§ Paddy TippingTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans her Department has to encourage the local sourcing of food and other products. [167865]
§ Alun MichaelThe Government recognises the benefits of local food and is keen to encourage a flourishing local food sector. Money is available under the England Rural Development Programme for supporting activities such as the establishment of Farmers' Markets, the development of regional and local branding of foodstuffs and the formation of collaborative groups to market quality products. For example, within the last year we awarded £100, 256 to1198W the National Association of Farmers' Markets to raise the profile of farmers' markets across England and to increase public awareness of them.
DEFRA has also helped finance a number of local sourcing workshops organised by the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) designed to bring together supermarkets and small local producers to explore how barriers to local sourcing can be overcome. Following on from this, we helped fund the Business in The Community (BiTC) and IGD guide for small businesses looking to work with large food retailers and food service companies —"Local Sourcing—Opening the Door for Small Business". In addition to this, our Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative is designed to encourage public sector bodies to procure their food in a manner that promotes sustainable development and to encourage more small and local businesses to compete to supply them with food.
This work will be complemented at a regional level through the regional plans that each Regional Development Agency (RDA) is drawing up to help deliver the Government Strategy for Sustainable Farming and Food. Although the nature of this support will be determined according to regional priorities, issues to be addressed will include the production and supply of locally sourced food by encouraging food hubs and shared facilities and the linking of local producers with local retailers and tourist businesses.