Mohawk College to Pilot Local Food Procurement Program
Posted: July 4, 2016
Categories: Food in the News / GoodFoodBites
Mohawk college is at the forefront of a new pilot project to sell locally sourced foods at Ontario colleges. Through the Local Food Investment Fund, provided by the Greenbelt Fund along with the government of Ontario, Mohawk College is receiving $100,000 for this project. The pilot project will allow for Mohawk College to develop a local food procurement program and create a model for other Ontario colleges to follow.
This pilot project, which will run until the summer of 2017 at a few select colleges including Mohawk College, will help develop a plan for colleges all across Ontario to source locally produced foods. The impact this will have on the purchase of local foods is estimated to be an increase of $1.5 million over two years. Mohawk college and two other colleges that are set to join the project will help lead the way for other colleges and universities to follow and greatly impact Ontario’s agricultural industry.
The Greenbelt Fund is a not-for-profit focused on investments promoting local foods in Ontario. The Ontario government had given the Greenbelt Fund $6 million over three years starting in 2015 to help with promoting local food. Through this investment, the Local Food Investment Fund is able to provide grants for organizations or businesses that are focused on growing the demand for and the purchase of Ontario food.