With inflation increasing, energy costs spiralling, council rates going up, food more expensive, the question of where our food comes from, is more important than ever, writes Councillor Elwyn Vaughan.

That is why the work of Newtown Food Surplus, a primarily environmental project focusing on redistributing food surplus from supermarkets, making that food available to all via food sharing, is both a welcome initiative but also highlights the ridiculous waste that exists. Over 12.9 tonnes of food surplus has been saved in a few weeks, equivalent to 32.35 tonnes of CO2. How can we justify so much waste and that’s only in one town?

Whilst we have mountains of food waste, the Westminster Government is doing trade deals with Australia, New Zealand and soon to be Brazil allowing free flow of food into the UK from mega farms and industrial conglomerates, whilst pretending to be environmentally sensitive, and undermining our farms. Merely sending our carbon emissions abroad whilst greenwashing.

Four years ago, I and colleagues campaigned in local supermarkets against excess plastic packaging. I welcome therefore the news that France will ban supermarkets and other shops from selling cucumbers wrapped in plastic, and peppers, courgettes, aubergines and leeks in plastic packaging. A total of 30 types of fruit and vegetables will be banned from having any plastic wrapping, including bananas, pears, lemons, oranges and kiwis and Spain will introduce a ban on plastic packaging of fruit and vegetables from 2023.

In a poll commissioned by Friends of the Earth in June, 59 per cent think supermarkets and brands are not doing enough to offer refillable, reusable or packaging-free products.

However, there are good examples of what can be done. Tyfu Dyfi, a initiative in Dyfi Biosffer, is focusing on - Training in growing for food, Developing the market for locally produced food, Community cooking events, Small field scale trials with farmers and education related: motivating future generations in schools.

We need to think again where our food comes from; support local farmers and producers, buy seasonal, use less packaging, use Mid Wales Growth Deal to develop local supply chains; add value locally; see local food as a economic driver and create a sense of identity, a sense of place, and extend the work of Tyfu Dyfi and Newtown Food surplus throughout Powys.

Let’s truly make Powys the green heart of Wales. Food for thought.