Mission statement

The four sustainable food partnerships in the Marches bio-region (Herefordshire, Monmouthshire, Powys, Shropshire) are seeking funding to support their collaborative good food movement, driving systems change for a resilient, regenerative regional food system.

Vision

The Marches is characterised by a holistic, whole-system approach to good food and drink, building resilience and supporting the health and wellbeing of current and future generations across the region and supply chain.

Context

Each of these council areas is a Sustainable Food Place and hosts an established food partnership with an experienced Coordinator and cross-sector Board or Steering Group: Bwyd Powys Food, Herefordshire Food Alliance, Monmouthshire Food Partnership / Partneriaeth Bwyd Sir Fynwy and Shropshire Good Food. The partnerships understand ‘good food’ to be: safe, minimally processed, ethical, and sustainable. Healthy food is our focus, but luxury and added-value products can also meet our definition of good food when enjoyed as a treat.

The four Marches local authorities recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop the ground-breaking Marches Forward Partnership, working together cross-border to maximise the untapped potential of the Marches area. The four sustainable food partnerships’ collaboration has been adopted by the Marches Forward Partnership under the ‘Food, Rural Development and Visitor Economy’ area of focus, which is led by Monmouthshire County Council, with a brief to: inspire the unique food culture of the Marches … explore sustainable food and drink development, improve local supply chains to support rural livelihoods and market activities … [and] investigate the concept of a ‘bio-region’, in which the Marches provides a network of sustainable land managers to showcase good practice.