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Highland Good Food Partnership is looking to recruit a 2 days/week Project Coordinator (funded until end March 2027) to lead on activities relating to our status as the Regional Food Group for the Highlands. You can read more about our work as the Regional Food Group here.   Do you have proven project coordination experience and an established network of business and enterprise contacts in the Highland good food sector? If so this role could be for you! Please refer to the full job description for more information. And feel free to get in touch if you’d like to discuss the role further.   To apply, please send your CV, and a short cover letter (no more than 2 pages of A4) explaining the reason for your interest in the role, and addressing how your skills and experiences meet the person specification, to recruitment@highlandgoodfood.scot .   The closing date for applications is 6pm on Thursday 18th June.

by Sarah Bowyer (HGFP Trustee) On a sunny morning in April Highland Good Food Partnership headed to Broadford Village Hall on Skye to support the event organised by ReRoot, a local group based in South Skye that has emerged from the Skye Climate Action network . As a separate group, focussing on the food system, ReRoot aims to inspire the creation of a more connected, healthy, sustainable and resilient food environment in Skye and Raasay. These aims underpinned the day providing the opportunity for sharing information, education and a forum for discussion, as well as eating and enjoying food prepared using predominantly seasonal and local ingredients. In the main hall Highland Good Food Partnership asked people where they ‘get’ their food from. Which included their shopping habits, access to community fridges, as well as any food they grow themselves at home or in community growing settings. We are using the answers gathered to update of our online interactive map to assist accessing food across Highland. Fellow stall holders included local food producers including West Coast Organics, Ellas Croft and Dun Flashadder Cottage Croft, local community food growing such as Broadford and Strath Community Company who have allotments near the Broadford hospital. The Scottish Food Commission also joined participants on the day to talk to local people and find out more about the food environment on Skye and Raasay. As well as the stalls, there was the opportunity to take part in a range of talks and activities from those skilled in growing food locally, including Raasay Walled Garden and members of the team from the Rowett Institute – the whole programme figuratively nurturing our ‘fields of hope’ for a better food system. Participants were nourished by tasty, healthy food prepared by local chef John Coghill, assisted by Corry Capers Outdoor Learning Group, and members of the Broadford Youth Club. John had designed a delicious menu showcasing planet friendly recipes developed by the Rowett Institute. ReRoot are very pleased with the initial feedback on the day and following collating of all the comments from the formal feedback forms, will use this in considering how they build on the momentum of the day, capture the impact within the community and plan the way forward. Congratulations to all of those involved in this fantastic day!

by Eleanor Forster With the publication of the first National Good Food Nation Plan just before the winter break, things are now officially set in motion for our Council and Health Board to begin developing a Local Good Food Nation Plan for Highland. After many years of tireless campaigning from third sector bodies such as the Scottish Food Coalition, it’s exciting to see this important idea begin to come to fruition at the highest level: that food is a vital piece in improving everyone’s lives in Scotland and protecting our environment for generations to come and that to do so it is imperative to take account of the food system as a whole. For those of you who contributed to our process of consultation on the draft plan in 2024, you’ll know that there were some glaring omissions and ambiguities in the original. So how does the new plan compare? And why does it matter? Just in case you don’t have time to digest all 85 pages with accompanying appendices and supporting analytical publications, I’ve done my best to try and summarise and bring out some points pertinent to Highland (with the caveat that I’m no policy expert!). For those who want even less info, just head to the final sum up section, but if you’re after more detail (or to make your own opinion) you can find the full documents on the Scottish Government website. The National Good Food Nation Plan: Part 1 provides an overview of the current state of the food system in Scotland. The following descriptions of a vision of a Good Food Nation from various perspectives provide a simplified and inspiring picture of where such a policy could lead us. There’s nothing to disagree with here – it’s important to have a shared vision for a better future food system as the Scottish Government, Local Authorities and Health Boards begin working with this document to write plans, but also as a filter for their normal duties. I was impressed with a new section on inequalities, putting it at the forefront of this work – describing the breadth, importance and intersection of how inequalities affect players within the food system. Part 2 sets out the 6 GFN outcomes. These have changed slightly since the draft plan and in summary cover the following: A better food environment A sustainable food system A healthy population A strong food and drink sector A thriving food culture Global impact The intention is that the outcomes will be used as a ‘cohesive set’ to ensure that local and national government can use them to ensure that any food-related policy work is placed within the context of the whole system, having regard for all angles and players. Part 3 covers the measuring of progress. Sensibly, the ‘numbers’ part of this is in a separate analytical publication – very interesting for some, deadly dull to others. It’s worth mentioning the work that is going on behind the scenes by the GFN Living Lab to turn this indicator framework into a useful, evolving dashboard platform to allow LA areas to see how they match up to Scotland as a whole and track progress. As with the draft plan, there are holes in this Initial Monitoring Framework – they can only use existing targets and data – but it’s great to have it overtly recognised that there are evidence gaps and that this is an evolving framework. There is no set of GFN time-bound targets, though, only those involved as part of existing initiatives. Part 4 sets out the ‘policy landscape’ as I think it’s called. It does a good job of presenting it to someone like myself who has generally managed to avoid being involved in policy. Divided into three sections – People and Communities, Providers & Places, Farmers, Food Producers & Processors – it reads like another vision section, prompting me to look up a definition of ‘policy’ (statement of the government’s position, intent or action). There’s lots of useful links to relevant documents and initiatives that are now on my to-read list, so this new plan is definitely ticking the box of gathering related information into one place so someone new to food systems thinking can get a good overview of relevant policy. In the Conclusion, it is made clear that this is the first generation of GFN plans, and that there’s much work still to be done. There’s a specific mention of ‘the valuable work already started by third sector, community bodies and other organisations’ which is welcome, especially in the light of incredible work done by volunteers in food insecurity. It’s great to see all the right buzzwords in this document: ‘right to food’ ‘partnership working’ ‘regenerative’ ‘dignity’ ‘food waste’ and more. I couldn’t find any mention of supermarkets, but perhaps the stronger focus on food environments is to cover that in a non-confrontational way. One of the biggest criticisms of the draft plan was that it wasn’t a plan – just a vision along with a list of existing food-related policies. Unfortunately, in my opinion, that criticism still stands – although the new plan provides a strong vision of where we want to get to, and a clearer presentation of how existing initiatives and policies fit with each other within that vision and other related frameworks it still lacks time-defined goals or rigorous success criteria. We know where we want to get to, we (sort of) know where we are, but we don’t have a clear map of next steps and staged goals. I worry that without better