, affordable food That animals reared for food production are always treated with respect and humanity That consumers are provided with the information they need to make informed ethical choices That the effects of diet choices on public health are acknowledged and addressed That the effects of food production on the environment are acknowledged and addressed That public procurement policies make high animal welfare standards a requirement.

198 Shirley Spear, Isle of Skye

Hopefully the National Discussion on our future Food Policy has highlighted just how large, diverse and important this subject is. I do not know what the figures are for the number of people who have taken part in this discussion, but my greatest wish is that we had looked at the whole picture in this way twenty years ago. I hope that all action we take from now onwards, is not too late. I congratulate Richard Lochhead and his team for tackling the subject so thoroughly. My greatest hope is that the national discussion will re-kindle a pride and some real passion among Scots for our fantastic, natural Scottish larder.

There are so many things changing right now. Climate change and changing World demand for ingredients is having a dramatic effect upon stocks of grain and animal foodstuffs. In turn this is affecting the cost of ingredients, from the most everyday items such as milk, eggs and bread, to top quality pork and beef. The high price of fuel is affecting the cost of production and of course, the fishing industry. All of these things affect the Tourism and Hospitality Industry directly and dramatically.

The very best quality is always home-produced and Scottish. I hope that the national discussion will increase the population's awareness of how fantastic our own Scottish ingredients are and how little attention we have paid to them in the past 30 or 40 years. As a Scot I am dismayed at the lack of pride we have shown in our food heritage and how knowledge of our own home-grown ingredients has dwindled. We have neglected our amazing culture of great home cooking and welcoming hospitality to the extent that we have lost the knowledge of how to cook the simplest meals and our renowned home baking skills. I would love to re-establish these things among Scots of all ages, first and foremost. This would have an instant effect upon the health and well-being of the nation.

Secondly - and on a grander scale - I want to see Government support firmly behind ensuring that Scots kitchens have the best pick of every crop and all fresh produce in the country's wholesale markets, High Street shops and mega-stores. I believe that far too much of our best produce goes abroad and never sees the market place in Scotland. This applies to our best quality fresh white fish, shellfish, meat and (in particular) wild game, but also some of our seasonal crops such as soft fruits, are extremely hard to buy. For example, the chance of a buying a box of Scottish asparagus during its short season, is almost non-existent for me as a Scottish restaurateur. Where do all the raspberries, strawberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants disappear to? How often do we see Scottish tomatoes or Clyde Valley plums in the shops any more? The simplest ingredients such as curly kale and potatoes should be easy to obtain, but they are not.

My third point is about the importance of local abattoirs. We have a network of local auction marts that is second-to-none. Farmers and their buyers deal with each other on very local and personal scale, but there are not enough local abattoirs to back-up this age-old system that should be preserved at all costs. This would help to encourage local production hugely, particularly in the Highlands and Islands. We should be doing everything possible to encourage small-scale stock farming in rural areas, instead of allowing it to decline.

Moving on to my fourth point: we rushed into fish farming before we had researched and understood the wider implications of the effects of this system of food production. In recent years, our knowledge has increased - but probably too late to turn-about the damage that has been done to the seabed and wild fish stocks. I also believe that we should be protecting our stocks of white fish by more careful management of fishing areas, particularly in-shore. Much more than this, we should be encouraging environmentally friendly methods of fishing in inshore waters and discouraging trawling and scallop dredging in favour of creels and hand-diving. Local fishermen should be encouraged to take pride in selling locally first, before taking the easiest route of selling-off their whole catch to the international wholesalers who are greedy for every item and control the high prices commanded at the pier.

Personally, I will continue to do everything I can do to set a good example in my restaurant and continue to work hard in my own small way, to encourage everyone in authority to take the Scottish food story more seriously. Selling Scotland through its food culture and heritage is a subject very close to my heart.

199 Church of Scotland, Church and Society Council

2. Putting the issues in Context

2.1 "Food is a central theme throughout the Bible because of the web of interactions it evokes: interactions between people and the land, between people as social actors and between people and the divine. How food was produced, distributed, prepared and eaten had consequences which went far beyond the supply of nourishment to peoples bodies."(1)

The frequency of references to food and to meals in the Bible indicate the central importance of food related issues, the centrality of food to the structure of societies and the contribution of food production to environmental and heritage issues. Agriculture has long been recognised as "multifunctional" (2). The preoccupation of looking at food and trade in food as purely economic issues is of recent vintage.

2.2 Over recent years agriculture has changed greatly both in Scotland and throughout the world. By 2020, it is estimated that the world's population will reach around 7.5 billion (current estimate 6.4 billion). Yet both food security globally, and levels of malnutrition throughout the world (measured as a percentage of total populations) have improved greatly in the last 30 years (3). In all continents except Africa, (4) the number of underweight children has declined; however, malnutrition among African children continues to increase. Overall, the number of hungry people in developing countries, excluding China, grew from 630 million to 673 million between 1990 and 2002. An estimated 824 million people in the developing world were affected by chronic hunger in 2003 (5). These are major challenges for international food policy.

2.3 World wide over the past 50 years food supply has increased at a faster rate than population growth. (6) This has sometimes led to stability but also to reductions in the world market prices of many food products, such as wheat, rice, beef and soya. Looking ahead it seems improbable that such a situation can continue. World population continues to grow. The factors which have permitted increases in agricultural production, especially those related to bringing new land into cultivation, the use of water for irrigation and the use of chemicals, seem less capable of increase in the future. Trade is increasingly vital to secure food supplies and so global issues have an increased importance to those who live in Scotland.

2.4 International institutions have become increasingly important. The current shape of Scottish agriculture is largely a product of the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Until recently it influenced what was grown and how much was grown. It still provides much of the funding for most of agriculture. The Single Farm Payment, which effectively gave farmers freedom over what they might grow, became effective as recently as 2005. It will change again and seems likely to decrease in 2013. International trade is ruled by the deliberations of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), by organisations such as the World Bank and by multinational companies such as Wal-Mart. If we wish to influence trade in food, at home or in the developing countries then we must affect the deliberations of such organisations.

2.5 In Scotland, as in other developed countries, the overall quantity and choice of foods available has improved greatly in the past 50 years. However, in a mainly urban society, the pattern of food consumption has changed as society itself has changed. This has resulted in changes in where we buy food, the variety of food we consume, the amounts of food consumed outwith the home, and the sources of the food which is "eaten out". Traditional school meals have decreased while consumption of "fast foods" has increased, and there are large social structural issues around changes in who we eat with. The increasing dominance of supermarkets and large commercial food processing companies in the mass market has dramatically changed the way people shop, eat, and think about food. The strength of the supermarket sector and the small number of players has meant that many of the crucial decisions about food have moved beyond the control of governments and into the hands of companies which may not be UK based.

2.6 The issue of fair trade in food thus clearly goes far beyond consideration of markets and of economics. It is a microcosm of most of the major issues where global economic drivers and wider societal values, especially Christian values, are in tension. In seeking to address current issues related to the fair trading of food a wider range of issues such as the role of government and the striking of an appropriate balance between economic drivers and sustainability, particularly of the environment and of social structures, must be considered.

2.8 In Scottish political terms, issues of food and agriculture are complicated by being the responsibilities of very different levels of Government. Responsibility for agriculture and rural development is devolved to the Scottish administration. But negotiations regarding European policy development, and hence the CAP, are conducted at the UK level, while negotiations with the WTO are conducted by the European Commission, with input from London. The Scottish Executive has discretionary powers when it comes to the administration of the single farm payment, and processing and marketing grants; but Scottish ministers have only a marginal influence when it comes to trade negotiations, although they can negotiate on behalf of Scottish farming on such things as the recent removal of the beef export ban. One question is how can Scottish concerns be adequately reflected at these international levels? A related one is how individual Christians or Churches can influence these international organisations many of which are multi-national businesses?

2.9 The above economically driven ideas envisage Scottish and UK agriculture competing effectively and efficiently in global agricultural markets freed from barriers that inhibit trade and production. However it would seem to us that the key issue within the food sector is that currently there are no free and fair markets in the trading of food. In addition these markets impact socially upon people as much as they impact economically on production. Any just vision for Scottish agriculture must therefore be concerned with the wider issues of trade justice. Scottish agricultural solutions must be aware of the social impact of global trading systems on people and especially on those in the developing countries.

A Perception of Societal Issues

2.14 In addition to the above traditional trade and economic related issues there are also societal issues. Within our society, the importance of family and even of communal eating, such as school meals, has diminished. Links between consumers and local producers have weakened, resulting in a poorer understanding of the links between the use of land for food production and a range of societal and heritage issues. In addition, changes in diet, particularly among poorer people, have paralleled increases in obesity and linked ailments such as diabetes and cardio-vascular disease. It is important therefore to ask whether recent changes in food supply have led to a society which is more content with itself or one which is more generous to the less well off. An example from the work of an individual church illustrates some of the problems of our current society. It also provides hope that changes affecting the lives of individuals can be made.

Wider issues

2.15 Clearly there are issues in respect of trade in food which affect farming in Scotland and producers in the developing countries. While the history and the detailed mechanisms which have generated current problems are different, some issues in both cases relate to the weight given to economics in an area which is more complex than this. The situation is exacerbated by the apparently low value placed on food by consumers in the developed nations. For all producers this is accentuated by the unequal distribution of power and resources within the food trading chain. In Scotland this is seen in the power of the supermarkets and, in the developing countries in the power of the developed world. This situation makes some kind of support, via the CAP, essential to sustaining agriculture in Scotland but also identifies the need for WTO rules that are sensitive to the needs of small producers in the developing countries .

4. Fair Food and Scottish Agriculture

Farming and Rural Scotland

4.1 Farming is not just a job - it is a way of life, a major contributor to our cultural heritage and increasingly a major part of our approach to the management of the environment. It is responsible for the management of 75% of Scotland's land area. In the recent past, farming has been at the heart of the Scottish economy and remains so in most of our rural areas. Without agriculture our food processing and tourist industries would be significantly smaller.

Box 4-1

Scottish Farming Facts

75% of the Scottish land mass is used for agricultural production.

Produce from Scottish farms and crofts is worth £2bn per year. Scotland exports £400m (£2.4 bn, including whisky) of food per year.

70k people (8% of the rural work force) are directly employed in agriculture. Around 250k jobs in total, in Scotland, are dependant on agriculture.

85% of Scotland is classified as less favoured area by the EU.

The average net farm income of all farms in Scotland in 2004/5 was £10.5k.

The average can be misleading because farm income clearly varies substantially from a small croft to a large arable farm.

Average net income was highest for farms where the principle enterprises were low ground cattle and sheep (+£17k) and for dairy farms (+£25k).

They were lowest for cereal (- £4.2k) and general cropping enterprises (-£0.6k) both of which, on average, ran at a loss.

Net farm income includes their CAP payment. CAP payments to Scottish agriculture totalled £500m last year.

This represented an average of £25k per farm.

Again the range across the 20k registered units is large and so the average is misleading. (19)

4.2 For many years, farming provided a standard of living which was above average. That is no longer the case. In addition, UK self sufficiency declined from over 80% to around 70% in the last decade. Many individual farming sectors have significantly declined. (20) Despite this, Scottish agriculture remains diverse, supplies around 25% of the food consumed in Scotland, and provides a critical base for other rural industries.

Box 4-2 Scottish Agricultural production

Livestock:

The beef industry is the single most important sector of the Scottish farming industry. Over one million beef cows produced 180k tons of beef worth £400m. Scotland has 30% of the UK beef herd and 4% of the EU herd.

Scotland has around eight million sheep. It produced 55k tons of sheep meat worth £120m. Scotland has around 22% of the UK sheep flock and over 6% of the EU flock.

Scotland produced 58k tons of pig meat worth £150m from around 10% of the UK herd.

There are 15 million poultry, four million for egg production of 853m eggs worth £30m, and the remainder for meat worth £87m. Scotland has 9% of UK egg production and almost 8% of poultry meat production.

Dairy:

199k dairy cows produced 1.3m litres of milk worth over £230m. Scotland has 9% of the UK dairy herd.

Crops:

In 2005, 417k ha of cereals were grown in Scotland. The two million tons of barley were worth £117m and the 906k tons of wheat £56m. Scotland has 12% of the UK cereal area. In 2005, Scotland had 29k ha of potatoes, 17% of the UK acreage, which produced over one million tons - worth £104m. (21)

4.3 The decreasing diversity and profitability of Scottish agriculture mean that for many "Fair Trade" and Trade Justice are important issues. The contribution of CAP to total farm income means that changes in its magnitude or allocation will have a significant effect on the whole rural sector. Whether we want a significant agricultural sector in Scotland is a real question. Without measures to improve the trading situation of our agriculture and/or continuation of CAP funding, agriculture will significantly decrease.

4.4 A major change in the emphasis of many recent government studies has been the need for farming to take more responsibility for its own future.

" Most importantly, this vision will not be delivered by the Government alone. Indeed in several places it calls for the Government to stand back and allow enterprise to flourish. Government must assist by providing the right policy framework but the future of the farming and food industry will be decided on the ground" (22).

Food Security

4.5 The future role of Scottish agriculture must be seen in the context of discussions of UK Food security. A very recent study addressed these issues and asked: How much agriculture does the UK, including Scotland, need? Is it safe for us to rely on most of our food being imported? (23) This led to the following suggestions:

1. The UK should move to a less subsidy dependent trading environment.

2. The UK self-sufficiency ratio, ie domestic production related to consumption, is no longer of importance.

3. Risks within the food chain can be dealt with via market mechanisms with food security being enhanced by the removal of barriers to trade.

4. International trade will enhance global food security by maximising the world's productive potential.

Were these conclusions to be implemented by Government it would change the status of agriculture in Scotland, of our trade with developing countries and would influence discussions on the retention of CAP. The changing importance of self sufficiency is also influenced by consumer expectations. Consumer demand for year-round availability and more exotic foods has also reduced the market share of UK agriculture. Added to this there seems to be a government view that future food security involves diversifying supply options with the risks dealt with by well functioning markets, especially through sourcing foods from other EU countries.

4.6 The Food Security report identified an important role for domestic production but doubted the importance of links between food security and issues such as environmental protection and health and nutrition. Local supply was not a priority. A main conclusion was that:

"Discourse centred on UK self-sufficiency is fundamentally misplaced and unbalanced. The real issues extend beyond agriculture, beyond food."

This leads to an agenda in which the key issues are:

1. strengthening energy security;

2. promotion of food security in developing countries especially those whose production potential is vulnerable to the impact of global climate change;

3. strengthening of the single European Market;

4. tackling domestic poverty, especially through developing access to healthy food;

5. promoting a flexible, skilled and market orientated agriculture across the whole EU including the UK ..

4.7 While these suggestions do not necessarily contradict the most recent SEERAD Rural Development Plan (24), which prioritised developing quality agriculture and food processing, enhancing rural landscapes and developing diversity within our rural communities it would significantly change priorities.

The Common Agricultural Policy

4.8 Over living memory, farming has been a supported industry. (25) The mechanism of support has varied. Post-1945 and until the UK entry into the Common Market (now the EU) this was through deficiency payments. Since 1973, it has been through the CAP support mechanism. CAP has ensured abundant food supplies to the continent's consumers, and maintained farming in areas that would otherwise have been abandoned, but at a cost of around half the EU budget. The principle change with the greatest impact on Scotland was the introduction of the single farm payment in 2005 (allocated on a historical basis in Scotland). This is unrelated to the production of specified commodities but is linked to environmental and other objectives. Recent decreases in the farm gate prices for agricultural commodities have meant that for the last decade around two thirds of the total income of Scottish agriculture has come from CAP and only one third from farming activity. In Scotland this is accentuated by the number of small, in terms of financial turnover, farm units.

4.9 The views on food security detailed above question the need for a small farm sector. On a purely economic basis it is hard to defend their role. However the special status accorded to Crofting in Scotland suggests that this role is recognised. Small units elsewhere lack the protection of Crofting. They remain under challenge as a recent UK government statement exemplifies.

"The industry needs to play its part by understanding that small is vulnerable. Farmers need to consolidate or co-operate." (26)

The average size of arable farms in Scotland is smaller than that elsewhere in the UK. This is at least in part a consequence of Scotland's geological history and especially past glaciations that have left a legacy of variable soils which restrict farm size and limit both the scale and scope of production. (27) As a result of this and other factors the margin on turnover in many farming businesses is commonly 1-2%. Given the small average size of arable farms in Scotland this leads to relatively small profits from farming and so the need for additional income sources such as CAP support.

4.10 These arrangements will undergo a "health check" in 2008 to assess whether the reformed CAP is working. The whole EU budget will be reviewed at a similar date. (28) It seems likely that radically new arrangements will come into force in 2013, with perhaps the level of payments made to farmers reducing by 50%. Potentially this could mean a loss of income for Scottish farming of one third. These reductions would inevitably fall most heavily on agriculture in less favoured farming areas. Decreased financial support for farming, as identified by the Agriculture Commissioner, is a consequence of EU enlargement, fiscal constraints, and public preference for more market orientated farming systems.

