The Good Food for Our Money campaign has called on the government to act on the advice of an expert body of advisors which has called for the introduction of mandatory standards for public sector food. The Council of Food Policy Advisors, set up by Hilary Benn MP to advise on long term food policy in the UK, made the recommendation in it's first report.
The report concluded that "mandatory food standards should be developed" for the public sector. It made clear that mandatory standards represented the "best approach" to improving the health and sustianability of public sector food and would support local, sustainable suppliers to sell produce to public sector organisations. To read the report please click here (http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/food/policy/council/pdf/cfpa-rpt-090914.pdf)
Alex Jackson, spokesperson for the Good Food for Our Money campaign, said "the Council of Food Policy Advisors was set up by Hilary Benn to advise how government can improve the health and sustainability of the food system in the UK. It's first report makes clear that government should act now to introduce mandatory standards for public sector food.
By doing this government can use it's public sector buying power to bring down the cost of healty, sustainable food and include more local, sustainable suppliers into public sector food contracts. The government must realise that better food pays for itself by, for example, reducing the burden of diet-related ill health to the NHS and investing in local economies by creating jobs, increasing the profitability of small suppliers and building skills amongst the public sector work force".
Source: http://www.sustainweb.org/news/calls_on_government_take_advice_of_expert_group_on_public_sector_food/