leadership from the Scottish Government in taking new actions, much of the work is being left to the Relevant Authorities (Local Authority and Health Board) to make the vision reality, with (so far) minimal guidance and resource. To sum up, the new National Good Food Nation Plan is a definite improvement on the draft, with a strong vision of a sustainable food future for Scotland and a more coherent presentation of the existing policy landscape relevant to food. It’s got all the right buzzwords, and it’s a useful place to learn more about what our Government is doing around food. Does this plan have the detail and strength to lead us as a nation into that vision? Probably not. It’s a good first step in creating a systems-context for policy related to food, but the lack of a clear time-bound framework of goals means that there is a real risk that this could become mostly a paper exercise. It’s a huge win that the GFN has the legal clout of legislation. Its statement, that ministers must ‘have regard’ to the plan when making decisions does raise the question of what that actually means in terms of action, let alone the food system transformation we desperately need? Whatever the gaps and difficulties, the bottom line is that having food-system thinking built in at the highest level of our decision-makers is a welcome complement to the ongoing hard work of grassroots organisations, individuals and small businesses who push every day to improve our food system on the ground and make a sustainable food future for generations to come. And what does all this mean for us in the Highlands? Well, it does feel like we were taken into consideration when this plan was redrafted – there is now mention of rural inequalities and the role of geographical isolation in accessing good food. Our big industries of agriculture and fishing are part of the discussion, as well as the improvement of career desirability and access in the sector of food production. All important points. Now that the National Plan is published, both the Highland Council and NHS Highland have a duty to develop, consult on and publish their own Local Good Food Plan (probably by the end of 2027) and review and renew it in line with the National schedule. A key question is, with what money? Any new initiative takes resource, so we’ll be waiting with bated breath until February when it’s likely we’ll hear what budget will be available from the Scottish Government to fund the Local Plans. I wonder if it’ll be enough to pay someone to do a good job of writing the plan, let alone then having resource to execute it… On a more positive note, even before the new publication, the GFN process up to now has already reaped benefits – The GFN leads in Highland Council and NHS Highland are engaged, motivated and committed to working in partnership with HGFP and others to make the most of this opportunity. We’ve already done some good work together, joining dots and sharing learning and resources and I’m actually really excited to see where this process leads Highlands in terms of creating a strong partnership with players from across the food system. We’ll be working with THC and NHSH to identify all the levers available to them, looking to find a balance of low-hanging fruit and flagship initiatives within the priorities laid out in the 6 outcomes, and discover synergies where impact can be more effective. In the next weeks, we’ll be meeting to consolidate a shared strategic vision between the two organisations, and continue to strengthen the bones of our partnership. We’re so grateful to everyone who has supported Highland Good Food Partnership up to now and placed us in a position to make the most of this opportunity. As a food partnership with paid staff, we can help facilitate the link between stakeholders from all over the Highland food system, widening the impact of the GFN process. We are closely networked with food partnerships from across Scotland, and can learn from each other as we support and push our LAs to make this moment count. We intend to make good use of this juncture when THC and NHSH are duty-bound to consider the Highland Food System, and work to place the specific duties and levers of those organisations within the wider needs and desires of our Highland farmers, crofters, communities and businesses. We’ll do our utmost to ensure that this doesn’t just end up as another paper on a shelf. In the following weeks, we’ll be exploring what this plan means to us here in the Highlands in more detail, and as the work progresses, we want your voice to be heard loud and clear in the process of writing of a Good Food Nation Local Plan for Highland. In the meantime please get in touch if you’d like to be more involved: eleanor@highlandgoodfood.scot

by Ele Forster We celebrated another successful year of our Highland-wide AGM gatherings on the 20th September. Designed to empower communities and make our AGM as accessible as possible. We’re very grateful to our event partners – Incredible Edible Inverness, Balmacara NTS, Highlands and Islands Climate Hub, Cairngorm National Park Authority and Knoydart Farm CIC for all their support, great ideas and hard work putting on these wonderful events with us. Each had its own focus and flavour, depending on what the community / partner felt was helpful for them: PLOCKTON GATHERING Plockton’s gathering, with Balmacara NTS had a focus on crofting, and we enjoyed lots of interesting conversations including exploring a local food hub, microdairy, venison supply chains, community composting and more. We heard about Balmacara’s ongoing feasibility study into some of these options. After a good feed of local produce from Off the Croft catering, we enjoyed a fantastic tour of a local croft. Balmacara NTS are a wonderful example of a large land-owner trying to strengthen the local community and food system using the resources they have access to. We’re looking forward to hearing more of their plans as they evolve. INVERNESS GATHERING We had a great gathering in Inverness, hosted by the wonderful team at Incredible Edible Inverness. We celebrated community food projects in Inverness and beyond. There were activities for all the family to get involved, with apple pressing proving most popular. It was great to see people of all ages interacting with the dig for tatties, apple tasting, tomato seed saving demo and plant swap. It was lovely to meet lots of non-members and have an opportunity to introduce Highland Good Food Partnership to those taking an interest in their community. KNOYDART GATHERING Being on the Knoydart peninsular, our gathering in Inverie, in partnership with Knoydart Farm CIC, was the most isolated. But due to the great turnout from the community, and our event coinciding with Just Walk (a walk from Skye to Glasgow to highlight land rights issues), we had over 50 people joining us for a delicious lunch of Knoydart venison stew! The morning saw staff from the Highland Council Waste Management team engaged in conversation with members of the Knoydart community about waste issues. All waste currently has to be carried off the peninsular by boat, including food waste. An existing pilot project between the Farm and Forge (community owned pub) has proven the potential for in-vessel composting of food waste on site, and we’re excited to be supporting the exploration of a larger project that would cater for more of Inverie community. AVIEMORE GATHERING Our Aviemore event was organised with the Highlands and Islands Climate Hub and the Cairngorm National Park Authority, to provide space for them to strengthen their Community Grower Network, which was created earlier in the year. As part of the morning, we were shown around the local Badenoch and Strathspey therapy garden at Aviemore Community Hospital. The project manager of the therapy garden encouraged us to all think of how we can make our community growing spaces more accessible through the use of things like long-handled trowels and table-top potting activities. We then tucked into an amazing lunch from Speyside Kitchen and Bog Bakes. A big thank you… …to all who helped and took part! Due to the wonderful activities our partners helped organise, we had over 40 people at our actual AGM (as well as those joining us online) and we met loads of folk who had not heard of HGFP and are now signing up to be members. We really enjoy the process of engaging with new community organisations each year, and working with them to develop an event which meets a local need in the theme of local food. We try to spread out our events throughout the Highlands, so please do get in touch if you’d like to help host a gathering with us next year!

