The Good Food Nation Bill is a new piece of legislation, aiming to make positive change to our food system. Nourish campaigned for almost 10 years for the introduction of this Bill. Once introduced, we worked with the Scottish Food Coalition (SFC) to push for a stronger Bill – one capable of delivering the strong legislative framework we need for food policy in Scotland.

You can listen to a short podcast about Nourish and the Good Food Nation Bill.

Scotland’s food system is in trouble. Many people are forced to use food banks; healthy diets are not affordable; the way we farm and fish harms the environment that we rely on to keep producing our food. Governments have been trying to solve these problems by looking at them individually – but these problems are not getting better, and some of them are getting worse. To make a real change, we need a more joined-up approach.

There is more to food than just eating. We need to look at the system behind how food gets to our plates. This includes growing, farming and fishing; land and sea management; processing, catching, distribution and consumption. Regulations, incentives and workers’ rights are also part of this system.

The Good Food Nation Bill is our opportunity to make positive change across the whole system. The Bill could be a truly transformative piece of legislation, ensuring the food system nourishes us and the planet. Together with the SFC, we led a campaign based on 5 key elements that the Bill should include. The graphic below indicates some form of success for all 5 – a win which should be celebrated. For more commentary on this, read our latest blog, That’s a wrap.