“It doesn’t cost more to eat well. » Throughout the morning of December 4, speakers at the first Landes sustainable food forum repeated this simple phrase in front of the 200 people gathered in Morcenx-la-Nouvelle.
Launched by Dominique Degos, vice-president of the Departmental Council in charge of agriculture and forestry, this day dedicated to improving collective catering began with an explanation of the Departmental Territorial Food Plan (1) (PADT) to the evocative slogan: Landes on the menu.
“The ambition is to act at all stages of the food chain,” said Dominique Degos. From supporting market gardeners to the fight against food waste, including the local processing of vegetables and the training of canteen cooks. Testimonials and feedback have shown that we can easily waste less in order to spend better. »
Waste less, spend better
In Saint-Martin-de-Seignanx, for example, food waste was reduced by 26% in six months in the first school, by 43% in the second, and by 66% in the third. In Mouans-Sartoux (Alpes-Maritimes), the deputy mayor Gilles Pérole said that in his canteens – 100% organic for more than 10 years – effective tracking of waste had made it possible to save a lot.
In conclusion, the President of the Departmental Council Xavier Fortinon encouraged everyone to continue actions in order to be concerned about the quality of food for all, and not just for those who can access it. “If the political will exists, it too often comes up against resistance that must be overcome. An example: some Landes colleges use more than 60% local or organic products, while others do not exceed 4%; yet we devote the same resources to them! “, he assured. So that “eating well is not a privilege” it is essential to involve the entire chain, assured Xavier Fortinon.
(1) Several schemes under the same banner: Etal 40, Agrilocal 40, Ecocert en cuisine, Ecotribu, My College goes green, etc.