The Highland Good Food Partnership is the Regional Food Group for the Highlands. But what does that actually mean? by Martin Sherring, Trustee of the Highland Good Food Partnership The Regional Food Groups are a network of local organisations, representing food and drink businesses. Highland Good Food Partnership has been the Regional Food Group for the Highlands since we started in 2021. The network is managed by Scotland Food & Drink, and funded by the Scottish Government. The task of the Regional Food Groups is to “enable sustainable growth and collaboration in local, Scottish markets”. That is certainly an aspiration we share, but we also want to do more. We want food to be produced and distributed in ways that are better for our health, and better for the environment. This is reflected in our diverse membership, whereas most of the other Regional Food Groups’ members are all food and drink businesses. As part of our Regional Food Group role, each year we agree with Scotland Food & Drink a range of activities we will be working on. This year that includes: Developing a local food culture in the Highlands. This year we developed the Black Isle FEAST; a weekend festival of local food, and we enjoyed a visit to Taste of Nairn earlier in the year. We’re keen to help similar events throughout the Highlands. If you’re involved in a Highland local food event yourself, or interested in helping set one up, do get in touch. Helping growers who are interested in switching to more environmentally-sensitive methods. We are impressed with Propagate’s Regenerative Farming Network in SW Scotland. This started as a group of 20 growers and has now grown to 250 – and we’d love to see something similar in the Highlands. In October, we went on a learning exchange to Dumfries and Galloway. We met Abi Mordin of the Propagate network, and some of their members. Strengthening relationships between Highland producers and buyers. With the Black Isle FEAST, restaurants featured the great produce on their doorsteps. But we think there’s still scope for hospitality businesses – and other buyers – to use and promote our great local producers. At the moment we’re working on this in collaboration with Visit Loch Ness/ Inverness – and hope to work with other parts of the Highlands. Promoting more of our food businesses. We’re working with five Highland food and drink producers to give them some more exposure – and will be looking to do more of this. If you are interested in being featured, let us know – and if you become a business member (for free), you can also feature on our Highland Good Food map.

Our Trustee Katie Andrews makes connections at Nairn’s annual food festival – Taste of Nairn On a bright, sunny morning, I travelled from Inverness to Nairn to attend the ‘Taste of Nairn’ Saturday event. I was keen to connect with some food and drink businesses in Highland and promote the Highland Good Food Partnership. I started in the Community and Arts Centre, where stalls filled the room displaying home-baked goods, fresh fruit and vegetables, vegan pastries, and much more. My first thought was, where do I begin?! As I made my way through the room, I was drawn to Loch Ness Honey. I shared with them the story of the Highland Good Food Partnership and our map, a testament to the vibrant food activity across the Highlands. They, in turn, shared their own story – a business with over 100 bee colonies spanning from Inverness to Moray. Their passion for their craft was clear. Next, I met Craig from the Ord Oak Smokehouse, a man on a mission to promote sustainable fishing and inspire the next generation to join the industry. I sampled their smoked mackerel pate, a true delight! After chatting with some more people in the Centre, I decided to meander down Nairn High Street, where the sun was shining and stalls lined the car-less streets – a real treat!! I saw some of Highland Good Food’s existing members, including Rose Cottage Country Kitchen. I was then joined by fellow HGFP Trustee, Sarah. We continued down the High Street speaking with some potential new members, including the Isle of Skye Baking Company. We bumped in Lucy, Nairn BID Manager, and congratulated her on a fantastic event! On our way back to the Centre, we chatted with Macleod Organics, one of the Highland Good Food Partnership’s supporters (and a guest on our recent podcast episode) and long-standing members. We spoke with Judy, who told us about the company’s exciting transition to a Cooperative! I needed to head off, but Sarah took a couple of HGFP business cards and walked down to Nairn Beach and the Pavilion, where there were more activities taking place. I treated myself to one of the Vegan Skinhead’s haggis sausage rolls, a perfect lunchtime indulgence. What a fantastic morning, it was great to see so many people connecting with local businesses and enjoying local, sustainable food. There was a real sense of community when wandering through the stalls and hearing the buzz of people enjoying themselves in the sun. Congratulations again to Lucy and the team for putting on a truly brilliant event. I can’t wait for the next one!

