Sustainable Bristol

Who Feeds Bristol?

Posted on 15 March 2011

This week sees the launch of the “Who Feeds Bristol?” report, the first comprehensive city food system study like it in the UK, looking at the city’s whole urban food system both in a global and local context.

The report is being launched on Wednesday at the City Council’s second Bristol Food Conference. As well as discussing this report, the conference will set up the city authorities’ new high powered Food Policy Council for Bristol. The Food Policy Council will be chaired by Professor Kevin Morgan from Cardiff University, and includes the City Council leader, Barbara Janke. The Who Feeds Bristol research will inform the Food Policy Council’s work towards a resilient food plan for the city.

This report builds on the earlier Bristol Peak Oil report - another UK first – and the work of the Bristol Food Network and Forum for the Future who drew up the Sustainable Food Plan for the city. The research was commissioned and funded by NHS Bristol and undertaken by Joy Carey, an independent food researcher.

Who Feeds Bristol is primarily a descriptive analysis of the food system serving Bristol together with an analysis of its resilience. It looks at the ‘positive planning powers’ cities may have on their food system and it makes suggestions for action. It is specifically aimed at city decision-makers and food system stakeholders but should be of interest to anyone who is interested in how food makes it onto their plates.

You can download a copy of the Who Feeds Bristol from the City Council’s website here.

There is a short summary, a full report, appendices with much of the background research detail and full versions of case studies.