Locavore News – Ontario by Elbert van Donkersgoed
Posted: February 25, 2010
Categories: Uncategorized
Perspectives on good food and farming
February 24, 2010
Ontario Pork gets marketing powers back
In October, 2008, the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission took away the powers of Ontario Pork. Yesterday the Ontario Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Appeal Tribunal gave them back. The Tribunal’s 29-page ruling, released late yesterday, re-instates Regulation 419, which required producers to sell hogs through the marketing board and for the board to review all buy and sell contracts between producers and processors. The Commission revoked this regulation in 2008. Appeal Tribunal decision.
Planning Regional Food Systems
The Ontario Farmland Trust has produced a new guide with suggestions for how planners and municipalities can support agriculture and protect farmland. The guide will be distributed to municipalities and planners in Southern Ontario through a series of workshops starting in February 2010. Guide (2.0 MB PDF).
Toronto Youth Food Policy Council which endorses the Markham Foodbelt
North America’s first youth food policy council supports the preservation of farmland. On February 17th, the Toronto Youth Food Policy Council formally supported and publically endorsed the creation of the Markham Food Belt, which would preserve Canada’s best agricultural land for future generations. Video.
Holland Marsh Agricultural Impact Study
The Holland Marsh1 is one of two “Specialty Crop Areasâ€2 in Ontario and a recognized producer of a significant percentage of the vegetables grown in the province. Despite the importance of the Marsh as a provincial agricultural resource, there is a lack of specific information about the agriculture that occurs there or the economic impact this activity has on the provincial economy. This report addresses this lack of information. Greenbelt Foundation Occasional Paper (5.79MB PDF).
Norfolk has taste for grapes
Norfolk County is quickly growing a reputation for wines. In a relatively short period of time, a number of wineries have been established and more are on the way. Last year, there were 90 acres of grapes grown and now there are 120 with eight growers and five wineries. The Ontario South Coast Wineries and Growers Association was incorporated last year and just held its first annual meeting in mid-February. Simcoe Reformer story.
Amherstburg farmers’ market could have $2.25M impact
The town is banking on the buy local buzz, an ideal location and a possible grant to establish a farmers’ market. It will be the first farmers’ market in Essex County in years and tap into an economic driver that has an impact of nearly $2 billion a year in Ontario. Windsor Star story.
County being taken to OMB
West Perth and Perth South are taking Perth County to the Ontario Municipal Board over the controversial issue of surplus farmhouse severances. The lower-tier municipalities filed independent appeals with the OMB, but will be represented jointly by legal counsel at the as yet unscheduled hearing. “There really was no question, it was a given that we were going to carry it further,” West Perth Mayor John Van Bakel said Friday. “It’s an important enough issue — I’m not going to say that it’s life and death — but it’s the most important issue we have in these two municipalities with declining population,” said Perth South Reeve Ron McKay. “This is what we think is the best way to keep some population from at least leaving our municipality, to have some of these houses owned and lived in by the owner,” he added. Stratford Beacon Herald story
Toronto Urban Growers
Welcome to Urban Growers. We are a Toronto area collective of individuals pursuing Urban Agriculture in the GTA. We aim to shape policy, develop plans, and share ideas about growing plants and vegetables within the city. We welcome your thoughts and your input. Join us at future meetings and events hosted by the Toronto Urban Growers. We hope you enjoy the site! Website
I’m a chicken hipster
I hadn’t meant to become a chicken hipster. But there was the issue of the omelettes. The 19-year-old me, newly urbanized and studying architecture, was destined for greater things. Things like gallery crawling, bookstore haunting, riding the streetcar into the city’s gritty heart. Late nights deciphering Tolkien, debating Nietzsche and drinking bitter, hot coffee. Black. Collecting brown eggs and lugging laying mash was off my radar. David Gillett’s Facts & Arguments Essay in the Globe and Mail
The ‘egg police’ crack down on local grey market eggs
To farmers’ markets across the country they flock, foodies in search of free-range eggs fresh from the farm. But they must move quickly because demand far outstrips supply. The eggs – laid by hens that roam free, eat bugs and live an existence that is antithetical to the life of the caged battery fowl that produce for supermarkets – sell out quickly. That is, unless you know who to ask and where to find them. Or, in some cases, the secret password. Globe and Mail story.
AND if You Have Time
Handmade Reusable Food Bags
Found 1,676 handmade reusable food bags on Etsy.