 Hearst & Gaither + AGM We’re delighted to announce a Highland-wide gathering to celebrate the work of HGFP, our communities and all things good food on the 30th of September! This year we’re making it super easy to take part, with several simultaneous gatherings happening at regional hubs across the Highlands including: ELPHIN** LOCHABER & INVERNESS We hope you’ll be able to join us! It’s a great opportunity to meet like-minded folk in your area and celebrate and share local, sustainable good food. We’re planning all sorts of fun: workshops, discussions and maybe even a bit of a ceilidh. You have the opportunity to make your hub celebration whatever you’d like it to be, so get involved!  Drop us a line at hello@highlandgoodfood.scot If you can’t make it in person but would like to be involved in the AGM, it’ll be an inspiring half-hour packed with info about the work we’ve done this past year and our exciting next steps towards a strong, sustainable food system that works for everybody in the Highlands. Join us online: Highland Good Food Partnership Online AGM – Sign Up! Come along online as an individual or a group. Why not make it an event? There’s funding to help you celebrate good food with your community! We’ve teamed up with the Highlands and Islands Climate Hub to celebrate local, sustainable food as part of their Highlands & Islands Climate Festival. You can hold a community Hearst and Gaither (literally Harvest and Gather) to bring your own community together and share local food together. Applying is simple but time is flitting and the deadline for applications has been extended to the 18th of August. ** Accommodation available –  bunkhouse style accommodation with a kitchen and showers (£10pp/pn).  Email hutbookings@gsg.org.uk and quote HGFP gathering to book.   Your gathering can be as big or small as you’d like, from a full community feast to a few folk gathering brambles and eating pie!  There are already plans afoot in various places like Broadford, Ardgay and Abriachan, so keep your ears open.  If the 30th doesn’t work for your celebration, you can hold a Hearst and Gaither anytime in September. Apply for funding now! (NOW CLOSED)   We really hope you can get involved: 1) Attend a regional AGM hub celebration on the 30th of September 2) Join our AGM online from your own community Hearst and Gaither 3) Host a Hearst and Gaither on another day in September We’d love to hear about your plans and see how we can help. Get in touch: hello@highlandgoodfood.scot  

Day of Action Highland Good Food headed to the Scottish Parliament on October 25th to support the Day of Action, organised by the Landworkers Alliance, Nature Friendly Farming Network, Propagate and Scottish Crofting Federation. The event was a great success and was organised to highlight why the up and coming Scottish Agriculture Bill needs to recognise and support the work of crofters and small farmers. We heard from amazing speakers during the day; Alastair Macintosh spoke about the importance of agriculture in human communities and culture, Bryde from Falkland Kitchen Garden spoke about their project and producing good healthy food for over 100 families, on less than 3 hectares. One of the issues with the current agriculture subsidy system is that if you have less than 3 hectares, you are not rewarded. This was something that was raised during the Day of Action, and something we are asking to be changed in the new system. Many crofts – and particularly horticulture businesses – are run on land that is less than 3 hectares yet contribute so much to their local communities; whether thats through the food they produce, benefits to communities, local work and nature restoration. We took with us some supportive messages from Highland Good Food Members, who were showing their support for crofters and small farmers. Check out our booklet that we took to Scottish Parliament with these messages: SupportSmallScale

The National Farmers Union, Scotland (NFUS) released a statement last week calling for a moratorium on support scheme rules to allow crops to be grown on Ecological Focus Area land. Highland farmers have expressed dismay at the suggested relaxation of environmental rules and highlight some of NFUS’ ‘deeply flawed’ logic.  An Ecological Focus Area (EFA) is an area of land upon which you carry out agricultural practices that are beneficial for the climate and the environment. The main aim of an EFA is to improve biodiversity, using the following practices: leaving land fallow, field margins, growing nitrogen-fixing crops such as peas and legumes, growing catch crops, green cover, implementing agro-forestry and sustaining or planting hedges.  NFUS have stated that their concerns over global food security due to the humanitarian crisis caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine have promoted this moratorium request, where they suggest current EFA land should now instead be turned over to “grow cereals, nitrogen-fixing protein crops such as peas and beans or grass”, all for use as livestock feed. Note: nitrogen-fixing crops are already part of EFA schemes. Col Gordon, farmer near Invergordon and a director of Scotland the Bread said: “I’m very disappointed to read of the NFUS’s request for this moratorium. At a basic level, with around 80% of Scotland’s cereal going towards alcohol production and animal feed and less that 0.1% of Scottish wheat being used for bread, the logic that in order to “address the growing concerns around future food security” we simply need to grow more crops is deeply flawed. But for NFUS to use the tragic and ongoing humanitarian crisis to attempt to push through a potentially far-reaching change in agenda is, unfortunately, shameful.” Legumes provide additional protein sources for livestock. Currently Scotland imports much of its additive feeding, largely used in intensive livestock systems. The cost of this feeding (soymeal and others) is currently very expensive (3 year high according to Markets Insider) with import prices for high quality protein feed likely to rise. NFUS stated that taking land out of EFA would equate to a maximum of 17,500 hectares (25,000 rugby pitches) liberated for their suggested usage. That many rugby pitches seems a lot, but in fact it’s only 4% of what is already used for cereal production in Scotland. Currently approximately 470,000 hectares of land in Scotland is used for cereal or oilseed crops, 80% of which is used for alcohol or for animal feed. Much of EFA land is near ditches, often poorer land on the edge of arable fields and it is suggested that this would not be suitable for growing cereals and grains. Donald Ross, ex-chairman of Highland Grain and mixed farmer from Easter Ross said: “I feel the aims of NFUS have been very poorly communicated, particularly on their slot on the radio. A lot of EFA land on my farm is poorer land, with much sandier soil. It is used for growing grass and therefore feeds livestock already.” Ariane Burgess, Scottish Greens MSP for Highlands and Islands said: “I share Highland Good Food Partnership’s concerns about NFUS’ call to allow crops to be grown on Ecological Focus Land. I don’t accept that it is necessary or proportionate to allow this on the basis that the Ukraine situation is driving food insecurity meaning we need to produce more crops. This is not a question of there not being enough land to deliver food security but how the current crop is being used.” George Monbiot writes in the Guardian (16th of March) and highlights some of the similarities between this ask to bring land set aside for nature into production and the call from some MPs to resume fracking due to the energy crisis. He comments that in both cases, the ‘environmental damage would greatly outweigh the tiny increment of production’. If food security is of such concern to NFUS, perhaps they should be calling for some of the huge proportion of land used for alcohol production (mainly to earn export income) to be redirected towards growing crops for people to eat. We should be moving towards more environmentally friendly farming (including importing less high carbon footprint crops, to feed animals), and many businesses are already doing this. This should be our focus.  

