Comments on: Sustain Ontario responds to government investment in local food logistics http://sustainontario.com/2009/07/21/253/blog/news/sustain-ontario-responds-to-government-investment-in-local-food-logistics The Alliance for Healthy Food and Farming Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:32:13 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Bristow http://sustainontario.com/2009/07/21/253/blog/news/sustain-ontario-responds-to-government-investment-in-local-food-logistics/comment-page-1#comment-37588 Bristow Sat, 09 Jan 2010 10:42:27 +0000 http://sustainontario.com/?p=253#comment-37588 What a stupid idea, the last thing I want is some public servant telling me how to run my business. How much of that money will see the light of day, it will be gone before it leaves the office. Apart from a few stickers and two ads on the TV. If you think the plebs of this world are going to compete with the supermarket chains think again. If your business relies on government hand out then you are not a business, your are public servant. As it is, the rules on the slaught of meat, in Ontario is a prime example, if I produce rabbit or chickens I have to send them to a registered slaughter house 600km away, pay for a vet and meat inspector plus the cost of the slaught company, then the meat comes 600km, only to be sent back to me, to sell locally for sale $6 to $10. Plus GST. Yes that is reducing my foot print. I bet my life if you go down to your arty farty farmers market because it, is trendy, you will find that most of the fruit you buy is not local grown but the fruit left over from the main fruit market in the city, that sells cheap after, the main buyers have finished. In the end hobby farms are just that a hobby, and for the rest of us who want to start and run business, do so, to make a living. We rely on demand and price. And if the government were serious, they would change the laws to help promote competion with the big boys, eg no GST on local grown food products. But this will never happen. What a stupid idea, the last thing I want is some public servant telling me how to run my business.

How much of that money will see the light of day, it will be gone before it leaves the office. Apart from a few stickers and two ads on the TV.
If you think the plebs of this world are going to compete with the supermarket chains think again. If your business relies on government hand out then you are not a business, your are public servant. As it is, the rules on the slaught of meat, in Ontario is a prime example, if I produce rabbit or chickens I have to send them to a registered slaughter house 600km away, pay for a vet and meat inspector plus the cost of the slaught company, then the meat comes 600km, only to be sent back to me, to sell locally for sale $6 to $10. Plus GST. Yes that is reducing my foot print.

I bet my life if you go down to your arty farty farmers market because it, is trendy, you will find that most of the fruit you buy is not local grown but the fruit left over from the main fruit market in the city, that sells cheap after, the main buyers have finished.

In the end hobby farms are just that a hobby, and for the rest of us who want to start and run business, do so, to make a living. We rely on demand and price. And if the government were serious, they would change the laws to help promote competion with the big boys, eg no GST on local grown food products. But this will never happen.

]]> By: Seymore http://sustainontario.com/2009/07/21/253/blog/news/sustain-ontario-responds-to-government-investment-in-local-food-logistics/comment-page-1#comment-33507 Seymore Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:16:58 +0000 http://sustainontario.com/?p=253#comment-33507 I have been promoting the idea that summer camps (day and overnight)should be providing vegetable gardens where staff and campers can experience the benefits of growing at least some of the food that is consumed at the camp. I've received some positive responses encouraging this type of initiative. Some individuals and organizations recognize that if you get staff and campers to by-in to the experience of growing and eating vegetables that can be consumed shortly after picking then they will spread the word to parents and others in the community. Even though it may seem that so many people are recognizing the financial and health benefits of locally grown vegetables there are still thousands and thousands of people who choose to buy their vegetables at supermarkets and don't really care where they came from or how healthy they are. So the challenge of educating the public about locally grown vegetables and fruits is still out there. I have been promoting the idea that summer camps (day and overnight)should be providing vegetable gardens where staff and campers can experience the benefits of growing at least some of the food that is consumed at the camp. I’ve received some positive responses encouraging this type of initiative. Some individuals and organizations recognize that if you get staff and campers to by-in to the experience of growing and eating vegetables that can be consumed shortly after picking then they will spread the word to parents and others in the community. Even though it may seem that so many people are recognizing the financial and health benefits of locally grown vegetables there are still thousands and thousands of people who choose to buy their vegetables at supermarkets and don’t really care where they came from or how healthy they are. So the challenge of educating the public about locally grown vegetables and fruits is still out there.

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