The Fresh Produce Consortium is backing proposals for an EU-wide school fruit and vegetable scheme that could see the UK’s existing scheme receive a massive funding boost.
FPC ceo Nigel Jenney said: “Many UK fresh produce businesses are involved already in the successful UK School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme, and we support proposals to develop an EU-wide school fruit scheme. We’d like to see the UK initiative extended so that more children have the chance to
eat fresh fruit and vegetables at school and to develop good eating habits at an early age.”
The scheme in the UK has been successful in increasing consumption and a report in September 2007 report found that Five a Day consumption among school children had risen from 32 per cent in 2004 to 44 per cent in 2006.
And Jenney believes that an EU-wide scheme should facilitate the distribution of fresh produce and be supported by a formal network to share best practice about school scheme implementation and management. This would help to improve existing schemes and stimulate new initiatives.
According to early reports, it appears the EU proposals will require match funding by member states and the consortium is urging the UK Government to seize this opportunity and fund its share as a means of addressing the public health.
The FPC believes that to be successful an EU school fruit scheme needs to take into consideration a host of factors, such as recognising the diversity of schools across the continent and remaining flexible. “Any scheme would need to create new initiatives as well as complement existing successful ones,” said Jenney. “The UK School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme has been shown through independent research to be both
successful and well received by school children. Any system should not distort competition among operators and the beneficiaries should be schools and children. It should also guarantee a wide range of quality fresh fruit and vegetables that are easily prepared and easily eaten; secure a consistent and reliable supply of fresh produce in schools and increase the volume already available; ensure that an appropriate budget is set to ensure long-term success - as well as covering
the direct supply of fruit and vegetables to school children, part of the budget should promote the scheme within the school and throughout the community.”
The scheme is expected to be published on July 8 by EU Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel. It is reported that the EU will provide €90 million (£71.2m) for the scheme, which should launch in autumn 2009.
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