by Josie Fraser, Researcher and Writer for HGFP Each year the UK imports around half of the food it consumes. Roughly 80% of these foods come from the EU, with Spain as one of the top sources for our fruit and vegetables. 95% of these imports make it to the Highlands via the port of Dover [1]. What is the problem with this? With so much dependency on food coming from elsewhere, we leave ourselves vulnerable to shortages when there is a disruption to the supply chain. We have had only a taste of this through Brexit and the pandemic over recent years, but crises resulting from climate change such as major floods which could prevent transportation of these foods from Dover to the Highlands are becoming a more realistic and serious threat.   The environmental impact of these imports are also a problem due to the miles the food has to travel from where it is produced to our dinner plates; emitting more carbon than local alternatives. And due to the hotter climates in regions such as Spain, where we have outsourced most of this food production, a huge amount of water is used for its growth. The issues of imports go further still, including the competition it creates with local farmers (who are forced to reduce their prices due to cheaper imports), slave labour in some countries exporting to the UK, and the carbon emissions that the UK is transferring to other countries who produce our food. What can we do? Whether it be due to the increasing concern about the impact of our food choices on the environment or the role of the pandemic in highlighting the fragility of our food system, there has been a recent increase in the number of people eating locally-produced food. But are people ready to give up their Mediterranean favourites? Tomatoes, chillies, peppers? Perhaps we don’t have to… Of course the Highland climate prevents the growth of most of these foods outdoors during most of the year. However, other northern countries such as Finland, Norway, the Netherlands and Canada are practicing a clever solution: Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA).  CEA is a high-technology and scientific approach to agriculture which enables producers to control the environment that the food is growing in. Producing food in closed agricultural systems enables control over temperature, light, water, carbon dioxide, nutrients and pests to create the optimal conditions for growth. This enables year-round growing of some of our favourite foods, as the cooler climate and shorter winter day-length in the northern regions are no longer a limiting factor in their production.  There are many different methods to grow in these controlled environments, with benefits associated with each. Research from the Netherlands, a country with glasshouses that can cover up to 175 acres, shows that growing hydroponically in CEA glasshouses can save up to 90% on water use compared with open fields [2], as the resource is carefully recaptured and recycled. The process is extremely efficient – in fact the Netherlands now find themselves producing more tomatoes per square mile than any other country, producing an astounding 144,352 tons per square mile, as well as producing the highest yield of chillies, green peppers and cucumbers [2]. Thanks to the high-tech and automation innovation, this efficiency has led the Netherlands to be the second largest global exporter of food by value [2], despite their small size. A view over the Westland region of the Netherlands. Source: holland.com  To find out more about CEA and the greenhouse industry in the Netherlands see the resources at the end of this page. CEA in the Highlands At the Highland Good Food Conference earlier this year, a group of innovative Highlanders who were passionate about this topic started a project to create a CEA greenhouse sector in the Highlands, and since then they have been working to make it a reality. The aim of their project is to displace the imports of these Mediterranean vegetables by growing them here in the Highlands. You can watch the group’s presentation of their project from the conference here.  Since the conference, the group have been doing their homework; they have been researching and contacting projects elsewhere in the world, including Wageningen University & Research (WUR) in the Netherlands and Kauppapuutarhaliitto, a growers association in Finland who have CEA greenhouses further north than the Highlands; the success of which demonstrate how controlled heating and lighting can overcome limitations and extend the growing system at our latitudes. They have also been following the many research projects in the sector, including those at WUR, but also one much closer to home that some of the commercial growers in the group are involved in. They are investigating the nutrition level in vegetables produced hydroponically compared with those grown in soil; an interesting study that could help the group to determine which of the many growing mediums to use in their greenhouses. So far, there is an indication on some measures that soil grown vegetables have 10x the nutritional value of those grown hydroponically. Within the project there is a real desire to innovate. For example, along with a larger growing unit, the group is following the idea of ‘satellite production’ where multiple smaller-scale greenhouses would be installed in communities across the region. It is commonly said that CEA greenhouses need to be at least 1 hectare; any less and the infrastructure is underused and there is an economic disadvantage. However, the group wants to challenge this by adapting existing technology which would allow smaller greenhouses, better suited to the rural communities across the region. These satellite units would work with input from (and in collaboration with) the larger unit(s), as well as create more jobs in food production. The group aims to use natural methods of production within their greenhouses and to heat them using renewable energy, including smart grids and storage which are progressing in the renewable sector, in order to keep their environmental impact to a minimum.  From their research, they have been impressed with the highly collaborative approach taken in mainland Europe, and the pride these growers take in helping one another. The innovation and solutions within the industry are a product of collaboration between different producers, and researchers. This demonstrates that working together can have quite exceptionally positive consequences. The Highland group hopes to use this co-operative approach in their own project. The group’s plan for the next 12 months involves developing a business plan to set up a growing unit and an umbrella organisation to bring growing units together as well as creating growing plans to best meet the Highland demand for these foods.  For now, we will have to wait for our fresh Mediterranean dish made with locally produced veg in the Highlands, but I know I am not alone in my anticipation. Want to know more? [1] How dependent is the UK on the EU for food? – A BBC article looking into the UK’s dependency on the EU for food, particularly during the pandemic. [2] This Tiny Country Feeds the World– A National Geographic article exploring the greenhouse industry in the Netherlands where we meet some of the pioneers in the sector. Yes, Indoor Agriculture Can Feed the World– An interesting read about the benefits of CEA indoor growing. Glasshouse Vegetable Production in the Netherlands– a 30 minute video exploring the innovation and technology behind the success of the industry in the Netherlands. Read about Scotland’s first vertical indoor farm at the James Hutton Institute and Nourish Scotland’s article, Vertical farming to secure food for the future?, which looks at the pros and cons of this facility. And if you’re interested in statistics around imports and exports, you can read the UK government’s Food Statistics in your pocket: Global and UK supply.  

