Book praises Carmarthenshire school catering
Carmarthenshire County Council’s approach to school catering and the support it gives to local food producers has been celebrated in a new book.
Widely acclaimed author Kevin Morgan, Professor of Governance and Development at Cardiff University, has given high praise to what he calls the council’s ‘school food revolution’ in a new book called ‘Rural Wales in the 21st Century’.
In a chapter entitled ‘Foodscapes and Landscapes: The Gastro-Geographies of Wales’, Prof Morgan states that Carmarthenshire has led the way in modernising school food provision and local food procurement and that it has set an example for others to follow.
He said:“Until recently, we might not have sought good food in a public canteen, especially not a school canteen, but some parts of the UK have been quietly pioneering a quality revolution in the school catering service. To examine this quality revolution in the public foodscape, we take Carmarthenshire as the focus because it has been at the forefront of the school food revolution in Wales (Morgan and Sonnino, 2010a). What is distinctive about Carmarthenshire County Council is that it embarked on school food reform long before it became fashionable or obligatory to do so.”
In researching his book, Prof Morgan looked in depth at Carmarthenshire’s Local Sustainable Food Strategy, which was launched in 2004 and set out a number or objectives for improving school catering and supporting local suppliers.
It set out a new approach to healthy menus with an emphasis on traditionally cooked, fresh and seasonal food.
It also set out a plan to work closely with local food producers, supporting them in new ways and encouraging local economic growth.
The Strategy has already been widely acclaimed, and led to the council being awarded the Platinum Corporate Health Standard by the Welsh Government in 2010.
In excerpts taken from the book, Prof Morgan states:
“Another key theme of the strategy was economic regeneration, which among other things meant helping local producers and suppliers to gain a larger share of the county’s public sector food market. As well as being the pioneer of local food procurement, Carmarthenshire was also the first county in Wales to create a business support officer dedicated to food promotion, which involved offering advice to small firms about forthcoming tender opportunities, and in the Cross Hands Food Park, the first to establish a dedicated facility to promote the local agri-food sector.”
“The school meals strategy incorporated a state-of-the-art approach to healthy menus, with 33 per cent fruit and vegetables, 33 per cent cereals and potatoes, 15 per cent milk and dairy products, 12 per cent meat and fish and 7 per cent foods containing sugar and fat. In consultation with parents and children, new menus were designed that provided traditionally cooked, fresh and seasonal food, with reduced additives, salt and sugar and no genetically modified (GM) ingredients".
Elin Cullen, Head of Business and Specialist Services for Carmarthenshire County Council, said: “We are very proud of our achievements in the provision and procurement of food here in Carmarthenshire, and for our work to be highlighted in this way is an immense honour.
“Our Strategy was certainly not an easy approach, and we are pleased at the way it is working in practice, and also the way it has been received on a local and national level.”
The ‘Rural Wales’ book, edited by Paul Milbourne, also deals with the economy and environment and it will be published by University of Wales Press later this year.
Widely acclaimed author Kevin Morgan, Professor of Governance and Development at Cardiff University, has given high praise to what he calls the council’s ‘school food revolution’ in a new book called ‘Rural Wales in the 21st Century’.
In a chapter entitled ‘Foodscapes and Landscapes: The Gastro-Geographies of Wales’, Prof Morgan states that Carmarthenshire has led the way in modernising school food provision and local food procurement and that it has set an example for others to follow.
He said:“Until recently, we might not have sought good food in a public canteen, especially not a school canteen, but some parts of the UK have been quietly pioneering a quality revolution in the school catering service. To examine this quality revolution in the public foodscape, we take Carmarthenshire as the focus because it has been at the forefront of the school food revolution in Wales (Morgan and Sonnino, 2010a). What is distinctive about Carmarthenshire County Council is that it embarked on school food reform long before it became fashionable or obligatory to do so.”
In researching his book, Prof Morgan looked in depth at Carmarthenshire’s Local Sustainable Food Strategy, which was launched in 2004 and set out a number or objectives for improving school catering and supporting local suppliers.
It set out a new approach to healthy menus with an emphasis on traditionally cooked, fresh and seasonal food.
It also set out a plan to work closely with local food producers, supporting them in new ways and encouraging local economic growth.
The Strategy has already been widely acclaimed, and led to the council being awarded the Platinum Corporate Health Standard by the Welsh Government in 2010.
In excerpts taken from the book, Prof Morgan states:
“Another key theme of the strategy was economic regeneration, which among other things meant helping local producers and suppliers to gain a larger share of the county’s public sector food market. As well as being the pioneer of local food procurement, Carmarthenshire was also the first county in Wales to create a business support officer dedicated to food promotion, which involved offering advice to small firms about forthcoming tender opportunities, and in the Cross Hands Food Park, the first to establish a dedicated facility to promote the local agri-food sector.”
“The school meals strategy incorporated a state-of-the-art approach to healthy menus, with 33 per cent fruit and vegetables, 33 per cent cereals and potatoes, 15 per cent milk and dairy products, 12 per cent meat and fish and 7 per cent foods containing sugar and fat. In consultation with parents and children, new menus were designed that provided traditionally cooked, fresh and seasonal food, with reduced additives, salt and sugar and no genetically modified (GM) ingredients".
Elin Cullen, Head of Business and Specialist Services for Carmarthenshire County Council, said: “We are very proud of our achievements in the provision and procurement of food here in Carmarthenshire, and for our work to be highlighted in this way is an immense honour.
“Our Strategy was certainly not an easy approach, and we are pleased at the way it is working in practice, and also the way it has been received on a local and national level.”
The ‘Rural Wales’ book, edited by Paul Milbourne, also deals with the economy and environment and it will be published by University of Wales Press later this year.
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