Celebrating excellence, innovation and outstanding achievement in Scottish nature conservation, the RSPB’s Nature of Scotland Awards are now open for entries. Among the nine award categories we welcome back the Food and Farming Award for a second year, seeking to recognise individuals, businesses or organisations that are doing good things for nature conservation in Scotland.
The way our food is produced can have significant impacts on our environment, but there are farmers, food businesses and organisations out there doing things differently; taking steps to reduce their own environmental footprint and helping others do the same. From wildlife-friendly farmers to cafes and caterers reducing food waste and sourcing ingredients sustainably, this award seeks to celebrate our good food champions.
Open for applications until 12 June, entry to the awards is free. Nominate someone who’s dedicated to environmental work or submit your own project and tell us what you’re doing to protect nature in Scotland. Find out more and download an application form today.
Last year’s winner was the innovative Future Farming Scotland initiative run by Soil Association Scotland. Working with farmers and crofters to transform the way food is produced and how the natural world is cared for, their programme includes events, in-depth workshops and longer term field labs which work with farmers and land managers to explore novel and innovative solutions to practical farm issues. Covering a range of topics from organic farming to nutrient and grassland management, the judges liked the practical and solutions focused approach and the way it integrated farming and environmental issues.
Image: Future Farming Scotland A highly commended project in the same year was one tackling the issue of food waste – The Real Junk Food Project Edinburgh. As a nation, we waste 20% of the food we buy every year. It’s expensive and it’s bad for our environment; 630,000 tonnes of food and drink is thrown away annually, costing Scots over £1 billion and creating harmful greenhouse gases in the process. The Real Junk Food Project Edinburgh is part of a small network of cafes across the UK and beyond that intercepts food that would otherwise go to landfill and uses it to create delicious food for their cafes and communities. They use food that is still perfectly edible and only ask for contributions on a pay-as-you-feel basis. If you are part of a sustainable food business or do things differently for the benefit of nature you should apply.
Image: The Real Junk Food Project We all need good food to eat so it’s critical that we produce our food sustainably. That means taking greater care of the natural environment on which food production itself depends. It also means reducing, and ultimately ending, the wider negative impacts of our whole food system, including its impacts on our wildlife and climate. The Nature of Scotland Awards Food and Farming category aims to recognise and celebrate those who are already making great strides on this journey.
The 2017 shortlist will be announced at an evening Parliamentary Reception on 13 September and the prestigious Presentation Dinner will be held on 23 November at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Edinburgh. Submit your application form by 12 June and it could be you that we are celebrating!