A number of local authorities will each receive £155,000 to bolster local food procurement, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced.
With the public sector spending approximately £4.9bn annually on catering, Food Security Minister Dame Angela Eagle emphasized the ‘enormous purchasing power’ available to drive change.
The funding aims to increase the provision of healthier and more sustainable food options and to help local food businesses to understand better how to supply to the public sector.
The initiative targets a goal of sourcing at least 50% of public sector food locally or from certified sustainable producers.
According to Defra, lessons learned from the pilot councils, which include Middlesbrough, Brighton and Hove, Bristol and Cambridge, will be used to create a national blueprint for healthier, more resilient food supply chains.
‘By learning from those already leading the way, we can raise food procurement standards right across England and ensure our food procurement spend delivers for the local economy,’ said the minister.
