Both Council’s should recognise the critical role of food in their CEE plans and develop clear, action-oriented objectives (that can be measured) to improve diets, reduce meat and dairy, reduce waste and improve our relationship with food. These plans should include;
- providing access to food for all: ensuring that people suffering from food poverty have access to good food including local produce, lobbying Government where appropriate but also taking local action;
- improving diets: ensure only healthy food is available at public events, and as streetfood, or from kiosks;
- promoting reductions in meat and dairy consumption: (as b. above), consider divesting council farms from meat farming into wildlife-friendly mixed arable;
- organising awareness campaigns to help reduce food waste and improve our relationship with food;
- making the provision of Council land for community food growing possible across both jurisdictions including small urban green spaces, community gardens, more allotments and council farms;
- planning to develop market gardens adjacent to all conurbations in Dorset (accepting this may require reworking plans for additional housing);
- exploring opportunities to work with the education sector to support the above (particularly Kingston Maurward College);
- supporting producers to sell produce direct to the public through markets or farm shops; engaging with restaurants & hoteliers to provide healthy non-meat meals based on local, seasonal produce;
- continuing to promote Fairtrade status across the county;
- engaging with farmers on transitioning to net zero carbon by 2040, ensuring this is consistent with Eat Well objectives as well as those for Land Use;
- working with businesses, particularly hospitality and the tourist sector to align with the above plans where applicable.