"The hard fact is that we will have less funding than we would like from 2007 to 2013 … National governments decided to take some E20bn off the commissions proposal for rural development." (29) The agricultural needs of member states will diverge further as new countries join, requiring more localised solutions."

4.11 The combined effects of a range of changes are acutely felt. Farm incomes are at historically low levels. Sheep and cattle stream off our hills in tens of thousands. Dairy farmers receive less for their milk than it costs to produce.

Box 4-3 Current plight of dairy farmers in Scotland, as seen by the Presbytery of Ardrossan.

Background

Prior to 1994 dairy farmers had to sell their milk to the Milk Marketing Boards. This was deemed by the EU to be anti competitive and the Milk Marketing Boards were de-regulated. This led to farmer owned co-ops taking their place, but with an increasing number of producers selling their milk direct to large processors. For a premium of around half to one pence per litre some farmers sell to processors such as Wiseman, Arla and Dairy Crest. Around 50% of producers currently sell their milk to the large processors. The effect of this is to weaken the position of the co-ops and reduce their collective bargaining power.

Structure

There is currently a three tier structure in the production and retailing of milk. In respect of customer contact and income this structure places farmers at the bottom, the supermarkets at the top with processors in the middle. To cover the costs of production many farmers need a minimum price of 20 pence per litre. The current actual return is around 17.5 pence per litre.

Industry

Many milk producers have in the recent past simply gone out of business. There has been a 50% reduction in the number of dairy farmers in the past ten years. Total milk output has been reduced less as some remaining producers have increased the number of cows and milk yields per cow have risen.

Recent

Over the past two years milk output has fallen by 4%. This is likely to fall further if financial returns do not rise with the real possibility of milk needing to be imported.

Reducing taxpayer support will bring many changes. Some food prices will rise, counteracting the long-term trend, although the rises sufficient to make a large impact on farmers' incomes may be hardly perceptible to consumers. A fair price for food may be higher than we have become used to paying. Already some consumers show support for food and farming systems that fit their values. Markets for FairTrade, local and organic goods grow steadily.

4.12 In addition to payment for local food production public support could be moved from artificially inflating the price of farm commodities and towards direct payments for other goods; a need already recognised by the single farm payment. Such changes recognise the role of the farming industry in maintaining the countryside and our landscapes. Government could also remove unnecessary restrictions on rural enterprise. Tourism is by far Scotland's largest rural private-sector economic activity. Many successful rural businesses that traditionally revolved around farming now provide a range of other services, paths for public access, visitor attractions, and holiday accommodation. Government must ensure our planning system allows rural enterprise to develop.

4.13 Rules and regulations are more numerous for agriculture than for almost any other industry. Farmers are required to provide information to government required of no other business sector, and feel swamped by paperwork. The move to the single farm payment (decoupled from production) has not reduced the information required by Government, which still requires detailed cropping information. The list of organisations that require information grows annually. The Water Framework Directive of the EU, administered by Scottish Water, is the most recent.

4.14 Government can help both to develop new markets and to correct market failures, those situations where public costs and benefits are not reflected in the price of goods. This is critical in the field of climate change, an area described, in the recent and decisive Stern Report for the UK Treasury, as the biggest market failure the world has ever seen.

4.15 Scotland's climate change programme attributes 12% of Scotland's greenhouse gas emissions to agriculture; food processing and transport contribute around the same again, giving a combined total significantly larger than the equivalent at a UK level. Scotland's soils present another important responsibility. The deep deposits of peat covering around a fifth of our land contain over half of all UK soil-borne carbon. Were a fraction of one per cent of this resource to be oxidised and released Scotland's greenhouse gas emissions would double. Conversely, if managed well, our soils could absorb much of the atmospheric carbon that is the main cause of climate change.

The impact of the supermarkets

4.16 In Scotland, food supply is predominantly in the hands of a small number of supermarkets. From a 20% share of the market in 1960 the multiples now have over 90%. This share is projected to grow. (30) Competition from imports depresses the prices received by Scottish producers. Most UK imports of food come from other EU countries; 63% from eight other EU members. Most trade involves processed goods. (31) Many commodities can be produced at lower prices elsewhere because of climate, significantly lower wage costs, and variations in applied quality standards. Commonly supermarkets and other contractors will buy at the lowest global prices available.

4.17 The major supermarkets active in the UK are global businesses that source food from across the world. Although most of the food sold by supermarkets does not come directly from farms, they influence farm profitability through their influence on the prices which processors and wholesalers can pay to the farm sector. Currently milk, wheat and beef are supplied, either directly or via wholesalers or processors, by Scottish agriculture to the supermarkets at a price which for many is less than the costs of production. While supermarket margins on turnover (commonly around 3-4%) are not as such excessive, the size of their total turnover leads to large profits. In a UK context their profitability seems to be geared to buying-prices which are just enough to keep the domestic food production and processing industries alive. As an element in this, supermarkets rely on the existence of CAP support to producers. This precludes the use of the single farm payment as a means of restructuring the farm business. It precludes its proper use in the delivery of environmental goods. In the current international market place it is unclear how supermarkets could be persuaded to pay more for domestic food products. Essentially, why should they pay more than they need to pay? The primary responsibility of the supermarkets is to their share holders. Progress in the supermarket sector seems most likely to come through strengthening the competitive position of Scottish agriculture and an enlargement of the supermarket vision of what is entailed by corporate responsibility.

4.18 The development of alternative sales routes for farm produce and the generation of specialist rather than commodity products would both help to move a balance, at present overwhelmingly in favour of the supermarkets, in the direction of the producers. The current structure of the food chain from producer to consumer places most of the market power in the hands of a small number of multiple retailers. Were there more outlets for food produced in Scotland and if the industry produced a wider range of branded products then the producer margin would be likely to increase.

4.19 Although the supermarkets have had negative effects on the prices received by Scottish producers the efficiency with which they work and their purchasing power has been a significant contributor to the relatively low price of food. This is a feature valued by consumers as is the year round availability and the range of "exotic" foods which they routinely stock. The supermarkets and the food supply chain, over which they have a high degree of control, are seen as key to national food security. A food market which is market-led rather than supply-driven has weakened the influence of farming on Government policy.

Box 4.4 The relative size of the major components of the UK Food supply chain.

Primary production, farming and fishing: £5.6bn gross value-added; 552k jobs.

Agricultural support industries: £1.8bn gross value-added; 47k jobs.

Food and drink manufacturing: £21.5bn gross value added; 419k jobs.

Catering: £21.1bn gross value added; 1377k jobs

Grocery retail: £ 18.8bn; 1160k jobs

UK consumers (60mil): catering service expenditure £75bn, food and drink expenditure £79bn. (32)

4.20 The above factors have not been good for domestic agriculture; a point emphasised by the Rural Development Committee of the Scottish Parliament in a study of the Food Supply Chain (33). This concluded:

• farmers and food processors needed more market power,
• the executive should promote the procurement of local produce and further develop diversified sales routes such as farmers markets,
• the burden of regulation falling on producers should be reassessed,
• business support for diversification should be reappraised, and
• the executive should engage in dialogue with the supermarkets so as to influence their contract practices.

Similar issues are being studied in a Competition Commission study of the groceries market (34). The position on these issues of organisations such as the Office of Fair Trading is fixed by the need to see issues primarily in the short term and in relation to prices to the consumer. If supermarkets reduce prices to the consumer then it must be to the consumer's benefit and so acceptable.

The Age Structure of Farming

4.21 There is a significant issue in relation to attracting new blood, especially those with out a previous farming background, into the industry. The average age of a Scottish farmer is 58 years; although it has been that for many years. Those who would like to enter the industry face significant problems. These include being able to purchase or rent land, access to finance, the historical base used for the allocation of the single farm payment in Scotland and easy access to affordable advice. Young people must be encouraged to enter, stay in or return to farming. Access to land must be made easier and less financially crippling. This is an area where government has a clear role. A more reasoned approach to current planning guidelines would allow the starting of new business options on farm sites and potentially allow the development of the tourist and specialist food industries. A young entrant's scheme, funded under the EU Rural Development Plan, would go a long way towards addressing the problem.

4.22 The image of farming is also a significant obstacle. As food is valued less by society then so farming will be a less good career choice. In many cases farms are no longer automatically passed down the generations. Rather than creating opportunities for new entrants this most often leads to a consolidation of farm ownership.

Patterns of food consumption

4.23 In the 1950's, the average household spent approximately 50% of its income on food. Now spending on food is approximately 10%. (35) We are used to cheap convenience food, and the supermarkets supply it. We think less about food because we are certain we will find what we want when we visit the supermarket. At the present time around 28% of meals are consumed outwith the home. This element is rising at a rate of around 1-2% per year. It includes public procurement (Schools/Hospitals/Prisons/Government facilities), fast food outlets and the restaurant trade. Much of this sector is controlled by large international catering firms. They buy on a global market and, because of their purchasing power, are able to buy at low prices. Currently much of the food consumed in Scottish institutions is not produced in Scotland. It travels, unnecessarily, hundreds of miles from processor to consumer. This is environmentally damaging and deprives Scottish producers of a market which would aid business stability.

4.24 Public procurement provides a real opportunity for Government to support Scottish farming. EU rules influence public procurement but flexibility in attitude as to how EU regulations are interpreted is possible as shown by the East Ayrshire school food initiative at Hurlford Primary School. (36) There is a clear need for government to assess how it might use procurement to aid domestic production rather than simply buying the cheapest available, regardless of freshness and means of production, and using EU rules as a justification.

4.25 Food culture has never been as strong in the UK as in other parts of the EU. Recent years have seen a reduction in traditional meals as a major element in our culture, caused by the use of pre-prepared meals that allow each family member to eat individually. This issue links with major changes in our overall culture, eg the length of working hours, time pressures, and has been significant in the devaluing of food within our cultural heritage. Changes in the secondary school curriculum (in which food-related subjects are optional) have not helped.

Consumer issues

4.26 While future policy changes must be fair to Scottish producers, they must also be fair to consumers; this is important for an industry benefiting from significant public support. How food is produced in Scotland can appeal to ethical consumers. However, even they need to be assured that purchasing decisions have an impact on either food quality or the environment, or both. (37) It is important that Scottish producers deliver the quality wanted by the public. Public policy should ensure that all income and age groups have access to fresh and quality foods. This is not currently the case. Access goes beyond presence on the shelves of the multiples. Consumers need to be confident about using such foods. The recent UK debate over GM food demonstrated a real ability to see the ethical issues that take food beyond chemical analysis. On GM foods the view of the public was clear. It was disappointing that Government ignored the ethical issues, focussed on economic issues, and ignored a clear public view.

How Might We Sustain Scottish Agriculture?

Greater Trade Justice

4.27 Developing a fair food policy which would positively impact on Scottish producers, and yet would not be at the expense of producers in developing countries, is not easy. Trade justice is as important to Scottish agriculture as to producers elsewhere. Scottish farmers and crofters need a fair return for their labours. This need not come from public payments, although they represent a means of linking the delivery of public good, eg care for the environment, to farming. The FAIRTRADE mark, that is applied to produce from the developing world, has had a major and positive effect in those sectors to which it applies. It allows consumers to identify those products for which a fair price has been paid and helps the ethically-minded consumer to make purchasing decisions based upon their values. A similar branding system for home produce could help Scottish consumers identify food for which a fair price had been paid. It would encourage consumers to take more interest in the means of production and re-establish links between producer and local consumer.

Changes to the CAP

4.28 The CAP has been likened, by a recent government report, to the Corn Laws of the 18th century. It has been seen as restricting imports and inflating prices. (38) The continuation of public financial support for agriculture after 2013 is far from certain. Public opinion will have a major influence on government's willingness to continue to pay farmers for the delivery of public goods such as environmental management. Living on food which appears cheap at the point of purchase but at the expense of farmers cannot be justified.

4.29 Any restructuring of CAP should recognise that present rules encourage some real injustices for producers in developing countries. Restructuring should revisit the issues of why agriculture is entitled to public support and where it does have real positive effects on environmental care (locally and globally), national cultural heritage, and food security and health. It should aid our public to acknowledge the contribution of agriculture to real sustainability. It needs to recognise the issues of those living in the poorer areas of our country. They have as much to lose from the adverse consequences of issues like global climate change.

4.30 Not all new legislation, nor the resulting paperwork, is bad. Farmers appreciate the need to be accountable. Animal passports have made the tracking of livestock easier. However, the sheer number of agencies requiring information and/or documentation is excessive. Consideration should be given to the information being given to one body and then dispersed to other agencies.

Diversification of farm activity

4.31 One of the greatest contributions which Government could make to the regeneration of agriculture would be to aid the development of a greater diversity of farming activities and assist the development of alternative outlets to supermarkets.

Box 4.5

Agriculture related developments which have, currently or in the future, potential to diversify the options for selling Scottish food.

Farmers markets (and the promotion of means of selling to those parts of the retail market not entirely dominated by the supermarkets eg independent butchers and greengrocers).

Electronic markets linking producer and food processors/restaurateurs/charity groups like churches.

Diversification and differentiation of food product eg organic production/non-GM products/ environmentally sensitive production scheme products, permaculture.

Increased range of local processed products e.g. cheeses, yogurts.

Pre-ordered box subscription schemes aided by IT support.

Supply to public procurement aided by encouragement from government.

Products with clear links to health.

Fresh and local products.

Branded seasonal products.

Farmers markets have benefited many by providing an alternative sales outlet. Specialist products have increased the return on a unit of production. Organic production methods have been recognised by consumers as justifying higher prices as a consequence of their focus on eating quality, health benefits and contribution to environmental care. New information technologies such as electronic bazaars, through which producers could contact potential purchasers wishing to source local or specialist food items, have the potential to improve the ability of farmers to understand their costs and enhance their sales strategies.

Food Quality and the Scottish Diet

4.33 The cheap food policy of the past has seen significant use of salt and sugar as alternatives to flavour. Flavourings, such as mayonnaise, are only needed because of poor quality ingredients. Farm produced foods were the basis of the nation's health. They could be again. This would mean such foods being truly accessible by all. While the average consumer spends a small percentage of their budget on food, this is not the case for all. Scotland still has many for whom food is a major item of expenditure. Many of these Scots do not have easy access to healthy or quality food close to where they live. (39) Few of the major supermarkets are located close to the poorer areas of our nation. Food deserts, areas where access to grocery retail outlets and healthy food is limited, remain a fact of life. Tackling poverty is a priority for Scotland, as is improving accessibility to quality food. Reducing the price of food by reducing returns to primary producers so as to give food to the poorer members of society is neither sensible nor effective. Poverty and the quality of the national diet are both important. There is a clear role for churches and other voluntary bodies to make a difference by providing healthy products through community ventures serving young mothers or the elderly and by such ventures developing food preparation skills.

6. Conclusions

Farm Size Issues

6.1 The issues facing Scottish farming are not unique. The EU, as a whole, has similar problems within all areas dominated by small farming. Structural issues of this type need action at EU levels. Both the future development of CAP and society's view of domestic agriculture will be critical. If food security is no longer the primary justification for farming then the future role of all farming needs to be clarified.

Supermarket issues

6.2 The major buyers of domestic production are the supermarkets and their suppliers. They control most of the food bought for home consumption. Major catering outlets service much of the third of meals eaten outwith the home and much of public procurement. Directly or through the food supply chain farmers must sell to large multinational businesses. The current distribution of resources within the food supply chain is out of balance with effort and risk. The food supply chain represents a market failure. There is need to increase the bargaining power of primary producers if they are to survive. The power of the multiples and the detached attitude of Government seem likely to result in an increasing proportion of UK consumption being sourced from outwith the UK. In the short term this may result in lower prices at the till, but in the long term this may be less good for consumers. These are issues needing consideration by OFT. To pay more for food than the market rate might seem contrary to supermarkets responsibility to their shareholders. However this market rate is determined by these major buyers. Change in practice would require a revision of the current concept of corporate responsibility. This and the attitude of Government can only be changed by public opinion, especially the buying decisions of church members.

6.3 There are other ways in which farming can be helped. Developing local procurement; which is possible under EU rules, more creative use of country of origin labelling (51) more use of fresh foods and emphasis on traceability would all help. Making primary producers more effective sellers (eg through increasing the quality of market information), developing alternative outlets (eg electronic bazaars), facilitating value adding activities (eg turning milk into cheese), and a real opening of public procurement would make the distribution of resources within the chain fairer.

CAP

6.4 Support through the single farm payment is independent of particular commodities. The current rationale is to maintain a wider rural sector, a quality environment and the ability of farm businesses to restructure. A revised CAP, or a new mechanism for rural support, is needed if agriculture is to remain a substantial industry.

6.5 The current CAP results in the low cost export of foods surpluses to developing country markets. In Scotland probably only skimmed milk powder is within this category. Fairness dictates that EU policies should not damage the prospects of third world farmers and their markets. This is a significant issue for WTO.

