From John

All,

You may be interested to read the report published by the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Committee "Securing Food Supplies to 2050".
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmselect/cmenvfru/213/213i.pdf

Local food gets a mention:
"We welcome the increasing enthusiasm among consumers for buying food that is
local to a particular area of the UK, and also for growing their own food. In terms of
overall production, these trends are a small contribution to a huge challenge, but they
are a way of reconnecting people with food production and have an important part to
play in encouraging the sort of changes in consumer behaviour that will be necessary
for a sustainable system of food production. The role of local and home production,
and of educating children about food, should be incorporated in Defra's vision and
strategy for food. When it has been established that there is an unmet demand for
allotments in a local authority area, the Government should require the local authority
to publish, within three years, a plan setting out how it proposes to meet the demand."

Despite the slightly patronising tone, it is a start & emphasises the importance of re-connection . The rest of the report is peppered with contradictions - it looks at food self-sufficiency yet the whole tone is still one dominated by global commodity trading. The recommendations are focussed on DEFRA & the Government will have to respond, indicating whether they accept or reject the findings of the Committee...even then it is questionable whether DEFRA are really in a position to bring about much of a change, but they may have a role to play in deciding where money is channelled?

In conclusion, it only serves to reinforce the view that change must come from the bottom up - it certainly won't come from the top down.