Locavore News from Elbert van Donkersgoed
Posted: July 13, 2009
Categories: Food in the News / News from Sustain Ontario
Locavore News
Plumbline by Elbert van Donkersgoed
Perspectives on good food and farming
July 13, 2009
Access to Healthy and Local Food part of Official Plan
In June 2009, Waterloo Regional Council approved the final draft of the Regional Official Plan (ROP), with a few amendments which asked the province to defer approval of certain sections. The new section on Access to Healthy and Local Food was approved as part of the motion approving the entire document. Links to the Waterloo Official Plan on the website off Waterloo Region Food system Roundtable.
MacNab Students Go Local
This pilot project was created by Hamilton Eat Local as a way of introducing high school nutrition students to the concept of local food systems in a unique way: through a variety of direct experiences they were given an opportunity to enjoy, learn about, taste, and prepare local foods with an emphasis on sustainable local food. With advice and assistance from Nutrition teacher Mrs. Lisa Sidorkewicz, we set out to paint a vivid picture of our city’s surprisingly rich, abundant and creative culinary scene… and to give the kids something to chew on as they soon become cooks, shoppers and providers themselves in the not-too-distant future. The Field-to-Fork Experience was broken down into four different segments. Details on the web.
Certificate in Sustainability
Sustainable businesses address the triple bottom line (TBL or 3BL): economic, environmental, and social issues and considerations. Through sustainability education, you can learn how to meet the triple bottom line. Ryerson’s G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education has an unique certificate program with sustainability courses that examine the way social, environmental, and economic concerns are integrated into values and strategy, thereby establishing better practices and products, creating wealth, and improving well-being for current and future generations. Ryerson University website.
From Fertile Minds come fresh foods
Woodham and four other ISS students rotate Saturdays selling produce from the school’s garden at the downtown Birmingham market. Instructor Bob Pollard built the school’s organic garden with students five years ago. Fertile Minds started out as a meager garden from which deer ate up all the produce most years. With the help of Jim ‘N Nicks owner Nick Pihakis, and partner John Michael Bodner, the garden expanded to a fenced-in, one-acre farm. The program now provides a large portion of the food served in the school’s cafeteria. Shelby County Reporter (Alabama) story.
Canadian food labelling rules leave room for confusion
If a blouse is made with cotton imported from China but sewn together in Canada, should it be allowed to carry a “Made in Canada” label? If the blouse were a juicy burger made with U.S. beef, the answer would be yes under the labelling rules that govern Canada’s meat supply. If an animal is imported into Canada and slaughtered in this country, its meat doesn’t have to be labelled as foreign and can qualify for a “Made in Canada” label. The same goes for imported meat that is made into salami at a Canadian plant. Globe and Mail story.
Pick Ontario Freshness
The Pick Ontario Freshness marketing strategy is an umbrella campaign that drives consumer demand and interest in ALL Ontario food promotions. It encourages consumers to be aware of the breadth, depth and variety of the fresh food Ontario has to offer, and purchase those foods in grocery stores, farmers’ markets and restaurants across the province. Website.
FoodCycles: growing vibrant soil, food and community
FoodCycles is a city farm not for profit based in the Greater Toronto Area that raises worms, produces nutritious, vibrant soil compost and grows food. Our vision is to create a just and ecological urban food system that encourages all people to come together to grow, learn about, and celebrate food in Toronto. Website.
The Potential for Marketing Pork Products with Embedded Environmental Attributes
Environmental issues such as air and water quality related to livestock production currently receive much attention. Potential methods for environmental improvement range from regulation to market solutions. This study looks at consumer willingness to pay for pork products with embedded environmental attributes. Experimental auctions showed that over one-half of the participants (62%) paid a premium, that did not vary significantly between differing regions of the United States. Results from an experimental study.
We Are Headed Toward a Breakdown in Our Food System
When we say the food system is unsustainable we mean that there is something about it, an internal contradiction, that means it can’t go on the way it is without it breaking up. And I firmly believe there will be a breakdown. Michael Pollan gives a glimpse at the current state of food politics inside the White House and within his own home. AlterNet interview with Pollan.
Taking as little as possible from the natural world
Taco Bell’s new green menu takes no ingredients from nature. Ha haÂ