Food Pricing

6.6 There is need to increase the status of food. Scottish consumers need to understand cause and effect better in relation to food production. Food has long been at the heart of societal interactions. The relative cheapness of food and increasing urbanisation, have reduced food's importance. For others the struggle to make ends meet reduces the importance of quality. Despite current Government attitudes, home produced food seems likely to remain important both for its contribution to heritage and because of its links to natural environment.

200 Name and address supplied

Warmly welcome this discussion on a food policy for Scotland. I feel this is in fact long overdue. I believes that achieving high standards of animal welfare should be central to a national food policy for Scotland. In addition, the national food policy should ensure the following:

• That Scotland's consumers have access to wholesome, affordable food

• That animals reared for food production are always treated with respect and humanity

• That consumers are provided with the information they need to make informed ethical choices

• That the effects of diet choices on public health are acknowledged and addressed • That the effects of food production on the environment are acknowledged and addressed

• That public procurement policies make high animal welfare standards a requirement.

201 Name and address supplied

Bring back local slaughter houses. More honest education for primary children about food along with more exercise options e.g. yoga. Stop councils giving planning permission to fast food shops near schools. Supermarkets selling more local produce - fruit and veg and manufactured products. Supermarkets to pay a lot more to farmers for meat and dairy products. More farmers markets in cities. Give tax breaks to food shops selling healthier food i.e. juice bars Obese children - more responsibility needs to be encouraged by parents. You can put lots of fruit and veg into the schools but if parents are not encouraging positive eating at home ..... Research regarding food and poor mental health need to be made more public. People should be encouraged to have allotments/growing their own food. More allotments are needed however there are concerns about health and safety being implemented OTT. I think lots of people are interested in growing their own veg but don't know how. Council could employ people to teach/help them. Have school allotments.

202 Name and address supplied

I am a partner in a small family Farm just outside Elgin. We raise organic deer, pigs, and some arable crops. We have three children, and I care passionately about food and its role in keeping and maintaining our health. I have not had time to look at the blog or other items on your website, but a friend gave me a booklet you produced which was the discussion paper 'Choosing the right Ingredients'. I don't know where my views fit in to your discussions, but in no particular order, here are some of the things I feel strongly about.

Why do we not supply the Forces with local meat, and also hospitals and councils as well as schools. The effect of this in keeping money in a local area, instead of in Argentina, would be considerable. Just think of how much meat our local RAF gets through. Why are local farmers not the suppliers? (This is not something which I am campaigning for our own benefit, as we do not have beef lamb or pork, and I realize buying organic would not be very likely to happen, though venison is clearly the healthiest meat around (look at the nutrition charts comparing iron levels, cholesterol, and omega 3's in beef chicken and venison - it's an easy win for venison every time.) Whilst I think of it, why do we not see venison promoted as one of the best health options for food, as salmon has been?

Why do we not massively subsidize raspberry production, as we know red berries are so good for one, and everyone loves them. They grow easily in Scotland, and we should be producing masses to feed to our children, and the elderly, in particular. Ditto venison, to the elderly, who often have very poor nutrition.

Why not make our hospitals places of fantastic nutrition - the fastest way to make someone well is to feed them well. Food plays such a large role in our wellbeing, and we feed our sick people and new mothers dreadful food which has almost no nutritional value left in it.I know this costs money, but let's be imaginative. How much does it cost the NHS to have malnourished patients who are more likely to get HAI's ? Why not give everyone in hospital bioyoghurt of some kind with meals to help their systems cope with antibiotics. And why do we not pay anything for hospital food - we pay for food at home, why stop in hospital? Even a minimal charge would help offset some of this - I know this is radical but WHY NOT??? What is the point of not paying real attention to food where our most vulnerable people are?

Off my hobby horse, and back to the realities of a small farm trying to make a living , which is practically impossible given the amount of red tape . I would like to see some encouragement given to small farms like ourselves, who try to sell local meat, instead of going down the wholesale route

On the subjects of "wealthier and fairer"; how is it that the Single Farm Payment, which was supposed to untie the historic relationship between production and support, continues to reward those with the biggest area of land and therefore penalize those who struggle on small farms and crofts? Why not cap the subsidies to a figure of say 50,000 euros and use the excess to offer greater support levels in fragile, remote communities, to keep people on the land? Why not support a wider range of agriculture than the traditional cereals, sheep and cattle enterprises?

203 Susan Laing

We are a Scottish family, two adults and two children. Income is based on wages from one full-time public sector worker and one part-time public sector worker. Buying fresh fruit and vegetables on a weekly basis increases our weekly food bill. Unfortunately we are having difficulty getting the kids to eat a wide range of fruit and veg so often we are buying produce out of season which adds to the cost. It is obvious that if we had to reduce our outgoings then we would take fresh fruit and veg off our shopping list. So it is not surprising if these items are never bought by low income families affecting their general health and well-being. It is most important that a government food strategy makes fresh fruit, veg and quality meat affordable and available for all. I would want future food strategy to focus on providing the Scottish population with affordable fruit, vegetables and quality meat produced within Scotland and preferably locally to reduce transport cost, time and impact on the environment. I prefer to buy organically grown produce/reared meat but it is often at a premium price so we can't always afford organic. It would be a good use of Scottish expenditure to provide public funding towards developing organic farming with a view to increasing supply and lowering food price, with benefit to the environment and human health. Fish is important to the Scottish diet. The food strategy should include provision for maintaining and increasing fish stocks. I have concerns about the amount of packaging associated with the food industry and its impact on the environment and land fill sites. Everyone wants and expects food to maintain its freshness, and its impractical for working people to be shopping for food daily but nonetheless, the amount of package waste needs to be reduced to avoid damage to our living environment.

204 Name, address and response supplied - Confidential

205 Edinburgh Cyrenians, Edinburgh

Edinburgh Cyrenians pioneers solutions to extreme social exclusion. In our 40 years experience, food is a powerful medium through which to generate and communicate inclusion. Peoples' relationship with food is generally a measure of their relationship with themselves and their society. We cannot call ourselves a socially successful Scotland until the most excluded have the opportunity to dine at the nation's table. We have experience of offering powerful solutions. For 35 years Cyrenians Farm in West Lothian has helped turn around the lives of some of Scotland's most troubled youth. Since 2000, Cyrenians Good Food in Tackling Homelessness Programme has pioneered work in Scotland in transforming the food experience of homeless people from being a depressing confirmation of their exclusion to being something that uplifts and promotes social engagement and better health and well-being. Cyrenians Farm, the Good Food Programme and Cyrenians Food Waste Collection operate as social enterprises, generating training and work as well as the other social and environmental outcomes. From our particular perspective I would make the following suggestions: Investment in vastly increasing grassroots growing projects near cities, using centres of excellence such as Cyrenians Farm to inform, inspire and support practical development. Also invest in the networking and cross fertilisation of local growing projects and ensure that they engage a wide social mix. Encourage experimentation of approaches such as Community Supported Agriculture and outreach with schools. Investment in scaling up services for distributing surplus food to disadvantaged groups, but using the Cyrenians model to absolutely ensure that this operates: (a) as a hand-up, not a hand-out (b) to high standards and with the participation of food producers and retailers. Consideration should be given to establishing a national scheme to promote and make arrangements with the Scottish food industry - with incentives for them - and to provide quality control and support for local community outlets. Investment in community composting and in social enterprises that deal with food waste disposal, particularly those aimed at composting or other solutions that contribute to sustainable futures.

206 Scottish Federation of Meat traders Associations, Perth

Background

Scotland's butchers share your vision for food that it should make the nation healthier, wealthier and smarter with production making communities stronger and consumption respecting the local and global environment. Butchers have always been the purveyors of locally reared stock. In maintaining mutually beneficial relationships with Scottish producers, they are the longest established and most loyal supporters of Scottish agriculture. Their contribution to their local economy, using local infrastructure, supporting local tradesmen and employing local people cannot be measured but has to be very significant. Despite the rise of supermarkets the butcher's shop maintains its place at the heart of retailing. Craft skills and traditional values are continued as a basis for the unique selling point of Scotland's craft butchers.

A healthier Scotland will result from changing individual behaviour and attitudes about diet and food choices; from improving the nutritional quality, safety and freshness of food on offer in institutions and the catering sector; to supporting Scottish food manufacturers and retailers to take the initiative in driving forward consumer demand for more affordable, healthier food options. Communities across Scotland will enjoy better access to affordable, safe, healthy and fresh seasonal food.

Scotland's food and diet has a role to play in reducing obesity. Just as farmers have produced leaner livestock for slaughter, butchers have reacted to customer demands for healthier eating by reducing fat on meat sold and creating leaner meat products. Recently a survey of salt and fat levels in Scottish butchers beef sausages revealed that the bigger problem was not with fat in the product but with salt levels. SFMTA are actively working with seasoning suppliers, the Food Standards Agency and Food Innovation at Abertay University to use this information to reformulate recipes, do sensory tests on eating quality, test the ability of small manufacturers to adhere to recipes and give nutritional information at point of sale even for loose meat products. This collaboration is working towards producing a positive plan of action. We agree that healthier food should be more accessible to all and it is our view that this is less of a location issue and more of an inequality issue. It is our aim where meat product recipes are reformulated these should be for the mainstream product so that these are available and affordable in all our communities.

The Scottish public sector's spend on food is around £85m per annum giving it a unique opportunity to influence what is served and how it is sourced. Scotland's butchers would welcome the opportunity to supply into the public sector and so support moves to allow public procurement to be addressed at local levels. In this respect, SFMTA would welcome the opportunity to have dialogue with Health Scotland.

A safer and stronger Scotland will result from a thriving food industry where local communities will flourish and become better places to live through improved access to amenities and services. Accessibility Butchers businesses are usually placed in traditional shopping areas linking into public transport and removing the need for special car journeys to the edge of town. Support for existing shopping areas should be a priority and parking charges would serve better only if they increased the availability of spaces for shoppers. It is important that future planning policies deliver 'in town' development and support neighbourhood shops with good public transport access.

Much focus and financial support has been given to weekly or fortnightly Farmers Markets and on farm retailing. While this is to be applauded especially in linking the consumer to production it should not be forgotten that many of these farmers supply a niche market. Whilst this is a lifestyle choice for some better off individuals, it can never be considered a viable alternative production method to put food on the table for the vast majority. Craft butchers on the other hand trade 6 days per week, 52 weeks of the year and make a considerable contribution to local authority rates. Butchers shops very often perform the role of the everyday Farmers Market, selling locally produced fruit, vegetables, cheese and eggs. They are happy to promote and selling more affordable and healthier foods and are ideally placed to know where their food comes from.

Local Abattoirs

Butchers provide the core business for most of Scotland's small abattoirs with many actually run by butchers for butchers e.g at Galashiels, St Andrews, Shotts, Wishaw and Dingwall. In certain areas the ability of farmers and butchers to do business either direct or through a livestock mart is precluded by the absence of an abattoir to handle their product. There are particular problems in Dumfries and Galloway and on Orkney where such co-operation is stifled by the commercial interests of the meat wholesalers running these abattoirs. In other areas, in particular Aberdeenshire, wholesalers appear to have friendly operating agreements with local farmers and butchers. Smaller abattoirs operate on the islands of Tiree, Mull, Uist, Lewis and Shetland. The economic viability of all abattoirs is highly dependent on throughput and while there are clamours for more local abattoirs, especially from Skye, the continued operation of existing abattoirs should not be jeopardised by the provision of more using Government funding.

SFMTA members welcome the Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation Grant Scheme and ask that existing abattoirs and red meat processors are given priority. SFMTA welcomes the rationalisation of The Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) which we believe has become overly bureaucratic in nature. While it has an important role to perform in safeguarding food safety in abattoirs and cutting plants, the MHS's attentions should be risk based and proportionate and there is a need to clearly define criteria under which the MHS and Food businesses operate. We would be happy to contribute to any debate that might lead to a more autonomous inspection body for Scotland.

A smarter Scotland will result from a highly-skilled and innovative food industry with consumers that are better informed about where their food comes from, how it was grown and the wider health, environmental, social and economic benefits of the choices they make. Craft Skills and Hygiene training Maintaining a unique selling point through maturing one's own supplies and cutting it in optimum ways is extremely important to craft butchers. Preservation of these skills through training, should be a priority. On the job training should be available to those entering the meat industry, whether young or old. Government funded training in Scotland is currently restricted to 16 to 19 year olds while in Northern Ireland this extends to 24 years of age and in England Train to Gain allows training for all. Scottish Meat Training (SMT) is a well respected training provider delivering vocational qualifications in meat and poultry processing and food and drink throughout Scotland.

The restricted funding in Scotland has led SMT to (successfully) seek contracts in both Northern Ireland and England. While this provides welcome income to ensure the future of this specialist training provider it is extremely disappointing that they have been forced to divert its expertise outside Scotland's boundaries. While 80% of training funding in Scotland is directed to further education colleges, 80% of training actually takes place on the job. This requires to be addressed and funds more fairly allocated. The Scottish Government's reluctance to adopt the recommendations of the Leitch Review seriously disadvantage Scottish food businesses and suggests doubt over its commitment to the training and development of the workforce. "The Review sets out a compelling vision for the UK. It shows that the UK must urgently raise achievements at all levels of skills and recommends that it commit to becoming a world leader in skills by 2020, benchmarked against the upper quartile of the OECD. This means doubling attainment at most levels of skill. Responsibility for achieving ambitions must be shared between Government, employers and individuals."

While SFMTA supports the implementation of the Scottish Sector Skills Strategy as drawn up by Improve and a National Skills Academy for food and drink in Scotland we are also aware that they and organisations such as Scotland's Food and Drink will all soak up considerable budget. We fear that we may reach a situation where there are databases and virtual centres of excellence and information but with no funding left for action at the grassroots. We read comments referring to 1 in 5 working in Food and Drink industry and biggest exporter yet we feel that there is a lack of commitment to support delivery of Food and Drink Manufacturing SVQs to those over the age of 19. With signs of migrant workers starting to return to their own countries it is even more important that the indigenous population is adequately trained.

From all agencies there is agreed recognition that there are skills gaps that need addressed yet, despite all the funding piled in at the top, there are few signs of anything being done to alter this need. Not everyone is capable of going to college and it should be acknowledged that there is a place for vocational qualifications. Copying the English system of reimbursing employers for hours spent working on qualifications would greatly increase the uptake of vocational qualifications. Careers events such as Make it in Scotland and in schools events such as the Schools Challenge and Determined to Succeed should be supported. The Scottish Food and Drink Industry needs to raise its profile and improve its perception in the market place for entrants.

Education of the Scottish population in hygiene practices and cooking techniques should be part of the school curriculum. Scottish butchers have been disappointed with customers' poor awareness of where their food comes from and how they should perform even the most basic cooking. The reduced delivery of home economics at school has been the primary reason for this ignorance. The ability to cook using fresh ingredients should be encouraged and the reliance on processed foods should be actively discouraged. Basic understanding of food hygiene is equally important and should underlie good practice in Scotland's food industry.

A wealthier and fairer Scotland will result from the sustainable economic growth of the food industry through greater co-operation and collaboration from primary production to final market, ensuring the long-term viability of primary producers, and increasing export markets for Scottish produce. Sustainability Farm Assurance and traceability in the Scottish livestock sector is well established and has become a hallmark of the Scottish Industry. As a consequence consumers can shop in confidence of knowing the origin of what they eat. Quality Assurance schemes guarantee the product from farm to fork, bolstering the primary producers' product.

Scottish farm welfare is of the highest standards. The situation where produce is brought in from countries where welfare is of a lower standard and subsequently lower production costs should be avoided. EU Agricultural Policy and rising cereal prices have combined to diminish the interest of Scottish farmers to produce beef from the suckler herd. SFMTA would welcome any moves that reverse this trend. While the world wide markets provide sufficient food this may not continue to be the case. It has to be concerning that large areas of good agricultural land continues to be used for new housing and commercial development.

Planners in Scotland should be more focussed in ensuring brownfield sites are fully considered before good agricultural land is used. A reversal of this situation would not be easily achieved. There are 750 butchers shops in Scotland, all employing local people, supporting local businesses supplying goods and services, and local producers. They are central to the vibrancy of the shopping environment, complementing other shops and businesses. As such they make significant impact to local economies both in urban and rural Scotland. The dominance of supermarkets threatens the independent retail sector and support for small, and often rural, local businesses would extend choice and compliment objectives for a wealthier and fairer Scotland. Business entrepreneurialism should be fostered in Scotland and barriers to business such as punitive employment law should be resisted. Only by doing this will innovators, thinkers and collaborators be encouraged to develop and produce in Scotland.

A greener Scotland will result from reducing the environmental impact of food and drink production, processing, manufacturing and consumption by encouraging responsible behaviour throughout the supply chain through reduced emissions, unnecessary use of raw materials, waste, packaging, energy and water use. Greener Scotland SFMTA would support any further steps that reduce food miles in the supply chain and would consider any initiatives that result in more recyclable product and packaging. We would be happy to work with the Scottish Government in this regard. Scotland's Craft butchers consider that they provide the opportunity and access for customers to reduce travelling to purchase.