by Josie Fraser, Researcher and Writer for HGFC We are over half-way through the Highland Good Food Conference and what a truly incredible three days it has been! Over ninety people from not only the Highlands & Islands but the borders of Scotland and even the south coast of England have joined to share ideas and inspirations to create a Good Food system here in the Highlands. Of course our conference is taking place virtually but this is what enables so many people to join and we couldn’t be happier!  So what is the conference all about? Many of us are becoming more aware of the need to improve the food system here in the Highlands. Why? Well, as we all know by now, climate change is a serious threat across the planet but there is a lot that can be done to reduce the most serious effects. One thing we can do is create a more sustainable, or regenerative, agricultural system. But climate change is happening alongside a social injustice: right now, Scotland faces a nutritional crisis as not everyone has access to fresh, local and healthy food. The motivation for this conference goes further yet as many local producers in the Highlands do not receive the income that their products are truly worth, meaning that those charged with the essential role of providing food can find themselves struggling to put bread on their own table. This conference therefore provides an opportunity for everyone motivated by these issues to come together and work out the solutions as part of a team and create deliverable actions that will contribute to achieving a food system that’s better for all — and that’s exactly what is happening! We have delegates from all different backgrounds taking part — farmers, crofters, bakers, cooks, community groups, consumers — which shows the need for change is felt throughout our Highland community.  How is it going so far? The level of enthusiasm from the delegates really blew us away! We have had some incredibly enriching discussions with so much knowledge and passion being exchanged. On Day 1 we set about creating the Highland Good Food Vision with exciting discussions on topics such as what a Highlander’s diet should look like in 2030, what values should underpin this good food system and how to be resilient against climate change. There was so much excitement and motivation coming from delegates (and organisers!) as we gathered for the first time. Responses on Twitter after the first day!   We had some great provocations on Day 1 to guide our thoughts and discussions. Have you ever thought about creating a glasshouse sector in the Highlands so that we can grow our own meditteranean vegetables right here instead of importing them? This was one idea presented to us along with stimulating talks on the importance of shortening the supply chain and the role of both consumers and biodiversity in achieving this improved system.  Keywords from day 1 that we used to guide the vision of the good food system.    On Day 2 we focused on the people involved in the food system and how to best keep them at the heart of what we do. Many delegates felt that education and focussing on the younger generation is incredibly important in tackling some of the issues we face, including food poverty. There was also a lot of interest in the importance of community growing for our wellbeing  which is a topic that was covered by one of our provocateurs. Access to healthy food as a human right was also a common point which was expanded on by a provocation that showed how access to good food improves our overall health and helps us fight  diseases.  Day 3 focused on what needs to happen to make local food production sustainable. Our provocations that day ranged from learning about how to use language as a tool to spread the idea of regenerative agriculture to the importance of our soil for the environment, the need for local abattoirs and a unique idea to support crop seed diversity. Clearly there is a lot to do to produce local food sustainably but the provocations and conversations throughout the day made it just as clear that together we can make it happen. Day 3 ended with the word hope being used by many to describe how they felt coming away from the conference. Since Day 2 delegates have been working in themed action groups, each focusing on a specific project that works towards the good food system. Right now they are hard at work coming up with an action plan to implement their ideas. This is very exciting and we cannot wait to tell you all about it in our next blog!  What’s next? The final days of the conference will focus on ways to fund our local food system and delegates will also be taking a lead on the final day and present to the rest of the conference their action plans to turn this Highland Good Food vision into a reality. We can’t wait for the final few days and to see how those projects will grow beyond the conference. Keep an eye on our Twitter and Instagram pages for highlights from our final days. We will also have another blog coming out at the end of the conference where you can find out more details about what’s to come next!

by Josie Fraser, Researcher & Writer for the Highland Good Food Partnership When we talk about farming and food production, we often think about sheep pasture or cereal fields, but of course not all of our food comes from the land. The seas provide a portion of our diet and just like all natural ecosystems on the land, they provide an array of ecosystem services that are essential to life on Earth. It is therefore crucial that when we use our seas as a means of food production that we do so sustainably with as little impact as possible. One food production company doing just that is SHORE, the Scottish Seaweed Company, based on the north-east coast of the Scottish Highlands. Fascinated by the topic, I spoke with Peter Elbourne, one of the managing directors at SHORE to find out more about their sustainable seaweed business. First, a little bit about SHORE SHORE started harvesting wild seaweed in Caithness in 2016 after some four years of research and planning into how to do so as sustainably as possible. Their mission is to turn a ‘neglected historic superfood’ into an everyday product, which they are achieving by offering seaweed not only fresh in wholesale but as a selection of tasty snacks. Peter tells me: “We saw a transformational opportunity to build our own brand using seaweed as a star ingredient. There is a lot of noise about how wonderful seaweed is but it is quite an alien and forgotten food. It has an unfamiliar taste, so we wanted to find ways to introduce it to people and make it easier to use and eat because it is so healthy, local and sustainable.” Indeed, seaweed is a natural superfood that is packed with minerals. It is high in iodine, prebiotic fibre, antioxidants and plant protein. And it comes at a relatively little cost to the environment, when you do it right. A few healthy bunches of seaweed harvested by SHORE in Caithness What makes SHORE so sustainable? At SHORE, seaweed harvesters walk down from the factory in Wick to harvest sites around Caithness, where they pick the wild seaweed by hand. Peter explains to me the process: “Different seaweed grows in different ways. For example, some grow from the base and some grow from the tips, so we harvest them in different ways to allow them to grow back. We have been doing this for five years now and we are demonstrating that this is viable.” SHORE are licensed to pick wild seaweed on their sites and they stick to a quota which means they can only harvest 20% of the biomass of each of the 17 species of seaweed they use each year. All of their harvesting areas are controlled and include designated no-take zones. The research on how to determine the biomass of each species at each site started in 2014 and is part of the huge effort made prior to harvesting to develop SHORE’s unique strategy to ensure a sustainable practice and to minimise their impact on the coastal ecosystem. These efforts also ensure that the wildlife at the sites around Caithness is not disturbed by having all SHORE harvesters trained in the Marine Wildlife Conduct Code. Peter also says that, “NatureScot (formally known as Scottish Natural Heritage) reviewed our harvesting methods and when we do our initial site assessments, we research the protection for wildlife, like birds, around that site and this assessment, along with other criteria, is used to choose our harvesting sites.” SHORE’s products have also achieved Soil Association’s organic certification which commends the sustainability of their operations and their sensitivity to their environmental impact. Peters tells me that, “This stamp is really important to us because of the levels we go to to be sustainable.” Harvesters on the shores of Caithness Is there any harm caused by removing seaweed from the environment? In 2015 SHORE started an Environmental Impact Assessment which Peter explains: “We have four locations on our sites around Caithness where we carry out research on the community of plants and animals on the shore around the seaweed. At each of the four locations we have two corridors close to each other that are very similar, and that we have been surveying for years. We have harvested seaweed in one of them whilst leaving the other untouched in order to compare them and understand the impacts that our hand harvesting has.” He continues, “We have been doing a day’s worth of survey every year at each of these sites and we are coming to the point now where we have enough data to understand the impact. We can see from the data that there is no change in diversity of the surrounding community where we are harvesting when comparing it to the natural site. This is a good validation of our sustainable harvesting methods and the efforts we have gone to.” Peter adds, “What we do in Caithness is highly sustainable and we see ourselves as stewards of these harvesting sites. They are very special places and we are very keen to protect them – it is very important to us.” .    