From Farm to Fork

Where our food comes from : Why does it matter?

Knowing where our food comes from is important for many reasons : 

1. It provides transparency regarding ingredients and farming practices, helping us avoid harmful chemicals and reduce the risks of foodborne illnesses. 

2. It allows us to help protect the environment by choosing local produce, supporting sustainable farming, and reducing land use impact. 

3. It allows us to eat ethically by ensuring animal welfare, supporting local farmers, and promoting fair labour practices. 

The videos below show how a range of foods get from their original locations to our homes : 

What is the ethical impact of your food?

Knowing the ethical impact of your food choices is the first step in making an individual difference. There are several ways to measure the effect of your choices :- 

• Look for welfare branding on meat products, such as 'RSPCA Assured' . 

• Look for meat alternatives, such as Quorn or other meat substitutes

• Look for socially conscious practices, such as 'Fairtrade' or other schemes which support farmers. 

What is the environmental impact of your food?

Knowing the environmental impact of your food choices is the first step in making an individual difference. There are several ways to measure the effect of your choices on the environment:- 

• What are the 'Food Miles' associated with your food?

• What is the 'Carbon Footprint ' for your food?

• Is the food produced in a 'Carbon Neutral' way, or do the producers take part in a 'Carbon Offsetting' scheme. 

Food Miles

Food miles are the distances that your food travels from where it is grown to where it is consumed. They are used as a measure of the environmental impact of food production, along with factors such as transportation and greenhouse gas emissions.

Carbon Footprint of your food

How far your food has travelled is not the only indicator of its environmental impact, however. The process of growing/rearing, farming, processing, storage and transport methods all affects how much carbon dioxide is emitted by your food across the supply chain. This is know as the Carbon Footprint (or Foodprint) of your food.

The diagram below shows some of the average amount of Greenhouse gases released globally per kg of product, including how this is split up across its supply chain:- 

Carbon Neutral & Offsetting

For a food to be considered 'Carbon Neutral', the carbon emissions throughout the life cycle of a product need to be calculated. This includes emissions caused by raw materials, production, distribution, processing and packaging of the product as well as what happens at the end of the products life. 

These emissions are then offset through certified carbon offset projects. Carbon offset projects are projects that contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases.

For example, these might be afforestation or forest conservation projects that reduce the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere by creating additional or preserving existing wooded areas or projects that support the transition to renewable energy or biomass. 

Carbon offsetting schemes can sometimes be criticised, however, as they could be seen as an excuse for companies not to work towards reducing their actual emissions; that it is better to reduce the emissions at source, rather than trying to clean them up afterwards.

The video below shows an overview of Carbon Offsetting:-

Reducing the environmental impact of your food : Alternative Choices

One of the key ways to reduce your food's Carbon Footprint is simply to make more informed choices. By knowing what types of food are high Carbon emitters, you can make choices that can reduce this impact. 

To find out how your personal food choices impact the environment, please click on the image below to access an interactive Food Impact calculator:-