Country of Origin Labelling

For all sorts of reasons it makes sense for Scottish consumers to consume Scottish produce. This extends to consumers in the public sector and in tourism. To allow this to happen it is firstly imperative that Scottish produce can be identified and traced through to consumption. The intermingling of product in supermarkets and economy with the truth in foodservice makes it difficult for consumers to know whether or not they are actually sourcing Scottish produce. The quality of the Scotch Beef brand with its inherent assurance is undermined by the more dominant use of saltires and the description Scottish.

SFMTA believes that as much information as possible should be offered to customers. Craft butchers will be able to tell their customers where their meat has come from, who has cut it up, who has made meat products, what has gone into those meat products and just what to expect from their sales in terms of quality and longevity of the product. SFMTA believes that the mandatory labelling of beef with the requirement to have every voluntary claim verified by an external certification body, is contrary to consumers' interests and effectively prevents accurate information, such as farm names and beef breed to be passed on. Cattle come with passports that provide detailed records of movements yet the information on the passport cannot be given to the consumer. This deems the whole expensive and painstaking process irrelevant. SFMTA calls for the EU Beef Labelling Act to be removed so that accurate descriptions can be applied. These descriptions could easily be checked by Trading Standards Officers.

It is imperative that Scottish produce is identifiable. All food products wherever they reach the final consumer should be marketed with country of origin labelling. To achieve this wholesalers and primary producers are required to play their part in making sure this information reaches the food business operator supplying the final consumer. Where country of origin labelling would be misleading greater information should be given. For example Scottish Bacon made from English Pork, Scottish Marmalade made from Spanish oranges, Scottish Macaroon bars made with Jamaican coconut. Greater encouragement should be given to the hospitality sector to use Scottish produce. When visitors are fed a traditional Scottish breakfast it should be just that. Eggs, sausages, bacon, mushrooms and black pudding should be produced in Scotland with stipulation made where certain products may not be from Scotland e.g Tomato or Baked Beans.

SFMTA is open to collaborative ways of working on such food issues whether it is with Visit Scotland, British Innkeepers Association or hospitality groups. Indeed we would be keen to further exploit opportunities for food tourism. This does not stop at merely tasting the product. We have hosted incoming tours for butchers around the best Scottish shops and plants and there is potential for more of these and for butchers shops to be included in farm / 'foodie' tours. We would be happy to discuss how craft based food industry could interact with tourists. Delivery SFMTA will welcome the publication of the Scottish Government's Food Policy and looks forward to participating in the added value that we all hope it brings. Whatever policy the Scottish Government eventually agrees to it is important that it actually delivers against the objectives and the healthy and Scottish options should be the default.

207 Larder Bytes Ltd, Fife

For the past 5 years we at Larder Bytes have been linking local suppliers with the tourism industry we are an award winning business who are recognized as a centre of excellence in sustainability in Europe. We have currently introduced a new innovative service which is receiving support from Green Tourism and ASSC which not only links with local suppliers but also delivers real sustainability. Larder Bytes have repeatedly requested support from Visit Scotland for our plans on how to supply local food to the tourism sector. Quite frankly their response has been a disgrace going from an initial position of having absolutely no interest to simply plagiarizing our ideas. The last time we spoke about support for the creation of a national infrastructure their only response was to suggest we take out an advert which doesn't support tourism in my opinion it just puts a few more pennies in their coffers. However, it should be remembered when in discussion with Visit Scotland that they are a private business whose primary interest is in making a profit and not contrary to popular belief supporting tourism in Scotland.

208 South Ayrshire Council, Ayr

Environmental Health services within local authorities are in an unique position to be a key partner in health improvement with Scotland's food industry and their customers. As an regulatory agency not only do we enforce food hygiene and standards provisions but also promote, train and give advice to ensure food business operators comply with statutory provisions. It is a natural progression for Environmental Health to promote nutrition and health as there is already the skills base within the profession and indeed some authorities are at present involved in training.

Environmental Health has a wide range of partners who also work in public health linking with health awards, training, etc. Through these established partnerships the beginnings of community planning in relation to health and nutrition is emerging but this needs to be formalised with an obligation for local authorities and health boards to adopt a food and nutrition improvement plan.

Environmental Health welcomes the discussion on the future for food and would like the recognition that its regulatory role can play in placing Scottish produce as a premier product contributing to the nations wealth. It can also act as a driver within local authorities to promote the aims of Scottish Government in relation to championing a healthier, greener approach to food. Every day officers from Environmental Health are engaging with businesses, influencing the way they operate in a positive manner, as the recent smoking legislation has confirmed. Environmental Health, in partnership with others, was able to influence the behaviour of business and the public without resorting to formal enforcement and this experience can have an equally positive impact on behaviour in relation to nutrition and health.

209 Lantra, Perth

Lantra is delighted that there is now a "joined up approach" for all the stakeholders within food and drink that now includes the primary producer that includes farmers, fish farmers, production horticulture, crofters, estates and all those involved in producing food. This is the first time that the primary producer has been included within the food and drink sectors and is key to providing safe quality products that can be used locally, nationally or globally. We welcome the joined up approach because it considers all of the required stakeholders and partners, the primary producer, the processor, environment, health consumers, the health of the nation and economic sustainability to ensure high quality food can be found in Scottish marketplace be it farmer markets, restaurants or supermarket shelves.

Ensuring that the right skills are in place and mechanisms to ensure this happens are paramount to the success of the future for food in Scotland. The objectives cannot be achieved if the challenge of skills gaps and shortages are not addressed and continue to exist within the sectors. We need to ensure that the skills are in place to ensure we have a supply of food for local markets, recent work has demonstrated that there is not the capacity to deliver the volumes and quality required particularly in the horticultural sector to meet the current and future market demands.

The new entrants into the horticulture sector will require training and skills development. This is does not apply only to current skills requirements but there will be significant need to develop new skills in such topics as negotiation, IT, marketing, financial, management and changes in technology such as GPS etc. There is work in place to ensure that there are suitable entry routes to encourage new entrants into agriculture but they will be required to be trained in technical, legislative and business and management to ensure efficiency, productivity and economic sustainability . However we must ensure that there is a future for existing and future producers, otherwise we will have lost the capacity to deliver the volumes of home produced Scottish food that will be required, an example would be the pig industry where current prices could mean the demise of the industry within Scotland and the result that there would be no Scottish pork to satisfy the local market.

There must be a joined up approach between the Rural Affairs and Environmental Government department and the Education and Skills department to ensure that the "Future for food in Scotland" links into the recently launched Scottish Skills Strategy. Education will play a key role and Lantra has been delighted to work with Education Authorities, schools and determined to Succeed in ensuring that the land based curriculum, through the "Skills for Work" and Scottish progression Awards in rural studies, are delivered through the schools curriculum.

Employers and farmers play a key role in working in partnership with schools ensuring that school children can gain work experience or experience vocational work in the work place and there needs to be financial support for employers who are primarily micro businesses to allow them and their staff to dedicate valuable time to allow this to happen. This is valuable in not only educating the children re health and food production but improves their employability and learning skills. Lantra works with and recognises the work of RHET in aiding this process.

Funding is also required to ensure that the right skills are in place to improve productivity and sustainability. The current demographics show that the ages of the primary producers lie predominantly in the 40 -55 years of age, currently funding is prioritised towards the under 20 years of age group. This is vitally important to the sector but there needs to be more funding for adult Modern Apprenticeships (MA). More funding must be directed to improve the skills of the current workforce and funding must be available for adult MA . Research from Lantra's Sector Skills Agreement demonstrates that there needs to be funding for single units of learning rather than just complete qualifications. The learning must be available locally and be flexible that does not entail micro businesses or SME having to send employees a distance for this learning and as a result have valuable staff out of the business for a long period of time to undertake training.

The land based and environmental sector looks to gaining new entrants from career changers, migrant workers and again they are often over 20 years of age and would attract no funding, there needs to funding in place to ensure that new entrants can be quickly upskilled to SVQ level 2/3 (SCQF level 5/6/7) to ensure they achieve optimum productivity. If the Future for Food in Scotland is to be achieved there is the need for significant information and guidance and for it to be joined up so that it can be readily accessed by all stakeholders , customers and partners. There are many interested parties and stakeholders within the document and the solution should also be joined up with a clear action plan and milestones to achieve the vision. Lantra in Scotland would welcome the opportunity to work in partnership with the Scottish Government, employers and farmers and crofters, the stakeholders and partners to achieve this welcome but challenging ambition. to achieve this welcome but challenging ambition.

210 Centre for Public Health Nutrition Research, University of Dundee

The Centre for Public Health Nutrition Research is a unique research centre based within Ninewells Medical School, University of Dundee. The main areas of expertise are Theory based, behaviourally focussed intervention studies aimed at changing diet and other lifestyle factors. The Research portfolio focuses on applied areas of nutrition e.g. how to influence food choice, eating habits and dietary change. Most studies are community focussed with issues relevant to public health (cancer prevention and maternal and child health) in Scotland. Examples of recent investigations include Examining the impact of cooking skills interventions on food preparation and dietary choices, Changing lifestyle in children (A school based approach), and Accessing Healthy Food in Scotland. Our main sources of research funding have been the Food Standards Agency, Medical Research Council, Chief Scientist Office, Departments of Health (England) (Wales) and a range of medical charities including Cancer Research UK and the Jennifer Brown Trust. In addition the Centre hosted the Berry Scotland Programme which aimed to increase the consumption of Scottish soft fruit in Scotland for the benefits of population health and the Scottish berry industry.

We welcome the vision for food in Scotland expressed in the discussion paper. There has been a long standing need to work in a cross government way particularly around agriculture, health and economic development. There is now a very clear evidence base on diet and health which can guide not only consumers (and influence individual choice) but also producers, processors and manufacturers. The evidence base on diet has moved a long way from vague concept of "moderation" to some very specific minimum, maximum and desirable targets for food items (e.g. fruits and vegetables, fish and meat) and nutrient requirements (e.g. salt, saturated fat) in our population.

Science and Research

The evidence base for food, nutrition and physical activity and the prevention of cancer has been widely researched and recommendations described (see below). The pressing research agenda is now one of understanding influences on food choice and the impact of potential interventions on dietary intake and health and using evidence from this arena to influence policy and practice. Factors that will have a significant impact on the dietary habits of families living in areas of social disadvantage has had little attention other than through work on community food initiatives (which are likely to influence small numbers and only for the length of time that they are funded to exist).

There are many opportunities to explore through cross government work on agriculture, education and health which have still to be explored. A cross government group on relevant dietary behaviour research would be desirable. It should be noted that the review of the Scottish Diet Action Plan recommended " A new committee for the UK should be hosted by Scotland, drawing on UK wide expertise. This would focus on translating sustainability and nutritional advice into behavioural terms. It would research, monitor and advise on consumer dietary behaviour, through the ecological public health prism of a new sustainable food and health policy"

Food Industry and marketing

It is crucial that this evidence base relating to diet and health (much of which is incorporated into the Scottish Dietary targets) becomes more widely known and acted upon throughout all sections of the food chain. To focus on consumer knowledge is limiting innovation and creative action from industry for re-formulation. These dietary targets have potential conflict with many of the food and drink processed in Scotland namely soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, meat products, red meat and confectionary. One example of concern is the current red meat recommendations (see below). A focus on increasing fruits and vegetables alone is highly unlikely to impact on cancer risk reduction if red meat (especially processed) intake, excess energy (evidence base points to soft drinks and confectionary as major culprits) and alcohol continue to be promoted to maintain (or increase) current consumption levels.

There have been long standing targets to increase consumption of fish and wholegrains as well as fruits and vegetables but much marketing is needed in this arena. What is very apparent is that the consumer is more easily influenced by food promotions/marketing than health education (and a quick look at company marketing versus health education budgets is all too revealing). Example of potential areas of conflict between Health and Agriculture Evidence base for Food, Nutrition, Physical activity and the Prevention of cancer For full details see web site ( http://www.dietandcancerreport.org/?p=ER)

ANIMAL FOODS Limit intake of red meat1 and avoid processed meat2. PUBLIC HEALTH GOAL Population average consumption of red meat to be no more than 300 g (11 oz) a week, very little if any of which to be processed. PERSONAL RECOMMENDATION People who eat red meat1 to consume less than 500 g (18 oz) a week, very little if any to be processed2. 1. 1 'Red meat' refers to beef, pork, lamb, and goat from domesticated animals including that contained in processed foods 2. 2 'Processed meat' refers to meat preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or addition of chemical preservatives, including that contained in processed foods.

211 D Livingstone

I apologise in advance if this is off scope for this particular consultation paper. I would like to see more attention being paid to the damaging foods out there that could be addressed through legislation - in particular at this time, I'd like to see legislation introduced to ban the use of additives that have been proven to be harmful for example Hydrogenated Vegetable Fat. It has been banned in other countries I believe (including the US)and I given its proven harmful effects, I would like to see a process in government that can deal swiftly with 'no-brainers' of this type. It would also be good to see more steps taken to proactively fast track instances where substances / additives have been researched and subsequently banned or restricted in other highly developed countries where it would be reasonable to rely upon the results of their research - rather than initiate our own expensive time-consuming process.

212 Name and address supplied

I would ask that the national food policy for Scotland aims to ensure the following: That animals reared for food production are always treated with respect and humanity. This includes keeping them throughout their lives in conditions that respect their needs, natural behaviours and instincts. That consumers are provided with the information they need to make informed ethical choices. That the effects of diet choices on public health are acknowledged and addressed. That the effects of food production on the environment are acknowledged and addressed. That public procurement policies make high animal welfare standards a requirement.

213 Name and address supplied

Current UK dietary recommendations are based upon a failed hypothesis. The hypothesis is that dietary fat is the primary causative factor elevating cardiac risk. Althought this view has held sway and become a dogma over the past 3 decades, the available evidence did not support it to begin with and most definitely doesn't support it now. The resultant increased proportion of carbohydrate foods in the typical diet is at least partly responsible for the group of conditions commonly referred to as 'metabolic syndrome' namely hyperinsulinemia, obesity, high blood pressure and artheriosclerosis. The carbohydrate foods commonly thought of as staples, breads, potatoes, rice and pasta in fact cause serious disruption to human metabolism and particularly increase serum triglycerides and reduce HDL cholesterol, both of which are risk factors for coronary heart disease. The Scottish Government has an unique opportunity to break rank with other Western nations which have followed the lead of the USA in reducing dietary fat and greatly increasing carbohydrate consumption. The failure of this approach is painfully obvious in the rising tide of obesity and diabetes throughout the developed world. The failed hypothesis was initially formulated by Ancel Keys in the USA and has never been confirmed by the many clinical studies devised specifically to do so. The evidence cited against dietary fat was greatly exaggerated at the time while the evidence that carbohydrates played a significant part was routinely ignored. This one simple issue has the potential to reverse the relentless increase in obesity and diabetes evident in our country. It will take bravery and clearheadedness to achieve this, but it must be done because the health of our nation is at risk.

214 Anthony Jackson, The Black Isle

Food waste is an issue of great importance. Packaging, of course, merits a good deal of attention, and the amount of packaging must be dramatically reduced (including for cost reasons). However, and the Government must be commended for this, the waste of food products themselves needs far more attention. One third of food that is produced is wasted! This is simply not acceptable. It has negative effects on the environment, on the price of food, the need for imports, and of course the necessity to deal with this waste. Reduction of waste must be a priority, from farmers to processors, to retailers (of all sizes). Government and other public bodies must reduce their waste, and consumers need to be informed, encouraged and inspired to respect and use food in the best and least wasteful way. Education is of course a part of this, as are increasing cooking skills, and appreciation of food across the board.

Consumption (and over-consumption) is also an issue of great importance. Again there are health concerns, environmental concerns, and economic concerns. Quality needs to be stressed over quantity, and this will once again involve a radical change of perspective towards food as something to be appreciated. Education, cooking skills, understanding of food production, involvement in the food chain, and honesty throughout the sector, all have further parts to play.

Methods of production also need in depth study. How far should we intensify, should we not be looking to start to extensify for environmental and health benefits. What level of fertiliser use do we need, can we afford? What level of pesticide use do we really need, can we afford? Scottish agriculture can lead the way in proving that sufficient high quality and healthy food can be produced, and sold, at a a reasonable price and with reasonable profits distributed fairly along the chain, without excessive intensification, use of fertilisers and pesticides, and certainly without the use of GMOs.

Distribution of food needs to be improved. In Scotland and globally. This requires relative levels of poverty to be addressed, as well as issues of geography. Where there is a need, incentives for the local production of certain products will be necessary. This will also help to reduce food miles. Trade issues need to be looked at with honesty. Fair Trade does a great job, but is marginal. Public monies spent on fairly traded foodstuffs must dramatically increase. We must also be aware that other countries need to be able to produce food for their own consumption, and some incentives and pressure from richer nations actually act against this primary necessity.

