Research and Reports
Our knowledge and understanding of the food system is constantly growing and changing. Research and reports can help us to make better sense of issues and opportunities. If you know of resources that are shedding light on our food system that are not listed here, please submit a resource.
Sustain Ontario Research and Reports
Metcalf_Food_Solutions_Menu_2020
A sweeping review of food policy, food and farming industry news, global reports, and local media reveals a good food gap that results in unforeseen and unacceptable consequences for farmers, eaters, the environment, the health care system, and the economy. This good food gap is not just an Ontario phenomenon. It is a global problem that requires multi-jurisdictional solutions.
Food and Farm Innovation in the Creative Age
There is a role for planners to play in promoting farm innovation in Ontario’s Greater Golden Horseshoe Region. These two papers discuss how planners can address issues around land use policies such as agricultural zone classifications, minimum distance separation, minimum farm size and planning policy language that may hinder farm innovation or agricultural viability in the region.
From Land to Plate: The dilemmas and victories of alternative food distribution in Ontario
This report, co-sponsored by Sustain Ontario and the Ontario Culinary Tourism Association, gives a broad overview of the local food distribution sector in Ontario and offers five case studies of initiatives bringing local food to local tables.
Ontario Food Research Research and Reports
The Metcalf Foundation commissioned five solution papers that together present a new vision for how we think about, produce and consume food in ontario. The papers offer a range of strategies to promote local economic development and improve access to healthy and abundant locally-produced food.
Metcalf_Food_Solutions_Supply_Management
Supply management is a regulated marketing system for farm products that consists of controls on supply (in the form of quotas) that help ensure a fair return to the producers of certain food commodities. The system operates through farm marketing boards for milk, eggs, and poultry, which allocate quotas both to farmers and to processors and administer measures to protect Ontario farmers from having the prices of their goods undercut by imports.
Metcalf_Food_Solutions_Nurturing_Fruit_and_Vegetable_Processing_in_Ontario
Across Ontario, facilities for food processing have reduced in size or closed, including the only facility that processed frozen organic vegetables. Farmers’ options for value-added processing have become extremely limited. The closures of small and medium-sized food-processing facilities have occurred at the same time that there has been growing demand for local food from consumers who are concerned about the provenance and safety of their food. Consumers cannot find the local products they seek, while farmers have lost processing facilities for some of the local ingredients they produce. A review of the entire supply chain reveals a chaotic landscape of piecemeal solutions and missed opportunities.
Metcalf_Food_Solutions_Scaling_Up_Urban_Agriculture_in_Toronto
Food production in Toronto is primarily an informal provisioning and recreational activity. Urban agriculture is currently limited in its ability to address the inadequacies of the dominant commercial food system. We believe that action is needed in two areas: strengthening the informal sector, and jump- starting a profit-oriented food production that addresses multiple food-system problems.
Metcalf_Food_Solutions_In_Every_Community_a_Place_for_Food
Before considering a solution, it is necessary to first define the problem. In the case of food security, one way of defining the problem is “hunger,” which suggests an answer such as food distribution — any food that will “fill hungry bellies.” Institutionally, this approach has led to the proliferation of food banks and meal programs.
Metcalf_Food_Solutions_Menu_2020
A collection of good food ideas to bridge the food gap and address the wide-ranging consequences of shortcomings in our food system.
Other Research and Reports
Bits & Bytes Food Security Project: Bits & Bytes was created to support the efforts of people to increase food security in their communities. There are many great resources “out there” and this website is intended to make it easier for people to find the information they need to support their own work.