Correspondence: Professor of Food Policy and Director of the Centre for Food Policy, Thames Valley University (Wolfson Institute of Health Sciences)

This is the first series of Tim Lang's correspondence generated when he was at Thames Valley University. It covers c.1994-1997 and is continued in series A/4.

Files contain various papers as well as correspondence, including reports, memos, faxes, email print-outs and printed literature.

Series A/3 and A/4 reflect the changes in Tim Lang's roles and activities as a member of an academic institution as well as, or rather than, the head or member of campaigning organisations. There is more examination of social, economic, cultural and political aspects of food policies in a national and global context, as well as consideration of specific issues surrounding subjects like BSE or irradiation.

A myriad of topics are covered, including: nutrition and public health, government food and agricultural policy, government food health projects (e.g 'Get Cooking!'), agricultural practices, conflicts in food policy, economic and commercial interests versus environmental and social issues, supermarkets and retail food industry, environment and food health, food poverty and healthy eating education, children and food, BSE (there is a considerable amount of material on BSE in this series), consumer interests, demands and protection, GATT and animal welfare and food policy, existing and proposed governement bodies on food monitoring, local authority schemes and initiatives, school meals dietary improvement campaigns especially representation and reporting in the media, ecological food production, global food policies, intensive farming, diet medicine and health, food irradiation, food hygiene, national, European and global food economics including food miles (the production and distribution system), cancer and the environment, school meals for poor children, food safety standards and state regulation, initiatives in government food policy, health risks in certain foods, food waste, contamination of the food chain, supermarkets and pricing, genetic engineering of crops and food, food labelling, sustainable agriculture, disease communication via foods, and food quality.

The content of the correspondence also frequently relates to Tim Lang's contributions to conferences, symposia, seminars, and publications (as author or contributing author) and reflects his teaching and academic administrative roles. There is also material on his evidence to government committees and contributions to television radio programmes as an advisor, consultant or participant (e.g. the BBC's radio programme Farming Today) and requests for his views on draft book chapters and academic writings.

Correspondence with individuals and organisations is mixed together. Types of organisation include government departments, consumer organisations, industry, farming associations, pressure groups, charities, agencies, publishers, consultant services, commercial companies, supermarkets, colleges and universities (UK and overseas), local councils and health authorities, teachers organisations, teachers unions, television and radio companies. Types of individual are government officials, politicians, MPs, MEPs, representatives of organisations (national, European or International), general public, members of pressure groups and voluntary organisations, government officials and members of government bodies, academics, people in the media industry, teachers, authors, academics attached to universities in nutrition or agriculture departments particularly.

c.1994-1997

7 boxes

Although the series is arranged in an alphabetical sequence the following should be noted:
Contents within each file are not organised in strict alphabetical order, therefore correspondence with one person or organisation may be found scattered throughout the file.
The method of filing is often inconsistent, with individuals sometimes filed under their surname rather than the organisation they are representing, or vice-versa where correspondence has been filed under the organisation name even though the content relates more to the individual and the individual's views, activities and purpose of writing.
Inconsistent filing also means that some correspondence with an individual is filed under their surname and some correspondence with the same individual is filed under the organisation they belonged to at the time.
Now and then it is not quite clear why an individual or an organisation is filed under a particular letter.
Occasionally material has been filed incorrectly.
This arrangement may mean a longer time needs to be spent in identifying the correct file, for example, when looking for correspondence with a particular individual it is advisable to also look under the name of the organisation/s they belonged to as well as their own surname.

Tim Lang was appointed Professor of Food Policy and Director of the Centre for Food Policy, Thames Valley University (Wolfson Institute o f Health Sciences), in March 1994. His role was to introduce and foster teaching, research and learning on food policy, as well as raise funds, direct staff and liaise with other universities in this field. He continued in this role until Autum 2002 when the department moved to City University, London.

Restricted until 1 January 2082.