Food security and Food Sovereignty are key issues for Scotland and all other Nations, and are interlinked. Why does Scotland import so much animal feed? Is it really in our best interests to have our meat sectors in hock to soya produced on the other side of the world. Should we really be supporting the production of GM varieties of maize and soya that destroy environments in South America, and increase pesticide useage across all of the Americas, by not working out how to feed our livestock with more locally produced feed. Funding can be directed to research in how much protein is really necessary. What advantages there may be by increasing the useage of pasture and straw. what protein crops can be grown in Scotland, our neighbours, the EU? And of course, why can we not reduce some of the problems of food waste, by returning to the use of pig swill. How many problems could that solve? There may be a need to extensify, but that brings environmental, welfare and branding benefits too.

The environment needs protecting and enhancing. This includes water and soil, and again should make us look at the amount of pesticides and fertilisers that we actually do need. It also means that we should stay well clear of GM crops. The environment outwith Scotland is also important. The food that we import impacts negatively on other countries environments. GM, pesticides, deforestation are all key issues. Soya, and other feed crops are again key, but so are other food stuffs, and so, of course are the issues associated with food miles and global change.

Social impacts of production should never be ignored. The use of chain gangs in Scotland needs to be addressed immediately. The conditions that some people have to work in are completely unacceptable. Social issues abroad should also not be ignored. Plantation agriculture has many problems, and we import many foods grown in such systems. We cannot indirectly support slavery.

Land grabs are also widespread. Soya cultivation in South America is not only leading to the destruction of unique and vital habitats, but also the ejection of many native peoples and campesinos from their land. Scotland, a country that remembers The Clearances, must stand in solidarity with peoples, in the 21st century, being put through the same. Empathy must lead us to look at our feed imports. Extensification and increased self sufficiency at home, will not only lead to a better control over our own food production, isolate us from the worst effects of the global food chain, and associated speculation, but also help smallholders abroad maintain their way of life, and the ability to feed themselves.

It is probably also time to recognise that if we do want a fair agricultural system, and thriving rural areas, more money needs to flow into the countryside. Although this may be a tricky time to talk about this, it may be necessary that people have to pay more money for food. The proportion of incomes spent on food is at an all time low, and this is reflected in our production methods, environmental degradation, health issues, and concerns in rural areas. In return for an increasing proportion of private and public incomes spent on food, we must demand, and get, other side of the bargain, quality, healthy food, that benefits the environment, not only in Scotland, but across the world.

With this quality production comes the ability to brand our food so that the benefits can be easily read by the consumer who is being asked to pay more to increase the margin for the producer. Locality is of course important in this, as can be methods of production. Feed is also key here for animal products, for example, as is happening across Europe, meat and dairy products can be labelled as fed on GM free food. Scotland can steal a march here and create the conditions for honesty and marketability, and profitability.

These profits must be distributed fairly. This needs a major rebalancing of power throughout the chain (and globally!). Producers need their fair share, and processors and large retailers need to be held accountable so this becomes a reality, and not just an aspiration. Small retailers also need a fair go. We all know how it can be done, and that it can be done. It just needs the will to make it happen. This will not only need the will of politicians, but also consumers, and the producers themselves, to change their behaviour. Vested interests, whether they be the multinational GM seed producers, or the domineering supermarkets, cannot be allowed to hold the food system to ransom. Food is for us all, and not just the few.

Education is vital in all of this. People need to understand food, appreciate food, and agriculture and the environment. Nutrition, cooking skills, and even the ability to grow their own food, must be encouraged. This obviously has a place in schools, but we must also inspire, and facilitate the adult population of Scotland as well. Communities, including in urban areas, can be incentivised to grow their own food, and hence re connect to what they eat every day.

Procurement has been oft mentioned, and understandably so. School canteens, prisons, the health sector, councils and central Government can collectively, and positively change the face of Scottish agriculture and Scottish food. In the same way as consumers are entitled to local, quality, labelled and fully traceable food, so are children and employees. And education is a life long process.

You have my genuine best wishes with what you are trying to achieve. If done properly, and bravely, the positive benefits can be enormous across the whole of Scottish life. The effects can also be beneficial to many others across the world, and a good example can be set for others to follow.

215 Name and address supplied

I would like more information made available on how our food is produced, especially animal produce. Customers should be able to make ethical choices based on information available. This information should be in store ,on shelves+/- on produce and should be clearly and unambiguously stated. Accurate information can also be dispersed by way of the media. This information should relate to 1.Methods of farming/production/transport 2.Nutritional value of food 3.The effect the production of that food product has had on the environment I would like public procurement policies to have high welfare standards as one of their main determining factors And most importantly, all animals raised for food are treated with compassion and respect.

216 Alan Reid, Fife

Local production and distribution should be encouraged and supported by the supermarkets. This would reduce the carbon emissions cost of food and support Scottish agriculture. The promotion of healthy eating is also vital. Supermarkets should be given a Saltire Food Rating measured against providing Scottish food products. The elements considered should be environmental production methods, support for regional specialities, provision of quality food at low prices. A Tartan Taste Award should be given annually to the outlet that has done most to promote locally produced food. This should reflect regional variation within Scotland. An important part of this is popularising quality local foods - this must not simply remain a middle class hobby but reach out to all Scots.

217 Douglas McKenzie Boyle, Crieff

My first general comment (others will follow) - it has to go beyond the farm gate to the plate because that is not sustainable. It has to consider also from the plate (the food waste) to the farm produce and back to the farm gate. By this I mean we have to maximise the SAFE use of residual organic matter and recycle it back to the next growth cycle. by SEPA's own admission our soils are depleted in organic matter, and becoming more so. This affects their ability to retain nutrients, their micro-biodiversity and their health in general. Healthy soils are a pre-requisite to healthy plants, ergo healthy animals (a greener Scotland, one of the 5 strategic objectives), in other words healthy food and ultimately a healthy nation (another of the strategic objectives). Yes it is about local food, delivered fresh to local people, but that food should also be produced using as much local resources as possible, local labour and as far as is practical local fertilisation (not massively energy-consumptive to produce and to transport chemical fertiliser from 100s of miles away. This only exacerbates nitrate and phosphate run-off anyway and pollutes both ground and surface waters). It is not farm gate to plate, it should be the full cycle, the C cycle, keeping the C in that thin onion skin of the soil element on which we depend and which is possibly our most important yet most abused resource. It is in reality about from the soil thru' the food chain and back to the soil for the next growth cycle. The Food strategy, Soil strategy, National Health strategy, Climate Change strategy, Sustainable Scotland strategy, Waste Strategy and ultimately also Wealthier Scotland and Smarter Scotland are all intimately linked together. We have a unique opportunity to get it right - Food must be considered as a full cycle and along with these other strategies, initiatives and objectives.

218 Name and address supplied

I do believe that a food policy for Scotland is a step forward, however I do feel that the multi national supermarkets are 'controlling' market forces and without their backing for the policy and willingness to change, it may not succeed. While the paper suggested that they are becoming more active in promoting local produce and healthy eating, they do so under a cloud of confusion. It may be possible to buy 'Scottish' products but locally produced products are much harder to find on supermarket shelves and in my view the vast majority of the general public are taken in by 'healthy eating claims' and still do not understand the nutritional labelling system which is still confusing and contradictory.

Cookery skills are being lost and are not a high enough priority on the national curriculum. Children are increasingly taught enterprise, diversity, cultural and citizenship skills but not basic skills that are required for to lead a healthy life and being able to cook should be seen as vital life long learning. Many people know what they should be eating in terms of a healthy diet but are not putting this in to practice for a wide range of reasons, and I believe lack of cookery skills is one of these. The policy is still vague in details and in the section 'How will we get there' has simply stated that the Scottish government and associated agencies will support, encourage and advise on a number of issues. But how? What projects that show the future vision for food and drink are to be supported? What advice is to be given? How are people to be supported and encouraged to make healthier choices? All these areas are currently being tackled to one degree or another, and in a variety of ways. But what is going to happen now that means these will move forward?

Local government responsibilities had been listed but the simple answer would be for the Government to consolidate funding streams. School children can be taught about food through Eco-schools but time demands that they must also be involved in Active Schools and so the list goes on. These initiatives all complete for curriculum time and funding and this should be reviewed as a priority. While I support the School (Health Promotion and Nutrition) Act, I am frustrated at the lack of parental responsibility it includes. This policy again is tacking that vital ingredient! Overall, at this stage it is a paper document with few new ideas or visions. I will be interested to see if it facilitates change but unless there is a real commitment to real actions, I have my doubts.

219 Duplicate of 231

220 Womans Royal Voluntary Service, Abingdon, Oxfordshire

About WRVS

WRVS is a charity registered in Scotland (SC 038924) and in England and Wales (1015988). It is also a limited company registered at Companies House (2520413). WRVS wants every older person to have the opportunity and choice to get more out of life. We enable older people to do so by delivering practical support through the power of volunteering and working to publicise and address the issues that affect older people. We also provide in-the-field support to the emergency services. Our many services are entirely reliant on our 56,000 volunteers, 11,500 of whom are in Scotland. These dedicated Scots, men and women of all ages and backgrounds, deliver hundreds of community-based projects including meals on wheels services, good neighbour befriending schemes and community transport initiatives. We have, in Scotland alone, over 200 emergency services teams involving more than 2300 people and well over 50 established hospital operations supporting visitors, patients and staff.

Our Response

WRVS supports the provision of opportunities for individuals to choose healthy lifestyles. Our various voluntary services enable many, many people, especially but not exclusively older people, to do just this. For example, we work with local authorities to deliver meals-on-wheels to people who may not easily be able to prepare a hot nutritious meal for themselves; we operate lunch clubs in the community that serve wholesome home-made food and our hospital cafes offer numerous healthy options alongside more traditional dishes and snacks. Our groundbreaking 'fruit and veg cooperative' in Sefton, Merseyside sees volunteers deliver bags of fresh fruit and vegetables to over 1500 people annually, including those who find it difficult to get out, those in sheltered accommodation, children in local schools and kids and their families in children's centres (more information on the Sefton scheme can be provided on request).

Without our community transport services many people would find it difficult to access opportunities to pursue healthy lifestyles in the community or to physically reach health providers (NHS and others) who ensure their immediate and longer term well-being. There can be no doubting our commitment to the healthy living agenda but we happily admit that there is always room for improvement and we are proud to say that we are always striving towards more and better healthy options for our service users. Our approach to service delivery is founded on enabling those who use our services to have a choice about the way they live their lives. As such we have long recognised that there is clear water between encouraging people to take up certain opportunities and obliging them to do so. This extends to the provision of food and has a unique application in the context of our hospital cafes.

We know from decades of experience, stretching back to the Second World War, that people who come into contact with our services value, more than anything else, the human contact that those services provide. A WRVS hospital cafe is not simply a place that serves food. It is a haven of sympathy and warmth in the midst of a tumult. From the joy of new parents to the grief of a family with a sick relative WRVS volunteers are there for people. People feel comfortable talking to our volunteers, being supported by them, being comforted by them being listened to by them. This is what makes WRVS services in hospitals (and elsewhere) different from those provided by others. And, as this work continues, the success of the cafes themselves helps support further WRVS activity across the community as well as gifting untold resources annually to the NHS. WRVS wants to this relationship to continue. We know that the NHS values it too. That is why, while we recognise how important it is for the Scottish Government to drive forward an agenda for healthy food options, we urge it to recognise the bigger picture with respect to our services and also to understand that any drive by the public sector - and particularly the NHS - on healthy food must recognise the difference between encouragement and obligation.

Public sector establishments do not exist in isolation when it comes to the provision of food. If the public sector chooses to limit people's options in terms of what that sector offers them or allows to be offered in its establishments and people do not like what's on offer, they will not simply 'take it', they will go elsewhere (we should note that much food typically and unhelpfully referred to as 'unhealthy' - for example chocolate or 'meat and pastry' products - is only unhealthy if consumed to excess or as part of an imbalanced diet). Restrictions on what is on offer will not necessarily develop healthier eating habits or lifestyles amongst the population and they run the risk of compromising services like those of WRVS that have hitherto striven to find, and have succeeded in finding, a balance. These are services which have been, and continue to be, able to utilise that balanced approach to deliver so much more to the thousands and thousands of people who use them every day. For WRVS this could lead to a classic situation of the baby being thrown out with the bathwater, whereby what really matters to cafe customers is lost because of well intentioned but overzealous decisions on food policy.

We trust that Scottish Government will take these comments into account when finalising its food policy. WRVS stands ready to work with the public sector and others in Scotland to ensure that what will doubtless be a measured and realistic food policy operates for the benefit of the health and well-being of the people of Scotland across all aspects of their lives.

221 Paul Zochowski

I support the local production, processing and consumption of food. I do not support any part of its production involving long distance transportation for processing or to suit the particular retailer. Local fruit and vegetable and meat markets require supporting by the government. If not then we will lose more of the local small town and village retailers that use these markets, and that harms our way of life. I resent the fact that so many people in Scotland no longer have the option of shopping in local small shops and are forced to shop in multiple retailers therefore allowing those retailers to claim that they have even greater public support by default. Local shops gives consumers choice as well as more local food and this needs urgent government action now to prevent their loss altogether.

Local shops are a hugely important part of the character of our small towns and villages - every encouragement must be made by government to retain them against the all too clear threat by the multiple retailers who having collectively monopolised the position against small retailers are now able to put their prices up when we have few alternatives in many parts of Scotland.

Lastly a comment on tourism. A vital industry of which local food produced in Scotland plays a vital part - yet multiple hotel chains eschew local produce in favour of national / international standard products. This needs reversed by government action. By way of an example, I cannot think of a single big hotel in the centre of Edinburgh that sells craft produced fresh Scottish Beer despite there being five producers in Lothian. We may sell tourists fresher food these days - time to extend it to our fresh beer products too.

222 Jo Durno

The steps being taken by the Scottish Government are a good start. Education is the single most important vector for change in eating habits, health, environmental awareness etc. Teaching children from an early age where food comes from, why it is important to their wellbeing, seasonality, food miles etc. and, in particular, that food does not come in its natural state wearing a plastic skin. Children in turn take the messages home. Making adults aware that food has a value in financial terms - and good quality comes at a price - the profits need to be shared with the producer, not just the company shareholders if there is to be a viable primary food sector in this country. Welfare, hygiene and environmental standards the public want should not be imposed on home produced food while imports do not conform and the public should know that the Big Brand Label which they trust does not necessarily confer those standards. Labelling should be a lot clearer (not more, just better)and caterers/ready meal manufacturers should be obliged to conform with the Country of Origin Labelling butchers must adhere to. Procurement for NHS, prisons, armed forces, schools etc should be led by other factors besides price. Value for money includes considerations such as environmental impact, freshness, the local economy and more. The private sector should also be encouraged to look at their purchasing policy (eg the oil industry). However encouragement of the use of home produce should not be exclusive - if the quality is inferior or inadequate, other sources should be available but should always conform to our production standards.

223 The Vegan Society, Aberdeenshire

VEGANISM IN THE NEW SCOTLAND The Vegan Society, an educational charity founded in 1944, advocates and promotes a lifestyle free from the use of all animal products, as far as possible and practicable. In dietary terms this means a diet based on the products of the vegetable kingdom, such as fruits, vegetables, cereals, pulses, nuts and mushrooms, and totally excluding all animal products, ie meat, fish, poultry, shellfish, eggs, honey, milk and dairy products, and products made from them, such as gelatine, suet and lard. The Vegan Society is based in Birmingham, England, and has members all over the world, but predominantly in the United Kingdom, including Scotland. The present Chairman of its Council of Management is George D Rodger, of 17 Howburn Place, Aberdeen, AB11 6XT, tel 01224 573034. The office address is Donald Watson House, 21 Hylton Street, Hockley, Birmingham, B18 6HJ, tel 0121 523 1730.

There are two areas of policy where veganism has particular relevance to the future of Scotland (whether devolved, independent or semi-independent!) - health, and the environment.

HEALTH

Scotland has had an unenviably poor health record, with high rates of heart disease, cancer etc. This is linked to poor diet, smoking, and high levels of alcohol consumption. Veganism is relevant to the poor diet aspect, the chief faults of which are high intakes of fat, in particular saturated fats and trans-fats, mainly from animal sources, and low intakes of fresh fruit and vegetables. It is reasonable to expect that policies resulting in lower consumption of meat, particularly processed red meats (which have recently been found to be harmful), lower consumption of dairy products and eggs, and higher consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables, in other words a move in the direction of veganism, would lead to a long term improvement in the health of the population. Compulsion in this area is obviously neither possible nor desirable, but changes can be effected by selective tax measures and subsidies, as well as by public information media.

