SCOTSIN - GLOBAL: Scottish Organic Food - Organic Food in Scotland

GLOBAL: Scottish Organic Food - Organic Food in Scotland

Written by Eddie Tait

Sunday, 09 November 2008

Scottish Organic Food - don't Panic – Go Organic! Browse the shelves ofthe majority of Scottish supermarkets and you're sure to be tempted bythe ever-increasing range of organic products available to buy –something that many would have found simply incredible only fifty yearsago.

Scottish organic food - don't Panic – Go Organic! Browse the shelves ofthe majority of Scottish supermarkets and you're sure to be tempted bythe ever-increasing range of organic products available to buy –something that many would have found simply incredible only fifty yearsago. The Organic Food movement has certainly flourished in Scotland.What began as a fringe – or even faddish – environmental concern hasnow become a mainstream lifestyle option for consumers. And forScotland, organic produce looks set to become an ever more importantpart of our day-to-day food experience.

Since the 1990's, organicproducts in Britain have had processes and ingredients strictlymonitored to ensure best practice. Currently, for any UK product tocall itself 'organic', it must comply with the Government's standardsregulating production and processing. Some of the standards demanded bythe Soil Association and Soil Association Scotland however, are evenhigher than the Government minimum, meaning that products certified bythe Soil Association Scotland can represent the very highest organicstandards in animal welfare and environmental practice. These toughregulations mean that Scottish consumers can have real confidence inthe quality of the organic food they buy – and that confidence is onereason why what was once the 'alternative' choice is becoming anessential part of the national economy.

UK sales of organic food have increased ten-fold in the past tenyears, topping £1.12 billion by 2003-2004. Amazingly, the organicmarket is still increasing at a remarkable rate, and it isn'trestricted simply to foodstuffs either. These days you can book aguaranteed organic Scottish holiday anywhere from Argyll toWigtownshire, and from the Borders to the Orkneys. You can wearfashionable organic clothes from retailers like Bolshie, drinkfantastic organic beer from the Black Isle Brewery, and even shop forfabulous organic baby products through the Soil Association's onlineorganic directory. It's clear to see that in 21st Century Scotland,'organic' no longer means either over-priced and exclusive on the onehand, or ultra-basic and self-denying on the other. The variety todayis simply staggering and caters to all tastes, from the everydayessentials to life's little luxuries.

The reasons for Scots to go organic are becoming ever harder toignore. We all know by now that organic food offers the benefits ofgreat taste coupled with environmental protection and an assurance ofanimal welfare, but these aren't the only positive aspects thatScottish consumers have been quick to pick up on. Scotland has a wealthof small farms that are ideal organic producers, and this localavailability is a great support for rural communities as well as a wayto cut down our food miles. Organic farms supplement Scotland's richfarming heritage and often hark back to a more traditional relationshipwith the land, before agriculture became dependant on pesticides,chemical sprays, and genetic modification – all banned under organicguidelines. It's an inspiring but attainable ideal, which has even beentaken up by VisitScotland. Their 'Eat Scotland' food quality assurancescheme, is now supplemented by the much-publicised 'Scottish Food inSeason' initiative, which promotes the best that Scotland's larder hasto offer through an accessible and easy-to-use website.

The health benefits of organic produce also now seem undeniable,with recent research suggesting that some organic foods havesignificantly higher levels of iron and vitamin C than theirnon-organic counterparts. The Soil Association Scotland also claimsthat on average 'organic plants also contain between 10 and 15 per centmore phenolics than non organic' – phenolics being the defencecompounds that some believe can help to prevent cancers. Even thelazy-option of pre-prepared organic meals have a clear health benefit,as the regulation of organic ingredients means that many additives suchas hydrogenated fats, artificial flavourings, and sweeteners (which arestill routinely added to non-organic products on the market), areabsent.

As Scotland rightly becomes more aware of the importance of healthyeating, organic options seem increasingly like the logical choice.Initiatives like healthyliving, a partnership between NHS Scotland andthe Scottish Government, emphasise the importance of fresh fruit andvegetables and of cooking meals ourselves rather than relying onprepared or fast-food options. A similar message was promoted at therecent Organic Food Festival organised by the Soil Association Scotlandand held in Glasgow's Old Fruitmarket and City Halls this October. Withover 160 companies represented, the festival is Scotland's biggestcelebration of all things organic with cookery demonstrations, talksand workshops, as well as less traditional treats like the organic artsfringe complete this year with a fashion show!

Key to all this innovation is the fact that Scotland as a country isfantastically well suited to supplying the continual organic demand,with 70% of the demand for organic produce in Scotland now being met byScotland's own organic farmers. With our stable climate that avoidstemperature extremes at both ends of the scale, a range of seasonalorganic produce is available all year round. And the quality can betruly world-beating, with the very best Strathaird Salmon fromInverness joining prime Scottish beef from organic farms in Ayrshire,and mouthwatering (and award winning) Knockreoch Castle Douglas lamb onthe organic menu as well as cereal crops, fruit and vegetables.

The success story that is the organic and non-gm food movement is sosignificant because of the prestigious place that the food and drinksector has in the flourishing Scottish economy. Building on this stablebase, and sure to influence the development of organic trade inScotland, is the new leadership organisation 'Scotland Food and Drink'.Many hope that this groundbreaking public-private partnership ofagencies and industry groups from throughout the supply chain will beat the heart of the sector's future success, as the partnership aims tofoster a national industry worth a staggering £10 billion by 2017.Central to the project's goal is the pooling of resources from allparts of the food and drink industry – including the small to mediumsized enterprises typified by many Scottish organic producers.

Further information:

argyllhoteliona.co.uk

grassrootsorganic.com

healthpromotingschools.co.uk

healthyliving.gov.uk

hie.co.uk

ifoam.org