Newcastle University commits to local produce in union vote

Newcastle University Students’ Union (NUSU) has said it will prioritise produce from local farmers and businesses for its catering to support the city’s economy and reduce food miles.

A motion put before the union, which represents more than 20,000 students, said it was the “moral duty” of the NUSU to support local businesses.

See also: Consumers put trust in British farmers, report reveals

Members voted to use local suppliers to help the many businesses struggling since the coronavirus pandemic and reduce the union’s carbon footprint. The motion passed by some 88%.

The Countryside Alliance (CA) welcomed the decision after votes at other university unions, including Oxford, to ban red meat from campus cafes and restaurants.

Students at Edinburgh University and the University of East Anglia rejected moves to ban beef products at their campuses in 2020 and 2019, respectively.

The CA said the motion would go a long way to cutting food miles and support local farmers and businesses in the North East during the pandemic.

The NUSU motion read: “It is the moral duty of Newcastle University Students’ Union to support local businesses, as this will help boost the economy of Newcastle and improve the livelihoods of residents of Newcastle.

“It is in the Student Unions’ best interests to support local businesses for the benefit of the local area and the students of Newcastle University who may have used these businesses before.”

Societies at the university will be given a list of local suppliers to use for catering at events and the NUSU said it would only use larger caterers for centrally organised events, if no local alternatives can be found.