THE ENVIRONMENT

Worldwide, food shortages are becoming a major political issue, as is access to water in many countries. As the world population continues to expand, these problems will become increasingly serious. As is fairly well known, significant quantities of food are now being diverted into the production of biofuels, and land is being diverted from food crop production to producing crops specifically for biofuel production. What is largely overlooked or deliberately ignored by the media is that large amounts of food suitable for human consumption (including maize, soya, wheat and barley) are being fed to farm animals, either as supplementary feed when grazing is insufficient, or, in the case of pigs and poultry, as the sole feedstuff. As most of the feedstuff is used simply to fuel the normal activity of the animal, only a small proportion is actually converted into usable meat, milk or eggs. In other words, much of the food grown by the world's farmers is wasted, by feeding farm animals instead of people.

If the whole world were to adopt a vegan diet, enough food is already being grown to support an even larger human population than the present one. Incidentally, as recently pointed out by the United Nations FAO, ruminant farm animals are also a major source of greenhouse gases, including methane, and worldwide this has a greater climate change effect than all forms of transport, even including air travel. Farm animals also require large quantities of water, which in many parts of the world is a scarce resource. In fact, much of the world's population is near-vegan, eating mostly staple crops such as rice, wheat, maize, millet or potatoes, supplemented with small amounts of meat and other animal products. It is the wealthy developed countries, mainly in Europe and North America, that are the main culprits consuming very large amounts of animal products. Unfortunately, the up-and-coming developing countries, such as China and India, are aspiring to emulate the rich countries by eating copious quantities of meat, and are setting up their own highly industrialised livestock industries.

Livestock production is a major part of the Scottish agricultural industry and does its share of using up food which could have been used direct by people. Much of the agricultural land in Scotland at present used for grazing cattle and sheep is lowland farm land which could equally well be used for growing cereals, pulses, vegetables or soft fruit for human consumption (or biofuel crops). Traditionally, land used for grazing was part of a rotational system along with arable crops, in the belief that animal manure is necessary for fertility, but it is now well established that fertility of crop land can equally well be sustained with composted plant material. Policies to encourage healthy eating, as outlined above, would move the industry in the direction of less livestock production and more edible crop production. Scottish farmers have always been adept at adapting to changed circumstances, and would no doubt respond to appropriate incentives.

The fishing industry has historically been a major part of the Scottish economy, and fish is at present being heavily promoted as a healthy food, particularly as a source of omega-3 essential fatty acids. There is good reason to believe that fish stocks in Scottish waters are being over-exploited, as Scots and others once over-exploited the great whales which are now commercially extinct in the North Atlantic. Fish farming is no help in this area, as farmed fish need to be fed on processed food made from wild-caught fish, and, as with land livestock, at a poor conversion rate - so fish farming actually increases the over-fishing of wild fish! Incidentally, the fishing industry is a heavy user of fossil fuels; it has been estimated that the energy content of the fossil fuel used by the fishing fleet is 12 times greater than the energy content of the catch! Ironically, the much-vaunted essential fatty acids in certain species of fish can easily be obtained from plant sources - flax seed oil is exceptionally rich in omega-3. So, when Scottish waters have been stripped of all fish, there's a nice alternative crop for Scottish farmers to grow! It is unrealistic to expect the Scottish Government to promote out-and-out veganism, much as we would like it to, but some shift in that direction would be good for the Scottish people and good for the rest of the world. Problems such as food and water shortages and climate change are whole-world problems, but Scotland can play its part in alleviating the situation.

224 Sally M Wilkins

I agree with much of what is suggested. However I would make the following points:

-these principles do not take cognisance of the way in which local government etc is bound by procurement policy - this makes it actually illegal to choose only to source produce locally - fishing needs to be sustainable. This means clean seas as well as sustainable fishing stocks. Both of which have global implications. Scotland needs to work with the rest of the world to clean up our seas and prevent over fishing. This includes taking an intense look at our own polluting practises. - educating school children does not go far enough. Particularly as they are only at school for a minority of their time. Parents exercise far more control over food choices for their children and in turn need access to information and assistance in making the right choices. - marketing: there is no doubt that children are deliberately targeted by producers of high value high fat and high sugar content foods. I would be interested in seeing plans to address this, particularly given the power these often global conglomerates exercise

- alcohol, other than the whisky industry, is not mentioned and it should be. Alcohol abuse contributes to a range of social ills, as well as having a direct impact on health. Alcohol is also associated with unhealthy eating behaviours - greasy take outs on the way home, high salt content bar snacks etc. Its use can and should be enjoyable. However the drinking culture mitigates, this with alcohol responsible for adding to many people's sugar and carbohydrate load. Do figure conscious young women fully appreciate the calorie implications of downing all that alcohol, for example. Are young people fully aware of the negative impact over consumption of alcohol has on their ability to conceive?

- UK farmers could feed this nation. However the workings of the common agricultural policy, the manner in which subsidies etc work, mean that we are dependent on imports to feed us. It is harder and harder for farmers to compete in the global marketplace. While other countries are unable to feed their own populations we are contributing to global warming by importing wheat, lamb, apples etc, all of which could (and used to be) produced on our own land. It is impossible to engage in a debate about food and ignore the global inequalities. I welcome any step to return food production to these shores but feel that greater analysis, for example of the CAP and how it is affecting UK farmers, is required. - no mention of growing your own! Gardens, allotments, window boxes. people should be encouraged to produce fruit and veg, herbs etc for their own consumption. Too many children grow up unaware of the link between the land and food production. Some do not even know that carrots come out of the ground. Gardening offers further health advantages in terms of exercise, fresh air, social returns (swapping excess production being a firm tradition). It is not, has never been and should not be the preserve of the middle classes.

- more support for adult learning - health wise type cookery classes which link to offering alternatives for people who may be on low incomes with children to feed or for widowers or others on their own and on a budget. Preparation of nutritious meals from scratch using high quality but low cost ingredients. Such classes also act as a hook into other adult learning opportunities, including literacy and numeracy support. Such acitivites help to restore a sense of self esteem. For many they may provide a pathway out of drug and alcohol misuse. - I've noted an alarming trend to see food as a fuel, a necessary evil, opportunity to throw large quantities of greasy comfort food down at speed. We're losing the culture of food as an opportunity to interact socially - with friends or family, something to enjoy and relish. If we slowed down maybe we would be more picky about what we put into our mouths.

- use the internet much more to promote positive messages about food and diet. Many people, not necessarily just young people, use the internet and texting as a primary means of communication. Upload diet sheets/ nutritional advice about what to eat and how to source it - sensible eating for weight loss will attract several people. Combine with suggestions about taking exercise, maybe, but avoid being patronising. Would be ideal if there is capability for people to add their own comments/ suggestions e.g info on local farmers' markets, local producers etc. - set the example

- all Scottish Government canteens should use locally sourced produce as far as possible. Any hospitality offered should use local producers and be utilised as an opportunity to showcase the very best of Scottish food. - promote and support the efforts of local organic farmers. They've been struggling away for years to produce quality fruit and veg on a very local basis. Give them the credit they're due

- bottled water - thorny one as Scotland produces the stuff HOWEVER not remotely justifiable in any sense whatsoever. Promote drinking tap water (filtered if necessary, bearing in mind the sometimes over enthusiastic use of chlorine in between reservoir and kitchen tap). It's a nonsense that people are prepared to pay so much money for a fluid otherwise freely available. Whilst tying up oil reserves in doing so - plastic bottles, production, transport etc. We have clean water in this country. We should be drinking it. We certainly should not be contributing to the carbon footprint by importing crate loads of the stuff. Particularly as access to clean water is still an aspiration for many in the developing world.

- healthier choices in cinemas - the big chains maximise profit by selling food and fizzy drinks. Such food is often high fat and or high sugar content. I'm not suggesting this be swept away but there should be healhtier choices on offer for people who fancy a snack that isn't loaded with carbohydrate or want their children to enjoy a trip to the pictures without being unable to concentrate of the sugar buzz.

225 Kathleen Condron

I think the patient food in a lot of hospitals should be a very important consideration. Ultimately, we are all paying for this and the standards can be very poor. One Glasgow hospital, where a few relatives of mine have been admitted serves such awful food with limited choice(if you are at the other end of the ward-it's what is left). I have heard patients sending out for food. On one occasion the fish bones were bigger than the fish! Elderly patients can be another worry. I was very worried on one occasion at the disregard if my relative ate or not.

226 East Lothian Council

Response available on separate PDF - to follow

227 Multi-agency Food and Health Strategy Working Group, Dumfries and Galloway, Dumfries

1. Background

The Dumfries and Galloway Food and Health Strategy Working Group welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Government's discussion paper on developing a national food policy. The following comments have not been considered by any formal Committee or Board but have arisen out of work done by a multi-agency Working Group, which included engagement with community groups across the region as well as with people working in the public, private and third sectors. The Working Group, led by NHS Dumfries and Galloway, has produced a draft local Food and Health Strategy which is currently out for wide consultation and is attached here for your interest. The Strategy appendix lists the wide range of local people, groups, organisations and businesses involved in both the Working Group and Sub-Groups, also those who took part in a wide-ranging consultation exercise. Further, sections five and six of the draft set out specifically what local people, and those working in the various sectors, had to say about food and health.

2. General comments

It is good to see that recognition is being given to the need for cross-cutting policy. The Working Group is aware of some examples where this has not been particularly evident to date - these are listed below - and which would therefore merit further attention by the Government. It would be interesting to know how the Government intends to achieve a balance between 'a well ~nourished population' and a 'profitable food industry', given the conflicts that exist with this.

• the mass production of cheap, unhealthy and non-nutritious food and the advertising industry which supports it.

• the low standards of food production e.g. battery hens, hormone use in animals, cruel practices for profit etc.

• the very slow progress regarding the reduction of high-levels of salt, fat, and sugar in so much processed food.

• the higher price of food which does not contain sugar, salt etc (e.g. tinned vegetables).

• the encouragement for producers and farmers to diversify into top-end, niche products and the emphasis on food tourism which provides the region with economic opportunity to attract spend from outwith. There is also a need for local producers to grow affordable food, including good quality fruit and vegetables for local people

• an import/export trade which means (quality) food products leave the country (e.g. fish) while we import in, thus undermining commitment to 'greener' and 'local'.

• there appears to be contradiction between policy which advocates sustainable local food and public sector procurement policy which favours large national contracts. This makes it very difficult for small to medium sized local enterprises.

• lack of legislation for the food industry to help address issues around food labelling, nutrition and health.

3. Government commitment

It is very welcome that the Government acknowledges that a healthier Scotland will not just come from changing individual behaviour and attitudes about diet and food choices, but that wider issues need to be addressed e.g. 'supporting' Scottish food manufacturers and retailers to take the initiative in increasing demand for healthier food. We would welcome the Government's continued commitment to this by its support for, for example,

• the Scottish Grocers Federation project evaluated so well in the central belt that the Government was keen to roll it out. Unfortunately, in Dumfries and Galloway this has resulted in one part time worker for the whole of the West of Scotland. Full time input in South West Scotland alone is required.

• if we want a healthier Scotland we really need to address the lack of affordable, good quality, fruit and veg for many people in Scotland. We need to build an infrastructure that allows for not only the production of healthier food, but also its delivery and availability to our most rural and deprived areas, as when as to those in greatest need. Policies to support small local food producing co-operatives, local convenience stores, farmers' markets etc would be beneficial e.g. through public sector procurement which takes the needs of medium and small businesses into account and works with them to.help them engage in the procurement process.

• commitment to food and health inequalities is crucial and should include a key role for the third sector.

• new nutritional specifications for the public sector are a step in the right direction, but increased funding is needed to support implementation, so that better quality food can be served in hospitals, prisons, schools, care homes and day centres etc.

4. Education, training and skills

• through the Curriculum for Excellence, ensure delivery of lifeskills in the context of health and wellbeing (for example, public and cross-sectoral consultation for our Food and Health draft Strategy has shown a strong desire for cooking to be a mandatory subject for all secondary school pupils).

• curricula for all workers with a link to food and nutrition (health workers, catering staff, care staff etc) need to be considered so that training courses include food and nutrition components, both generic and specific as appropriate, as well as issues such as seasonality, sustainability etc.

• consultation and discussion during Strategy development has also highlighted some support for food and nutrition courses to be made mandatory for care staff. It is hoped that the Government will see the commitment to, and good progress made by agencies in Dumfries and Galloway in the production of the first draft local Food and Health Strategy. Following public consultation, the intention is that the final draft Strategy will be reported to the Council and the NHS. The Government's discussion paper will be highlighted in the reporting procedures to these bodies and we do look forward to hearing the outcome of your consultation exercise.

228 Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society, Newbridge

1. SAOS is a specialist development organisation owned by 80 agricultural and rural co-ops (our members). Their collective turnover was £1.3 billion in 2007. Through their co-ops, farmers organise for efficient production (making best use of machinery, labour and land), co-operate to purchase farm inputs, and collectively store, prepare for market, and in some cases, process, their produce for market. Several key Scottish food and drink brands are owned by agricultural co-ops. Cooperation also enables very small producers to achieve scale and collective benefit, for example by staging farmers markets. A 'key points' fact sheet on the agricultural co-op sector in Scotland is appended.

2. The purpose of SAOS is to strengthen the profitability, competitiveness and sustainability of farming, the food and drink industry, and Scotland's rural economy, by promoting and assisting cooperation and collaboration amongst farmers and along supply and distribution chains. SAOS has specialist skills and experience in researching, innovating and implementing farm and supply chain strategies that satisfy customer demands through cooperation and collaboration. We also practice collaboration. We initiate and manage complex, multi-partner projects, and we participate in many industry and government stakeholder groups. In addition, SAOS provides a range of services especially designed to support co-op directors, who are mostly farmer non-executives. Our main work-streams are cooperation in agriculture, collaboration in supply chains, local foods development, and carbon management. SAOS is prohibited by its constitution from distributing profits.

3. We welcome this opportunity to contribute to the "discussion" on the future of food in Scotland. In this response, we indicate our support for establishing a national food policy, we give our perspective on priorities, and we indicate how SAOS can contribute to achieving the vision for food in Scotland.

Our Response to the Vision for Food In Scotland

4. We are supportive of the vision statement set out on page 3 of the discussion paper. We welcome the formulation of a national food policy as suggested by the Cabinet Secretary in his introduction, that is consistent with the following statement from page 5; "We need to be sure that this new, more joined up approach is understood and taken on board by everyone, not just in the industry but throughout Government and all the public and voluntary agencies whose interests overlap in any way with food and drink".

5. We support the aspirations of the vision statement for the following reasons:

a. The full potential contribution and impact of food across Scotland's society, economy and environment is acknowledged. The objectives to make Scotland healthier, wealthier and fairer, safer and stronger, greener and smarter are unarguable.

b. A coherent policy, ultimately with supporting action, will help to raise awareness of the significance of food amongst Scotland's populace. This will help to ensure that food related issues receive high profile and priority, consistent with their importance to Scotland.

c. The formulation of policy can be considered in light of best practice elsewhere in the world, and new ideas and innovation can be researched and developed for application in Scotland.

d. A single policy will help to ensure that consistent judgements are made in defining priorities and resource use across the many dimensions of food - health, the economy, rural Scotland, climate change, etc.

e. In formulating a single policy, potential, perceived and actual conflicts between different interests can be identified and either reconciled or managed. Achieving balance, or simply acknowledging where tensions will continue to persist, will be important in securing support for the policy.

6. From our particular perspective as a farming and food industry development organisation, we support the vision statement for the following reasons: a. Food production (farming in particular) is one of Scotland's most valuable primary industries and remains the cornerstone of all that is

rural Scotland. The industry merits Government priority and support, and appropriate context alongside other food related interests.

b. Scotland's food and drinks industry is distinguished in the market by its special attributes of location, farming systems and high quality. These attributes are afforded premium values in the global market and there is opportunity for market growth. The industry recognises it can increase its contribution to Scotland's economic performance, and has adopted a strategy (in Scotland Food and Drink) to achieve this, providing a basis for consistency with Government food policy.

c. The farming and food industry may be able to increase its contribution to the achievement of related Government objectives, such as health, social justice and tourism. Researching and formulating food policy should enable such opportunities to be identified and addressed.

d. The farming industry in Scotland is currently contracting, as several sectors suffer from persistent low financial returns (or losses). Formulation of a food policy would require proper and current evaluation of the contribution that farming is expected to make to a range of policy objectives, and commitment to an agreed future vision for farming to which government and industry can commit. This would help to increase farmers' confidence, and improve the prospects of the potential contribution of farming being realised for Scotland.

2

7. In addition to supporting the vision for food in Scotland, we make the following observations:

a. A cross-cutting food policy runs the danger of being always out of date relative to current change pressures and needs, such would be the degree of research, analysis, policy revision and consultation involved. Broad objectives, against which to check strategy actions, would be more enduring than prescriptive detail.

b. There must be a means of revisiting and refreshing the food policy for it to remain current, and therefore relevant. Issues of ascending and descending priority should be regularly reviewed. For example, issues of food security and global food production trends, labour availability, water management and competition for land use, are all currently in the ascendant. These look set to become important policy drivers in Scotland.

c. Tensions and conflicts across areas of policy should be identified and discussed with interested stakeholders to create understanding and ensure transparency. Failing to do so will undermine the authority of the strategy, and support for it. Within the farming and food industry, it is questioned why the discussion paper makes no mention of the drinks industry. The same farm output (cereals) may be destined for either food or drink production. The drinks industry makes one of the most significant contributions to the economy, and to Scotland's international identity.

