Environment Secretary Owen Paterson has appointed BRE chief executive Dr Peter Bonfield to lead a government-wide drive to improve public procurement of food.
The initiative aims to better support UK farmers and food producers, as well as improving the health of the nation and reducing adverse impacts on the environment.
The appointment follows on from similar roles Dr Bonfield performed for the Olympic Delivery Authority, where he led on construction products procurement, and more recently for the Grown in Britain initiative for the forestry sector. In both these cases, however, there was a tangible construction link.
Dr Bonfield said: “The public sector bought £2.1bn worth of food and drink last year through the NHS, schools and the prison service. My plan is to work with the buyers and food producers to create a systematic approach to food procurement that addresses better value across a number of significant social, economic and environmental factors for the best possible outcomes.”
Dr Bonfield is expected to deliver his procurement proposals to Defra in June 2014.
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