PUBLIC PROCUREMENT UPDATES
are brought to you by kind permission of Sustain:
the alliance for better food and farming www.sustainweb.org

MAR 05

London Food Strategy focus on public procurement

The first draft of the London Sustainable Strategy for Food and Farming will be presented to the London Food Board on 3rd March. Opportunities for comment from a wide audience will be arranged by the London Development Agency (LDA) in due course, but note that sustainable public sector food is likely to be prioritised at this draft stage. Details from Niall Machin at the LDA niallmachin@lda.gov.uk

Skye school meals

The Skye and Lochalsh Horticultural Association has secured Leader+ funding for to investigate and promote the use of local foods in school meals. For details contact Calina on 01478 640276 or calina@cgmeynort.fsbusiness.co.uk

Food For Life programme

The Soil Association's organic school meals programme Food For Life is being expanded into schools in Shropshire and Bristol. More details via www.soilassociation.org/foodforlife

OGC Supply Chain Management in Public Sector Procurement guidance document

The Office of Government Commerce is producing a Supply Chain Management in Public Sector Procurement guidance document, which is intended to provide a series of basic insights into the management of the supply chain within government procurement. The guide emphasises the importance of Supply Chain Management and analyses the different ways in which supply chains are managed in the public sector. It's dry and there's nothing specific on food but insights and official recommendations on using small suppliers are useful. See http://www.ogc.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1001665l

Sustainable Care Catering?

The March 3rd meeting of the National Association of Care Catering South West Region is focussing on sustainable food. Details from Sue Hawkins, Regional Chair s.hawkins@dorsetcc.gov.uk

Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative (PSFPI) web site

www.defra.gov.uk/farm/sustain/procurement/sellingpublic.htm

The PSFPI web site continues to expand. It now holds more advice and tools for helping buyers and specifiers, including the draft catering toolkit and template for a catering action plan. Some of the information can also help people live more healthy and productive lives, e.g. Ministry of Defence's new nutrition guides at www.defra.gov.uk/farm/sustain/procurement/health.htm. These useful booklets contain information about the importance of good nutrition in improving the body's ability to fight infection, illness, negative moods and lack of motivation and about other nutrient related medical conditions and how to tackle them.

IGD Foodservice and Farming Group

The Institute of Grocery Distribution have set up a Foodservice and Farming Group and are looking at how to improve

communications and collaboration through the food chain and help British farmers gain shares of publicly procured food. www.igd.com

Previously announced - feedback wanted: Little Red Tractor Review

Following the review commissioned by the Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) into the sustainability messages of the Little Red Tractor logo, the SDC are inviting feedback. The SDC upholds organic certification as the 'ceiling' for sustainable food and farming, with the current LRT logo representing the 'floor'. The SDC are inviting views on how to improve sustainability in food and farming practice and support clear consumer understanding of sustainable food. Copies of the review are available from the SDC web-site:
http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/news/resource_download.php?attach_id=GXDB9OP-QBRPAA0-1NLJIHH-W7BB4NQ

EVENTS

Public Sector Food Procurement workshop, London 11th April

DEFRA and the Government Office for London (GOL) are offering a full-day event on sustainable food procurement including technical issues, policy drivers and case studies of good practice, as well as an open forum session. This is designed as a practical day with know-how and will see the launch of the new sustainable food procurement toolkit on cd-rom. Details from Kiran Grover at GOL kgrover.gol@go-regions.gsi.gov.uk

CPPE Seminar on good food in the public sector

The Centre for Public Policy Seminars are holding a Seminar on Providing Good Food in Schools, Hospitals and Other Public Services at The Royal Commonwealth Society in London on Monday 21st March 2005. Details via www.cppseminars.org.uk/site/main.cfm?do=search

Previously advertised: PSFPI National Suppliers Workshop

Opportunities to supply the public sector will be the theme of a National Suppliers Workshop in London on 7th March. DEFRA is holding the event to help suppliers find out about the Public Sector Food Procurement Initiative (PSFPI). Delegates will be able to discuss potential obstacles and share ideas about the best ways for those in the supply chain to work together. Regional workshops for smaller farmers and growers are planned for next autumn. Visit the website of the event organiser at www.keystone-group.co.uk/suppliers. General details on PSFPI via www.defra.gov.uk/farm/sustain/procurement/index.htm.

AND FINALLY...

...that Jamie O show

The Channel 4 team handling Oliver's school meal series based in the London Borough of Greenwich are trying to encourage City Hall to make the associated schools pack available to all London education authority schools at public expense. Representatives from Oliver's team consulted the London Food Board Chair Jenny Jones and other board members, who raised concerns about seasonality of the recipes, their suitability for ethnic groups (several boroughs have majority non-white ethnic residents and London overall has a 30% minority ethnic population), and nutritional assessments of the meals proposed. http://www.feedmebetter.com/l

For latest developments following Jamie O's Show

APRIL05

MAY 05

JAN 2005

DEC 2004

Compiled by Daniel Keech, Sustainable Food Chains

Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming

www.sustainweb.org

Tel: 020 7837 1228 (Wed & Thur)

or 01225 787921 (Mon, Tues, Fri)

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