Priorities and What SAOS Can Do To Help Deliver the Vision

8. We identify the following priorities (in no particular order) that the food policy should address:

a. Innovation in agriculture; Scotland's farming industry must make its contribution to addressing food and energy challenges in the context of the global market place. As in every industry, investment in innovation is vital for future competitiveness, but Scotland's farming has suffered a long period of low profitability, and investment by both industry and governments in production research and business innovation has slowed. This trend must be reversed for Scotland's farming and food industries to make their full potential contribution. Our primary production, and the organisation of farmers in marketing chains, must be 'world class' to survive, continuously improving its performance. Government policy should prioritise and invest in action to increase production and structural innovation.

b. Fairness in marketing chains; there is a continuously growing imbalance of power in marketing chains to the main multiple retailers. This has created a range of effects that constrain the farming and food industries from achieving their full potential in Scotland. Lack of trust deters transparency, which undermines confidence in long term planning and constrains availability of investment capital. Arguably, the degree of value that has transferred to multiple retailers has been a significant contributor to slowing innovation in Scottish agriculture.

3

Government policy should overtly support Scotland Food and Drink in seeking to change this aspect of the market environment, and identify measures that it can take that will complement the actions of Scotland

Food and Drink.

c. Improving health in Scotland; the need for improving over-all health in Scotland is beyond question. A more concerted discussion amongst farming, food industry and health, stakeholders is required. Currently, we perceive a lack of sufficient opportunity to engage in joint policy consideration and planning, and very limited understanding amongst the various stakeholders of what may, or not, be reasonable objectives and expectations to set for themselves and others. Government's priority should be to overcome these constraints, leading and facilitating joined-up action.

d. Addressing climate change; the contribution that farming and food production and distribution make to green house gas emissions and the use of natural resources is becoming clearer. Increasing environmental sustainability is consistent with the priorities identified above; more efficient production and marketing chains, with reduced waste, contribute to environmental sustainability as well as market competitiveness. The food policy should set the challenge for Scotland to become a leader in environmentally sustainable, economic, food production.

9. SAOS has adopted aims and strategies that we believe reflect the priorities above, in the development of the farming and food industries, and which make a positive contribution towards delivering the vision for food in Scotland. We consider that these should be specified in the actions required to implement a national food policy. SAOS' strategies are consistent with, and complementary to, the 'industry strategy' adopted by the members of Scotland Food and Drink, and we are actively engaged in delivering the industry strategy. We intend to continue and expand our work, thereby increasing our contribution. In summary:

a. We aim to increase farmers' participation in agricultural co-ops and joint enterprise. This will contribute to creating a smarter, wealthier, fairer, safer and stronger Scotland. Farmer participation in cooperation enables an efficient and effective strategy for innovation and fairness in value chains. Cooperation amongst farmers empowers them to overcome the disadvantages of small individual scale. (The rationale for this is set out below.)

b. We aim to increase collaboration in food supply and marketing chains and networks, increasing trust, transparency, innovation and fair value for all participants. This will contribute to creating a smarter, wealthier, fairer, safer and stronger Scotland. (The rationale for this is set out below.)

c. We aim to assist the development and expansion of local food production and distribution, and increase access to local food by all sectors of the population. This will contribute to creating a smarter, wealthier, fairer, healthier and greener Scotland. (The rationale for this is set out below.)

4

d. We aim to promote and develop the opportunities to manage and

reduce green house gas emissions through collaboration and cooperation amongst farmers and collaboration in food supply and

distribution chains. This will contribute to creating a greener, smarter, safer and stronger Scotland. (The rationale for this is set out below.)

10. In addition to the above strategic action that SAGS is taking, we believe that we can perform an increased role at the interface amongst various 'food stakeholders'. We already manage and participate in many stakeholder groups, helping participants to identify common interests and common purpose, and to formulate objectives and action plans. We believe that convening and facilitating diverse stakeholder groups will be essential in generating broad 'ownership' of a food policy in Scotland. We offer our skills and services to assist.

Increasing Cooperation Amongst Farmers - Rationale

11. The rationale for farmers cooperating is clear, supported by evidence from within the UK and around the world. Some of the main benefits are: a. Increasing farmers' share of the value of food and drink; academic research carried out in the USA has concluded that the difference between ex-farm prices and retail prices narrows as the market share of farmers' co-ops increases. Improved marketing chain efficiencies result when the competitive pressures created by farmers' co-ops remove the opportunity for over-reliance by processors on decreasing ex-farm prices to generate profits. In addition, cooperation enables farmers to aggregate produce and capital, to vertically integrate and create value-adding, food processing, businesses which invest in Scotland for the long term.

b. More secure, stable, predictable markets; farmers participating in marketing chains via cooperation and collaboration enjoy better market information, early opportunities to satisfy emerging market demands, better feed-back on farm product output, less market risk and 'distressed selling', and more security of market. These benefits enhance their profitability and sustainability.

c. More cost efficient farming; farm profit and loss accounts benefit directly, and in the short-term, when farmers adopt cooperation as a strategy to make more efficient use of their assets of machinery, labour, land and capital, sharing investment and managing farms more efficiently. Cooperation enables innovation, providing opportunities not available to individual farm businesses.

d. Maintain rural community and infrastructure; farmers' cooperatives are pillars of rural capacity and development, employing and investing in local people, facilities and businesses, and assisting in diversification of the rural economy. Farmers' co-ops make a positive contribution to creating sustainable, inclusive, rural communities.

e. Enhancing quality of production; agricultural cooperatives facilitate best practice and innovation in both farm assurance and traceability of primary food production.

12. As dependence on market returns and competitiveness increases, so too does the relevance and value of cooperation to those farm businesses who were in the past motivated, in part, by the subsidy regime. For others, farming without involvement in cooperation is no longer feasible, and it has become typical for an arable farmer in Scotland to participate in a cereals' storage and marketing co-op, a potatoes' storage and marketing co-op, a machinery ring, and a farmer-owned agronomy advice and buying group. These provide multiple business and market benefits, enhancing profits, market security and business sustainability.

13. Cooperation enables farmers to overcome the disadvantages of being small businesses, fragmented across rural areas. Cooperation is making an increasing contribution to strengthening Scotland's farming and food industry at three levels: more competitive farming - making more efficient use of resources and skills via shared machinery and labour, joint venture enterprises, and joint venture farming companies; participation in the marketing chain - addressing market and investment needs collectively by aggregating uniform quality product, integrating in marketing chains and adding value, and selling direct to consumers; achieving strategic strength - by investing in food processing and supplying direct to multiple retailers, food service companies and export markets. SAGS' specialist cooperative development role, increasing cooperation amongst farmers and growers, will make a positive contribution to achieving the vision for food in Scotland.

Increasing Collaboration in Supply and Marketing Chains - Rationale

14. In 2005, research carried out by SAGS found that effective, consumer orientated, commercial, supply chain collaboration, was a key contributory factor to competitiveness. The research found that: a. Collaborative chains respond more quickly to market opportunities;

b. Collaborative chains are more likely to be competitive and sustainable for all chain participants, and

c. Transformation from 'traditional' to 'collaborative' chains can deliver a step-change in competitiveness and performance.

15. Based on our research, we concluded that the adoption of collaborative chain practices in UK food and drink has been only partially successful so far, and can be described as being at a relatively early stage of development. To date, collaboration has been more concerned with cost saving than with value creation and joint commitment, and has not engendered trust and transparency in many chains. Addressing these shortcomings through greater collaboration will make a positive contribution to achieving the vision for food in Scotland.

16. SAGS is a member of Scotland Food and Drink. We participate on the Board of Directors and in the Executive Group. In addition, we currently act as Chair of the Collaboration Working Group.6

Developing & Expanding Local Food Production & Distribution - Rationale

17. As awareness of local foods in the market is increasing, so too is the scale of the potential market. Many opportunities to further extend the benefits of local foods in local 'economies' have been identified and are consistent with a drive towards achieving sustainable procurement and improved access. However, the development of local food manufacturers and supply chains in Scotland, which are currently often micro-scale, and the development of the market, are taking place in a fragmented pattern.

18. In addition, because the development of Scotland's local foods economy is of interest to several Scottish Government departments and agencies, fragmentation in the business environment is repeated in the policy and support environment. In 2006, we completed an overview project for SEERAD, identifying several strategy and development related issues that we believed to be constraining growth.

19. SAOS aims to assist the development and growth of Scotland's local foods economy, applying our resources to developing the role of co-operation and collaboration, which will enable small-scale producers to effectively and efficiently supply customers, by overcoming the disadvantages of their individual small scale, and by collaborating in effective supply chains. We intend to build our contribution to the development of the sector by working with businesses and other stakeholders in addressing development constraints.

20. In so doing, we will seek to improve access to local foods in target populations by working with local networks and agencies, addressing identified needs. Our action will contribute to achieving the vision for food in Scotland.

Developing Cooperation to Manage Green House Gas Emissions - Rationale

21. The Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change reported that agriculture was responsible for 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and predicted that emissions from agriculture are set to increase as more land is brought into cultivation to feed the world, and as increasing prosperity drives meat consumption. Political and market motivation for environment sustainability is beginning to demand that agriculture manage its contribution to carbon emissions.

22. Cooperation will be essential in enabling agriculture to effectively manage carbon emissions, and has many proven and potential applications. All the following solutions contribute to reduced emissions, as well enhancing value and profits:

a. Using machinery rings, or joint venture farming, to increase efficiency of machinery, fuel, fertiliser and agrochemicals use;

b. Membership of a professional marketing group that interfaces with a group of farmers and the rest of the supply chain to meet customers' demands and help manage the total chain carbon footprint; 7

c. Group investment in bio-digestors to reduce the impact of animal wastes;

d. Group production and marketing of renewable fuel crops, and development of supply chains;

e. Group investment in electricity, heat, or biofuel production to add value;

f. Creation of local food production and distribution networks to improve the carbon footprint of local foods.

23. SAOS aims to promote and assist cooperation and collaboration in carbon management, and the establishment of renewable energy enterprises, in response to supply chain demands and Scottish Government's policy objectives. Our action will contribute to achieving the vision for food in Scotland.

Conclusion

24. We support the vision for food in Scotland, and the formulation of a food policy for Scotland. We consider it important that food policy formulation is inclusive and addresses potential conflicting priorities. We consider it essential that a means of refreshing food policy is identified. We believe that SAOS already makes an important contribution to delivering the vision for food in Scotland, and that the priorities we have identified should be incorporated in a food policy. We aim to increase our contribution in the years ahead toward achieving the vision for food in Scotland. We offer our services and full participation.

229 David Victor Macdiarmid, Fife

This initiative by the Scottish Government has to be congratulated, at last we are actually making steps to improve the health of a nation that consistently comes as the most unhealthy in modern europe. Scotland is a wealthy Nation and for us to be where we are health wise is a sad reflection on what's gone before. I for one will be sourcing as much food as i can locally. I am also heartened that the major supermarkets are at least willing to discuss sourcing local produce. I have no problems with my wine being French, our climate unfortunately cannot produce the grape required to turn out a cheeky wee Bordeaux that i enjoy, however with global warming round the corner "who knows"....

230 Roslyn McNay, Castle Douglas

Food Policy Scotland I my opinion there are a number of key areas that need to be addressed by the group responsible for developing a national food policy.

1. Local produce and the environment - It is all too easy for people to jump on the band-wagon and state that local food is best. There needs to be proper consideration given to the true cost of a product to the environment and our health. The policy must recognise the full life-cycle value of the produce in question before suddenly presenting the product as 'most desirable' e.g. is a tomato grown outwith season in heated tunnels in Scotland really a better choice than a tomato grown in the Spanish sunshine without need for additional energy? I believe that the Scottish public are quite capable of understanding these choices if the information is clearly presented. I recently visited a supermarket and was looking for a UK apple and although Cox's were in season they were missing from the shelves. However, some of the boxes of fruit from New Zealand, South Africa and Italy had designed the colours of the tissue inside the boxes to look like the Union Jack, thus giving the shopper the impression that the contents represented UK grown produce.

There are countries who take great pride in ensuring that they support their own national products in season. This was certainly the case in Switzerland twenty years ago and perhaps to the present day - during the summer you could only buy Swiss tomatoes in the Migros Supermarket (equivalent of our Co-op Supermarket). From September each year Italian & Spanish tomatoes would appear again on the shelves. Whilst there is no doubt EU trading implications to be considered today, I think nevertheless that politics cannot be separated from food. Indeed in Switzerland, there is pride, passion and politics on every menu!! There are great efforts made to ensure that canton specialities are supported, not only during national or regional festivities but throughout the year. This creates an interesting travel and food experience.

Whilst our supermarkets here appear to be becoming more supportive of farmers and certainly stock more Scottish produce, smaller suppliers seem to continue to struggle to be able to supply in the bulk, timeframes or within the costs set out by the big players such as Tesco. It may seem like just something we need to accept but other places are challenging the status-quo. Scallys supermarkets in Co. Cork, Ireland have developed very effective relationships with very small producers and suppliers across the south of Ireland. They have encouraged customers to try local foods and have even developed their own branding mechanism to show support for local foods. Whilst I think that it is important that local food is given the right support to flourish, it is equally important that we concentrate on developing a market to support, appreciate and fully utilise what comes from supporting local food producers. Branding has to be consistent and labelling very clear. Farmers markets and large supermarkets are equally guilty of presenting food as 'local' when indeed it comes from outwith the region or contains large quantities of non-local ingredients.

2. Food & Tourism - In a recent Rural Gateway debate "Food" was rated highest after "Scenic Location" as prime reason for choosing a place to stay in Scotland! It is therefore incredibly important that all involved in Scottish tourism effectively sign-post tourists to good Scottish food experiences. Initiatives such as the Eating Out Guide developed by the Scottish Borders Tourist Board during the late 90s is a prime example of effective tourism sign-posting and did a great deal to raise the profile of food to locals and tourists alike through the Good Food Competition. The Dumfries & Galloway Food Awards (organised by Savour the Flavours) is another good example of raising the profile of local produce, producers and hospitality establishments across the region. Exhibitions at country fairs, demonstrations and lectures all have a role to play in educating all people, young and old, good cooks, new cooks, visitors and locals.

3. Food safety - It goes without saying that environmentally sustainable methods of production, packaging and transportation need to be placed more centrally within food policy; however equally as important is the need to ensure that we are doing our part to support global food stability. By this I mean that we need to be completely aware of the impact of the choices we make on a global level, politically, socially and ecologically. Consumers need to understand the full life-cycle value of the product as well as the political and social implications of buying from developing countries. The recent labelling of air-freighted fruit has demonised certain products and may have as a result threatened livelihoods in some of the poorest countries. Whilst most people think of food safety having something to do with food safety from disease (such as F&M, Blue tongue, Bird Flu, CJD) there is likely to be greater disruption to food supply chains through potential energy shortages (affecting all levels of production & transportation) and possibly through future acts of terrorism. After all, Scotland like many other developed countries is heavily reliant on imported food (I believe that approx 75% of the food we eat is imported).

4. Waste - For at least twenty years, people have been accustomed to reading labels, checking dates and deliberating about whether or not food is safe to consume. It is therefore not surprising that most people seem willing to simply discard food rather than take any chance. Education will enable people to identify whether a food is actually past its best or a danger to health. Packaging is of course a major issue linked to transportation, marketing and food safety, however as consumers become more knowledgeable about the recycling of certain packaging then we should see a move by the big food producers towards more environmentally friendly packaging. This could be pushed along by the introduction of stricter controls on household waste. Why is it that supermarkets in this country are not forced to make sure that there is a re-packaging space at the end of the till area, so that excess packaging can be deposited at the point-of-sale? If there was such a thing then I'm sure that we would start to see a change in the level of excessive packaging accepted onto the shelves. It is widely accepted that there are many consumers who are unable to make most use of the food they buy. There needs to be a return to learning to make more use of each part of the plant or animal through understanding soups, preserving, slow-cooking and other techniques not generally utilised by modern, busy families.

5. Health - I think that the reference in the Discussion Paper to the level of 'eating out' has to be set within a lifestyle and income context, after all it is extremely unlikely that all sections of the population can afford to eat out more often than eat at home. The greatest threat to health posed by food is in my opinion undoubtedly the hidden ingredients in ready-made meals. High levels of fat, salt and sugar do not go unnoticed if you are preparing simple foods from scratch. There should be more done to encourage people to cook from raw ingredients. In a rural context it can be very difficult to access fresh fruit, vegetables, fish and meat on a daily or even weekly basis, so more support needs to be given to ensure that fresh produce can be accessed regularly and at times to suit working families.