Photographs taken from survey sites. Left: researchers surveying the coastal communities. Right: Peter Elbourne What else is important to consider about the harvesting site? “You don’t want to harvest seaweed from a busy, industrialised body of water. We have been very careful about choosing sites away from man-made pollution.” Peter explains. “Seaweed soaks up nutrients from the sea, which is why it’s so good for you, but it can also soak up whatever else is there. That’s why it’s important to make sure you are harvesting from somewhere that is remote. I have no pollution concerns from where we are harvesting. Scotland has great water quality and there are lots of controls for this.” However, Peter goes further: “Scotland on a whole is in a very good position, but it still needs to be managed on a local level. We don’t harvest where there are rivers running onto harvest sites. That is because it can bring land-originated pollution onto the shore. The harvesters are also trained so that when there is a lot of rainfall, they don’t harvest at the top of the shore, they harvest low down.” SHORE’s future in farming At the end of 2018, SHORE became the first seaweed company in Scotland to put a farm at sea. Peter explains the thinking behind this addition to their business: “There are some species we have good amounts of in Caithness but because they are on the low shore, there are only so many days a year that we can harvest.” He continues, “We plan our harvesting around the tides – we have really good tides in March and April and then again in September and October. These are our busiest times of the year when we are pushing hardest on production. But there is really only so much we can do. Our farming has therefore been targeted on species of seaweed that we have good amounts of, but that there is a limit to how much we can get from wild harvesting.” This year was the first year with a full growing cycle on the farm and it was very successful which is great news for all at SHORE. Farming will hopefully open up new markets for seaweed, which will solve what Peter tells me is one of the biggest challenges the industry faces: “There is a willingness to produce seaweed and there is a wonderful product but there are gaps of clear routes to market.” Peter goes on to explain why farming might help: “Farming is all about producing fast-growing seaweed for a wider variety of applications which includes food but also a more diverse range including bioplastics and speciality ingredients.” He adds, “By growing volume through farming there are a lot of things you can do at a lower price than wild harvesting.” Benefits to the community  The seaweed industry in the Highlands can be a great support for local communities. Peter gives me one example of how: “In March 2016 when we started, we worked with the local job centre in Wick to get a group of long-term unemployed locals for work experience. Three of the original team are still with us and their combined 13 years of experience of seaweed harvesting makes them the core of our crew. Indeed, one of them is now our production coordinator and he knows everything there is to know about everything!” He continues, “As we are driven by the tides, harvesting is not a full-time job but by bringing more activity into Wick, which we have started this year, we can offer more stable employment for people as well.” Peter adds: “When we started, no one had a clue about seaweed. It has been really good to see the team grow, both through individuals growing and developing and the wider team as well.” SHORE’s team of harvesters The serious amount of planning, research and efforts that has been put into developing SHORE is admirable and will hopefully be an inspiration to all food producers, on land and sea. It is exactly this type of thinking and planning that will continue to take our food system in the Highlands in the direction that it needs to go, in order to be sustainable for people and the planet. A vision for the future Peter shared with me what he believes is behind a better food system in the Highlands: “It all connects with wellbeing. It is really important that people eat healthy and that they understand and appreciate the story of where their food comes from. I think increasing plant based meals is also really important. It’s about the wellbeing of the animals and people eating good food and knowing where it comes from.” To find out more about SHORE, visit their website here.

by Heather Fulton, CLIMAVORE: On Tidal Zones How do we eat, as humans change climates? This question is at the centre of long-term project CLIMAVORE: On Tidal Zones, led by artists Cooking Sections (Daniel Fernández Pascual and Alon Schwabe) which launched in 2017. Based on Skye, the project looks at forms of eating that address environmental regeneration, developing a series of programmes on intertidal ecologies around Skye and Raasay, as well as the wider Highlands and Islands including the Oyster Table at Bayfield in Portree, and the CLIMAVORE Learning Programme. The learning programme connects Portree High School’s Hospitality class with local restaurants, food and drink producers, promoting the use of ingredients that proactively respond to the new ecological challenges of Scottish waters. These ingredients include seaweeds and bivalves, which are crucial in maintaining robust and healthy intertidal ecosystems. Oysters/Eisirean, scallops/creachannan, clams/claban-dubha, razor clams/muirsgeanan or mussels/feusgain; and kelp/ceilp, sea lettuce/lìoran, or dulse/duileasg, all clean the water by breathing. One mussel is able to filter up to 25 litres of water a day, and a single oyster up to 120 litres. They provide an incredible source of easy-access protein without the need for irrigation, medication or fertilisers. These shellfish and seaweeds are not uncommon to the Scottish waters and have been part of the Gael’s diet for centuries. Since November 2018, 40 students at Portree High School have trained to become ‘CLIMAVORE Cooks’. Scallop shucking with Ben from Sconser scallops, carrageenan seaweed chocolate mousse making with Mania from Skye Bakehouse and transforming the classroom into the Loch Bay Restaurant kitchen with head chef Michael Smith were among the workshops that encouraged learning about species, along the tidal zones of Skye, and food practices that can support them. “The thing I enjoyed most while working with CLIMAVORE was the class visits we got from people all across the island that use local produce in a sustainable way. These visits really opened my eyes as to how much more we could be getting from where we live.”- Sam, CLIMAVORE apprentice 2020. Each year, graduates of the course are awarded a CLIMAVORE Apprenticeship in restaurants and food establishments across Skye and Raasay. Working in close collaboration with the chefs, bakers, brewers and kitchen teams, the CLIMAVORE Apprentices develop, prepare and serve CLIMAVORE dishes. This summer, our CLIMAVORE Apprenticeship programme continued with adaptations in response to Covid-19. Meeting every week over video chat to discuss sustainable aquaculture, CLIMAVORE ingredients, foraging and test recipes, and the apprenticeships continued as a paid opportunity for young people. Each apprentice was paired with a local chef, baker or kitchen team for 1-to-1 sessions online. Using this learning and their own local knowledge, the apprentices have been developing recipes to be published in a new CLIMAVORE: On Tidal Zones Recipe Book. “Creating a recipe with the CLIMAVORE diet in mind meant looking at the natural ingredients to be found on Skye. I had been interested in cooking with seaweed since I explored the coast near my new home and noticed the variety of seaweeds there. We collected a few different samples and I experimented with different ways to use it.” -Olivia, CLIMAVORE Apprentice 2020. The book, designed by Raasay based artist Finn Croy, features a dish from each of the apprentices, plus specially developed recipes by CLIMAVORE partners Loch Bay Restaurant, Skye Bakehouse, Cuillin Brewery, Sligachan Hotel and Taigh Ailean Hotel. Keep an eye out on the ATLAS Arts website and social media for the launch of the recipe book next month. Until then, why not try out the ATLAS Arts recipe for Pepper Dulse and Cheese Scones! ATLAS Arts’ Pepper Dulse and Cheese Scones These savoury scones will go down a treat with a bowl of soup and a strùpag. Pepper dulse is a beautiful ruby red seaweed – known as ‘the truffle of the seas’, it gives a rich, spicy, peppery kick to your cooking. Makes 6 big scones 225g white flour 1 tsp of pepper dulse (dried) 1 tbsp of baking powder 50g butter (cold, cut into 2cm cubed) 150g grated strong cheese (cheddar or similar) 125ml whole milk Preheat the oven to 200°C. Sift the flour, pepper dulse and baking powder into a bowl. Add the cubed butter into the dry mixture and crumb with your hands. Add the grated cheese and stir. Then, make a well and slowly add the milk to the mixture to create a soft dough, being careful not to overwork it. Sprinkle some flour on a surface and roll out the dough to a thickness of 3cm. Cut the dough into 6 then loosely shape into triangles with your hands. Place the scones on a greased baking sheet and brush with egg wash if you want them to look shiny. Sprinkle with a wee bit more cheese and bake for 15 minutes or until golden. CLIMAVORE: On Tidal Zones is supported by Creative Scotland, The Pebble Trust, Patagonia Tides Foundation, Connect Local Regional Food Fund and the Gaia Foundation.

