Michelle Anderson-Carroll, a pig farmer turned local food hero has just launched a Food Assembly in her home town of Inverness. The Food Assembly is part of a growing food movement that aims to change the way we eat and buy our food.

Every week in Inverness, customers order their food online and pick it up at a local venue where they meet their local food producers. Customers get quality fresh food as the average distance of food travelled is 28 miles (in comparison to 600 via supermarkets).

Michelle is keen that the Inverness Food Assembly will have a positive impact both on her town and in the Highlands.

“The whole town benefits as for every £1 spent, 90p stays in the local economy. It also has an impact on food waste – there is none for food producers as they know exactly how much to bring in advance,” explains Michelle.

Highland cattle farmer Kenneth Headspeath, who runs Highland Drovers, says Inverness Food Assembly a great new addition to the community.

"I don't want to sell through supermarkets, we get pummelled”, he says, “and farmer’s markets are very weather dependent. I feel optimistic about selling through The Food Assembly, it’s a good thing for the community with regular weekly sales coming in, plus, it gives people a chance to try our products.”

Only 52% of food eaten in the UK comes from local sources, and with UK food exports set to rise, Michelle thinks the case for buying local has never been stronger.

“I want to play an integral part in the community by bringing local people back to local food. I want to support the best local producers who are not being showcased as much as they should be,” she says.

Michelle feels that there's satisfaction in knowing her customers are part of the whole ethical food chain, it's a “much more personal way of producing food. Essentially, people are 'shaking the hand that feeds them!

“It's also motivating to know that people are moving towards consuming more consciously. I'm really excited about the food movement here, it’s doubled in size. There are 21 Food Assemblies in Scotland now, with 8000 members buying directly from local farmers and foodmakers. Numbers continue to grow all the time! That's a sure sign of something.”

Michelle’s commitment to supporting her local farmers doesn’t stop here. She’s keen to get other local communities on board.

“I am keen to share this knowledge and get other local towns involved. Anyone, anywhere, can set up a Food Assembly, and I’m keen to grow the community around northern Scotland. I know we can be a force for good across the area!”

Interested in setting up a Food Assembly in your area? Go to www.open-an-assembly.foodassembly.com for more details.