The Food Train based in Dumfries & Galloway is an excellent example of ensuring those without easy access to shops can still prepare good healthy meals in their own home. The voluntary and charity organisation provides a grocery service to the elderly, housebound and disabled across the region. At least five supermarket chains and twenty other shops agree to make up food orders for the service. The concept of the Food Train and the lessons learnt should be worth considering for the new policy.

The role of schools in provision of healthy & satisfying meals should also form a core part of Scotland's Food Policy. As someone who grew up in a Fife coal-mining community in the 70s and 80s, I was privileged to have received free school meals throughout my school-life. I know first hand how important it was to my mother (as a single parent) to know that we had received a good solid meal at lunch-time. I developed a taste for a wide range of foods, something that has stayed with me throughout my life. In addition, I saw first-hand how well the schools coped during the miners strike when there was a huge increase in the number of children receiving school meals. Not only did the sons and daughters of miners receive free school meals, the school opened early to provide breakfast too! Finally, would so many kids today be so against having a non-fizzy drink if they had received along-side their friends a little bottle of milk each and every day at school?

Eating habits (or at least our core attitudes towards food) are formed at a very early stage in life therefore the new policy should seek to view food and the health of our nation as a long-term project. Other countries such as Finland are succeeding in changing their health record linked to changes in consumption of food and alcohol, so there is no reason to imagine that Scotland cannot also turn things around too. A bold vision carried through with determination such as the ban of plastic bags in Ireland and then the ban of smoking in public places has shown that the right policy can make a great change to our health and environment.

In summary, I feel that everything will come back to education. When we are young we learn from our parents and grandparents, we learn from our teachers and from leaders in clubs and societies. From the perspectives of the food industry there is also learning from other like-minded businesses and government can learn from actions in other countries. Companies should be encouraged to lead the way and be supported to do so, on the other hand the public sector must support our farmers, manufacturers and of course the hospitality industry. In the next LEADER rural development programme here in Dumfries & Galloway we will continue to do our bit to ensure that local food continues to play an important role in the renaissance of the region economically, environmentally and of course socially. It would no doubt be beneficial to those involved in developing Scotland's Food Policy to consider the elements of good practice that the LEADER approach has established over the past two decades. Exchange of knowledge, networking and innovation lie at the heart of our work, something which I hope will be evident in the new Food Policy for Scotland.

231 NHS Public Health Nutrition Group, Edinburgh

The NHS Public Health Nutrition Group welcomes the Scottish Government's intention to develop a national food policy for Scotland, and the open and consultative way in which the development of the policy is being taken forward.

The points we would make to contribute to the national food policy discussion are as follows:

· The tension between delivering good health and economic success: Resolving the tension between economic growth and promotion of healthy diets is often a challenge for governments, though it does not necessarily have to be. There is money to be made through the production of foods high in fat, salt and or sugar, and a lucrative market for them. Yet they contribute significantly to diseases such as coronary heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes and obesity, all of which cost the NHS millions of pounds each year. However there is also money to be made from the production of healthy foods. Indeed this is often identified as the food industry's number 1 growth category.

The tension between health and economic growth is evident in the national food policy discussion paper. However the tension is not explicitly acknowledged, nor are ideas for resolving the tension proposed. The new national food policy needs to do this. Should Scotland, for example, provide start-up grants for companies set up to produce products high in fat, salt or sugar? This may have happened in the past, but perhaps it is now time to use public money differently, and the national food policy is the place to do this. Even gradual change will have positive benefits which will grow over time and show pronounced impacts in 10, 20 and 50 years time.

Another measure of economic success is balance of payments. Scotland's current balance of payments deficit for food [5] can be improved not only by increasing exports, but by growing more food for consumption in a home market, thus reducing imports. The Scottish Diet Action Plan made a series of recommendations in 1996 to encourage increased production of fruit and vegetables here in Scotland, with very limited effect. The new national food policy should look again at means of encouraging sustainable, quality, home horticultural production. Quality produce should not just be for the export market.

· Is this a policy for food and drink, or a food policy alone? Currently it talks mainly about food, a little about whisky, and very little about other beverages, alcoholic or otherwise. We suggest the final policy needs to be clearer in this regard. Non-alcoholic beverages play an important part in many people's diets, both positive eg low fat milk, and negative, eg sweetened and diet soft drinks. If drinks are included, then they need to be included in the round and the full range of health issues they raise acknowledged and addressed.

· For some time the public health nutrition community, along with others, has called for local procurement of healthy foods to be made more straightforward, enabling small, local suppliers to compete on an equal footing for some of the lucrative public sector food market. Recognising that some steps have been taken to provide advice to the public sector on how to work within EU rules to procure more (healthy) food locally, we would encourage consideration of how the new national food policy could support this process still further. This would meet dual aims: reducing the carbon footprint of the public sector; and boosting the Scottish rural economy. It would also serve as a link between the national food policy and developments in national procurement policy.

· We need to understand Scottish food culture better. How can we encourage consumers in Scotland to value food more, to spend more time cooking and preparing it, to build this valuing of food into their daily lives, and to waste less of it? The discussion paper touches on waste, but broader work is needed both to understand food culture better and to use this understanding to inform future policy making and action.

· Whilst quality produce should be for Scottish consumers as much as for export, at the same time we would caution against the 'premiumisation' of niche, healthy foods at the expense of access to good, healthy food for all. Care must be taken to ensure that the new food policy does not act to widen inequalities in diet and health, but rather works in the opposite direction, actively to reduce them.

· Our final comment, and concern, is that the discussion paper overall lacks any sense of outcomes and does not explicitly express an intention to establish these. Without specific, mutually agreed outcomes, how we will we recognise success? Moreover, the 'who' and 'how' have yet to be added - who will deliver, what will they do? We presume that the final policy, and any action plan to accompany it, will be much more explicit in these respects.

232 Vivienne Gray

Production

Scottish Government aims to make production of food in Scotland sustainable and viable for producers. While there is no denying that we have plentiful supplies at present, I would question whether the food industry operates smoothly or fairly. The process of food production appears to have become increasingly skewed towards the interests of supermarket chains at the detriment of producers' livelihoods. The oft-repeated cry that supermarkets are merely responding to pressure for low prices from customers is clearly not sufficient justification for allowing this situation to continue. Therefore, in reappraising Scotland's approach to food and food production, fair payment for the producer and fair pricing for the consumer is key. Some of the food and drink produced in Scotland is of a quality that should make us the envy of the world. We have fantastic resources but we are not yet making the most of them. The discussion paper rightly states that commodities such as fresh fish caught by Scottish fishermen are highly successful exports but we need to ensure that they are recognised as Scottish. Let's make such branding part of our effort to move away from being the dietary "sick man of Europe". We also need to question whether our high quality food and drink products are solely for export. Are Scottish people and visitors to this country able to consume these high quality products or are we left with the lower grade products? The example of langoustines, most of which are exported to Europe, is a case in point. A nation which would prefer to consume reconstituted fish products in place of fresh, high-quality fish or shellfish is a nation that needs to change urgently.

Education

Getting people thinking and talking about how food is produced is an important first step. In 2007, Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF) carried out a survey that identified that 44% of Scottish people have never set foot on a farm, despite Scotland still being a predominantly rural country. Developing a new approach to food in Scotland can't only be about the freshest, finest food. There is obviously a need to go right back to basics and reintroduce Scotland's people to their food. Making this connection will contribute towards a healthier Scotland - people who understand where their food comes from and what is in their food are in a better position to make informed choices. It is surely no coincidence that in a country renowned for its poor diet, most of the population is distanced from food production. In recent years, surveys of British schoolchildren have shown that they believe that eggs come from cows and there is a general misunderstanding of where different types of meat come from. Educating people is probably the most urgent aspect of our future approach to food in Scotland. In some respects it shouldn't surprise us that people are misinformed and confused about what they should eat and in what quantities. We are surrounded by mixed signals - a surfeit of food but a desire (and pressure) to be thin. It is no surprise that after years of being 'sold' diet after diet, most of us do not know how to eat for health.

Environment

Environmental impacts of food production and consumption are key to developing a fairer, healthier and wealthier Scotland. For example, if we wish to encourage responsible behaviour we should address a system which permits/encourages sale of individually plastic-wrapped items of fruit and vegetables. These problems are interlinked to a large degree, as people have become distanced from food production, their expectations of what food looks like and how it should be presented have changed. The discussion paper states that "It's the role of the food industry to provide you with the food you want for your table - round the clock, every day of the year." This statement has interesting implications for environmental impacts and consumer expectations. At present, thanks to food imports from around the world, we are essentially living in permanent global summertime (PGST). Seasonality of food is no longer an issue for example, we can now buy soft fruits at any time of the year. In addition to the environmental impacts, this year-round availability is detrimental to the development of inventive cooking. I would also question whether this availability of a select group of fruit and vegetables is in fact for the benefit of the consumer or rather to accommodate how businesses prefer to operate. It is laudable that Scottish Government aims to ensure that we always have "a steady supply of safe food", but we do need to ensure that it is sustainable. We also have to look to how we use food once we have purchased it. It is not acceptable that around a third of the food we buy ends up in the bin. Looking at the issue on a global scale, our wasteful approach to food should shame and embarrass us when, according to research commissioned by the UN and the World Bank, approximately 850 million people still do not have enough food to eat. In reforming our own approach to food, we can also be confident that we are contributing to easing global food inequality.

Equality

Where we buy our food and how much we pay for it are closely related subjects. Our expectation now is that food should be one of the cheapest items on our shopping bill. We have also been taught that those of us on low incomes cannot afford or expect to be able to buy fresh food, relying instead on mass-produced convenience foods. This is surely one of the greatest inequalities we currently face and a major contributor to the continuing over-consumption of high fat, sugary foods. Again, education is at the heart of tackling this problem. The disparities identified in the final paragraph on page 9 of the discussion paper do exist but the question we need to ask ourselves is "how real are they?". In allowing those who are less well off to convince themselves that they cannot afford to eat fresh food, we have perpetuated a myth. With careful buying and a grasp of the basic fundamentals of food preparation, surely people of all social backgrounds in Scotland could feed themselves better than they are? The disparities and disadvantages that we urgently need to address are - knowledge of what's available and what to do with it once we've got it.

233 Name and address supplied

For the benefit of the HUMANS/THE PLANET/THE ENVIRONMENT/AND ANIMALS, please access the website of the VEGAN SOCIETY OF BRITAIN which is http://www.vegansociety.com/ The lack of knowledge of VEGANISM is appalling!! So, if governments seriously want to reduce environmental problems, reduce animal suffering and offer humanity a much healthier way of life then they will demonstrate this by accessing http://www.vegansociety.com/ Hospitality at the University of Glasgow now offers VEGAN OPTIONS!! The first university in Britain to do so!! Many thanks to Glasgow University!!

234 Scottish Food and Drink Federation, Edinburgh

General Comments

The Scottish Food and Drink Federation (SFDF) welcomes the Scottish Government's instigation of this national discussion and the outcomes based approach it is pursuing in relation to its five strategic objectives - a healthier, wealthier and fairer, smarter, safer and stronger and greener Scotland.

This new pan-government approach has the potential to deliver a more joined up / holistic approach to policy and strategy and a consequential improvement in the consistency of messages coming from government and its agencies. It is also more likely to generate results that are enduring and sustainable. In this context, we welcome the establishment of the Government's Food Industry Unit which can help to reinforce this joined up approach.

As a founding member of Scotland Food and Drink, the Scottish Food and Drink Federation also recognises the importance of industry being prepared to ensure an end to silo working and move towards improved co-ordination and working in partnership along the supply chain.

In our view, the national discussion is timely and demonstrates the Government's continued recognition of the food and drink sector's strategic importance and priority status in terms of its contribution to the Scottish economy. However, the food and drink sector also needs to be seen and heard alongside Scotland's other priority industries, such as energy, life sciences and financial services.

SFDF is of the view that the success of a national policy will be dependent on adopting a long term perspective and preparedness on the part of Government and its agencies to concentrate their efforts on establishing a framework that will enable industry to grow.

Furthermore, given the industry's strategy for growth relates to food and drink, SFDF recommends broadening the remit of the national policy to include drink, not least because it will hopefully bring renewed focus to Government's support and assistance to the industry.

Given many sectors of the food and drink industry in Scotland embody world-leading standards in quality, manufacturing and processing, the national discussion must be seized upon as an opportunity to celebrate success and used as a platform from which to promote that reputation for excellence, quality and innovation to a wider audience. Not only does this play an important role in securing new business, but it is also important in terms of attracting new talent to work in the industry.

The discussion process we are all currently engaged in also affords us an opportunity to take stock; reflect on what we do well that can be built upon; and consider what does not work so well that needs to be addressed if we are to rise to economic, social and environmental challenges and achieve sustained growth and success in the future.

However, above all, the national discussion represents an excellent opportunity for the range of stakeholders to contribute to the process of developing a shared vision on the future of food in Scotland. By embarking on a process that will enable us to scope and define that shared vision we can begin work towards outcomes that are, by virtue of the widespread support they command, more likely to be enduring and sustainable.

I trust our comments will be taken into consideration and look forward to the opportunity for the Scottish Food and Drink Federation to continue the dialogue with Government and others as the national policy is developed and an implementation plan drawn up.

Developing a National Food Policy for Scotland

Changing the Context: Developing a Shared Vision

"Food is everyone's business.… Any vision of Scotland's future prosperity

must include a well nourished population and

profitable food industry." [6]

The SFDF welcomes this statement from the Scottish Government as the expression of a vision we share. In our view, a successful food and drink manufacturing industry is a vital component of a healthy Scottish economy, not least, because it provides employment for around 50,000 people - that is, one in five people who work in Scottish manufacturing - and generates annual sales of £7.57 billion and exports worth £3.57 billion.

Community of Interest

There can be no doubt that the food and drink manufacturing industry makes an important contribution to Scotland's economy both as an employer and as a generator of wealth and profits. Given that fact, it ought to be possible to acknowledge that a 'community of interest' can exist between consumers, government and industry. By beginning a process of agreeing what constitutes that 'community of interest' and defining a 'shared vision', we not only open the door to better understanding each other's perspectives, but we can also begin to address issues in a cross-cutting way and so work towards outcomes that are, by virtue of the widespread support they command, more likely to be enduring and sustainable.

In our view, the success of a national policy for Scotland depends on acknowledging that 'community of interest' and developing a 'shared vision', supported by active and ongoing dialogue between government, consumers, industry and others.

Partnership and Shared Responsibility

By recognising that we all have a stake in, and responsibility for, delivering progress on shared public policy objectives, we can seek to establish a virtuous cycle that affords all stakeholders the opportunity of being part of the solution to the challenges we face. So begins a process of encouraging and incentivising change and of identifying opportunities for win-win outcomes.

Therefore, we urge the Scottish Government to take the lead in developing an ongoing partnership involving industry, consumers and others to promote the development of sound policy on sustainable food production and consumption that is based on social, environmental and economic dimensions.

In addition, we urge the Scottish Government to ensure that all policies are set in an economic context so that we seek to secure improvements and progress without damage to the underlying competitiveness of business.

The SFDF is committed to playing its part alongside government, educators, consumers and the rest of the food chain.

A Wealthier and Fairer Scotland: Laying the Foundation Stones

SFDF believes that economic development and business growth should be a key priority for the Scottish Government, not least because the wealth it generates enables government to fund other priorities. Therefore, in our view, it is the role of government and its agencies to establish a framework that enables business growth.

This means that the Scottish Government must ensure the physical infrastructure it puts in place facilitates growth (and does not constrain it); the education system fosters an entrepreneurial and enterprising culture; and that there is an adequate supply of appropriately qualified people to match the workforce needs of business. These are the foundation stones on which business growth can be built and sustained.

With this in mind, we would welcome a review of the range of publicly funded programmes, projects and initiatives available to support industry in order to determine if greater impact and benefit might be secured by streamlining and refocusing the application of those funds. Taking into account the difficulty many businesses encounter in seeking to identify what assistance and support is available to them, an approach that is more streamlined and joined up across government and its agencies could prove beneficial in terms of making it easier for companies to access such assistance.

Support for Innovation

Innovation is one of the key drivers of workplace productivity and economic growth. Investment in innovation in its broadest sense (including research and development, capital investment and other areas) is always a challenge for companies. However, in terms of nurturing and supporting innovation, there are obvious benefits to be derived from enabling the development of stronger collaborative relationships between industry, academia and researchers.

Therefore, we endorse Scotland Food and Drink's plans to put in place Scottish academic centres for Innovation and Value Network Initiatives. We urge the Scottish Government to support this work too.

We are also of the view that there is a strong case for improving publicly funded support for innovation and research, especially given the expectation of seeing a return on that investment through economic growth, improved productivity and increased or secured employment. Therefore, we would encourage the Scottish Government to consider how it can better support innovation through funding.

Policy and Regulation in an Economic Context

Against a backdrop of increasing raw material costs and competition from low cost economies, the ability of our industry to be agile and innovative is critical if it is to be both sustainable and successful in the long-term.</