Food industry supports 900 jobs in Haslemere

by - 29/05/2012

"The Food industry supports 900 jobs in Haslemere.

A new study by the Campaign to Protect Rural England also shows the industry is worth nearly £20 million a year to the town.

The jobs are in farming, food production and shops.

For the first time "

The Food industry supports 900 jobs in Haslemere.

A new study by the Campaign to Protect Rural England also shows the industry is worth nearly £20 million a year to the town.

The jobs are in farming, food production and shops.

For the first time ever the CPRE report, 'From field to fork: Haslemere', builds a picture of Haslemere's local food web, the network of relationships between food producers, outlets and consumers.

KEY FINDINGS FROM THE REPORT:
" 39 outlets provide locally sourced food, supported by a local supply chain of over 60 producers within 30 miles
" Local food supports, we estimate, over 300 jobs at outlets and 630 at local suppliers
" Annual turnover from sales of local food at outlets is £1.9-3.6 million; they support a turnover of £16.3 million at supply chain businesses
" Independent outlets raise awareness among customers about where their food comes from and how it's produced
" Increasing awareness of local food and how it's produced supports a growing local food culture within Haslemere and Grayshott
" Quality of food and service are the most important factors to consumers and businesses choosing local food
" Many shops add to community life as social hubs, help local good causes and build formal and informal links between people
" Local businesses are strongly interconnected and mutually reliant
" Many local food businesses reported initiatives to reduce energy use and waste.
Thea Platt, Local Food Campaigner for CPRE, says: "This report shows that in Haslemere, as in other areas we've studied, local food is about much more then reducing food miles.

"The food web helps to support nearly 1000 local jobs in farming, food production and at outlets and contributes to a turnover of £19.9 million in the economy of the local food supply area. Local food businesses also add to community life, help local good causes and support diversity in farming and the local countryside."

The report's findings come mainly from the work of local volunteers who interviewed and surveyed local shoppers, outlets and producers in 2009. Their findings reveal the challenges local food producers and retailers face, but also the opportunities they have, and ways in which we can all - businesses, councillors and shoppers - support them better.

CHALLENGES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED TO STRENGTHEN THE LOCAL FOOD WEB INCLUDE:
" balancing development of larger 'anchor' stores to attract shoppers with support for smaller independent shops
" increasing the quantity and reliability of supply of local food to improve availability
" breaking down the perceived and actual price barriers to buying local food
" dealing with the cost and practicalities of distributing small quantities of food
" promoting local food more effectively, enabling more outlets to sell it and helping customers to find it when it's available.

Thea Platt concluded: "This report identifies some of the challenges for the local food web in and around Haslemere but also many great opportunities for the local authority, businesses and the community to act and to improve policy to make a difference. We hope it will encourage them to do act as well as inspiring other local communities to map their local food web. We'll be launching a new toolkit in June to help them do just that."

More Details: http://www.964eagle.co.uk/news/local-news/685270/food-industry-supports-900-jobs-in-haslemere/