Add your food story to our interactive map HERE By Andrew Stark, Scottish Food Coalition The Scottish Food Coalition is a wide-ranging coalition of 38 organisations, who since 2015 have been tirelessly campaigning for food policy change in Scotland. After years of campaigning, we successfully got the Scottish Government to commit in their 2019-20 Programme for Government to bring forward a Good Food Nation Bill, the legislation required for us to transform Scotland’s broken food system. Due to Covid-19, this Bill was not brought forward, with the Government focusing on emergency legislation only. Despite this, the longstanding need for a food bill did not subside, and Covid-19 brought into even sharper focus the need for holistic food policy change. It also highlighted the urgency for one of the SFC’s key asks for a Good Food Nation Bill, the Right to Food, to be brought into Scottish law. The Covid-19 pandemic has caused disruption on a scale not seen in generations to our food system. It has exacerbated existing inequalities around access to food, whilst underlining how important green spaces and community food spaces are for our mental and physical wellbeing. Introducing the Right to Food would be a vital step in protecting those most vulnerable from the harmful consequences of our distorted food system. The SFC responded to the Right to Food consultation on a bill and organised a series of workshops to help people respond to the consultation. To capture how the people of Scotland were experiencing the food system during the current pandemic in their own unique way, the SFC set out to collect people’s ‘Food Stories’. We did this through two ways. Firstly, we gathered stories as part of our ‘Covid Chronicles’ series, where our Ambassadors (volunteers) and the wider public were asked to submit their own unique story about their relationship with the food system during Covid-19. Below is an example: The second way of collecting people’s stories was through our Food Stories Workshops series. These four workshops focussed on introducing people to the Right to Food and helping them respond to the Right to Food consultation. The second looked at how the SFC could campaign more sustainably and avoid campaign pitfalls such as burnout, whilst the last two were structured around participants sharing their food stories where we connected with the Highland Good Food Partnership. For example, one story shared during the workshops highlighted how Covid-19 has laid bare existing inequalities around access to food and exacerbated the struggles people already struggling to afford food have. Another story described how the pandemic made them rethink about their relationship with urban spaces and the opportunities that lay in reclaiming disused public spaces for producing food in these spaces. One story told about the comfort that lay in food and its value in providing mental health benefits, particularly during the height of lockdown when our access to others and the outside world was so restricted. Collecting people’s Food Stories has been a vitally important activity for the SFC. We have ensured that people have had their individual experience with the food system connected with others around Scotland. It has also linked these experiences with the need for the policy change to transform Scotland’s food system to one that is more resilient to future shocks, kinder to our environment and people and able to support the changes needed to change our food system; from strengthening workers’ rights, enabling healthy diets and protecting nature. These have given us more evidence of the need for such policy changes and we will continue to campaign for a Good Food Nation Bill to bring about a transformation of Scotland’s food system.   October 2020  

(by Emma Whitham, Highland Good Food Partnership Project Manager) Martin Sherring, from Transition Black Isle, and I started talking over a year ago about various different solutions to increase the amount of locally produced ,sustainable food for local people to buy.  From our experience of managing farmers’ markets we know people want to eat local food, but there are obstacles in place; demand exceeds supply, and we need to find a more convenient way for people to access that local food, without putting more demands on the already overworked producers. We agreed very early on that there was no single solution.  There are many failings within the current food system and it can be linked to almost every aspect of life, from biodiversity to mental health, from climate change to education.  So we came to the agreement to bring a group of people together who were interested in sustainable food systems. We can then all work out how we could support a movement in the Highlands, which will get more good food on local dinner plates; a system that would be better for the planet, better for people and better for producers. It was decided a good starting point would be a 2-day conference to get people together to develop a new vision for the Highland’s food system, and identify key actions to take forward. Our main purpose being to inspire and facilitate real action. Due to Covid-19, this plan instead evolved into an online multi-day conference idea.  It is actually really exciting how many opportunities have now opened because of this change. We can work with a wider range of people remotely. Producers don’t need to leave their farms or shops, and we can cut down on the costs, both financially and ecologically, by not needing to travel to meet. The crisis of this pandemic has highlighted to everyone in this country the importance of our local producers and suppliers, and the massive benefits of short supply chains.  This coupled with the rise in ‘grow your own’ has us super excited, as we can see the momentum picking up, and an appetite for change occurring.  To build on the change of the conference being online, we decided to develop in into an open on-going conversation, with the conference being at the heart of it.  Having this conversation element in the build-up to the conference will allow us as a community to discuss the more general topics related to food, so we have more time during the conference to discuss and develop actions for implementation.  This conversation is for everyone who is interested in joining the movement to create a better food system here in the Highlands. You can join the conversation on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.