Food for Life policy round up

The Soil Association’s Food for Life initiative has published a policy update.  It’s here.

We noted these:

Food Research Collaboration submission to inquiry into Brexit, food and farming

This paper, drawn up by the Food Research Collaboration, was submitted as evidence to the House of Lords EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee inquiry into the implications of Brexit for food and agriculture. It outlines the pressing issues facing UK food and farming policy once Article 50 has been triggered, including the challenge of tacking health inequalities and promoting the wider adoption of healthy diets in the UK. Find out more here. 

US case study shows environmental benefits of including less meat in school meals 
A new case study from Friends of the Earth with Oakland California Unified School District uses life-cycle assessment data to show how a 30% reduction in meat, poultry and cheese purchases over two years shrank the school district’s carbon footprint by 14%. The study found that the district saved 42 million gallons of water annually, and captured $42,000 in cost savings, which was used for increased purchases of healthy fruits, vegetables, legumes and organic beef. Find out more here.

How do UK dietary guidelines compare for sustainability?

This blog from Josephine Head at Medact looks at the integration of sustainability messaging into UK dietary guidelines, comparing this to the guidelines of Sweden, Germany, and Holland. Head finds that Sweden most effectively integrates sustainability into dietary guidelines, explicitly linking health and environmental issues to every food group, while incorporating animal welfare considerations. Read the blog here