The University of Manchester's FoodOnCampus have joined the local co-operative: Manchester Veg People (MVP) and during Welcome Week, we officially launch a new service supplying the University.
A tractor, growers and volunteers (dressed as vegetables!), will be travelling down Oxford Road to University Place where we will be displaying and selling our local organic fayre, and promoting the new sustainable food option available at the University’s restaurants and cafés from the start of this Autumn term.
MVP are a group of local growers based around the Manchester area who grow seasonal vegetables and fruit that are organic and local. The cooperative's aim is to bring together buyers and growers in a relationship of trust to plan how we feed Manchester sustainably.
With the University of Manchester as a supporter, the cooperative is able to expand and bring more organic farmers on board who can supply yet more organic and local produce for Manchester.
The aim of Manchester Veg People is not to be a wholesaler supplying the market with the same fruit and vegetables year round, but to encourage buyers to source what is in season locally when it is available, thereby influencing and supporting a range of buyers to become more sustainable in their purchasing and to pay growers fairly for their produce.
Recently the cooperative have been granted Soil Association organic standard, which is the best standard for organic growing in the UK. So look out for the produce in a University restaurant near you.
For more information about the scheme visit www.stars.manchester.ac.uk/environment or the new website: www.vegpeople.org.uk