April Farm to Cafeteria Canada Dig In! Webinar Recording Now Available

During the Local Food Procurement Policy and Free Trade Agreements webinar Ken and Kyra reflected on a variety of free trade agreements, including The Agreement on International Trade and the Canada and European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). These agreements are discussed in the context of how they impact local food procurement strategies at different levels of government, and through public institutions, and what the opportunities and limitations are for supporting these strategies.

Ken discussed how public institutions are not prevented from acquiring locally grown products for use in food services operations, as may appear to be indicated by the public institutions.  As well, he discussed how the AIT, NWPTA, CETA and PPT agreements specifically enable local procurements where the products are being acquired for re-sale.  This includes hospitals, as the costs of food is provided for in the daily hospital stay charges that are paid by MSP.

Kyra provided a brief overview of the obstacles presented by current and pending trade agreements for local food procurement in Ontario. Bearing these in mind, opportunities for increased local food procurement were considered based on current practices in Ontario and other jurisdictions subject to similar trade agreement restrictions.

Dig In! Webinar – Local Food Procurement Policy and Free Trade Agreements from Sustain Ontario on Vimeo.