McConnell Foundation: New Sustainable Food Reports
Posted: June 5, 2013
Categories: Food in the News / News from Sustain Ontario
The McConnell Foundation recently supported two new reports under the organization’s Regional Value Chain program, a part of the Sustainable Food Systems initiative.
Both reports illustrate the diverse approaches being taken to support and strengthen regional food systems in Ontario and Canada more broadly. You can read about the reports from the McConnell Foundation’s website, or click on the links below to access the full reports:
“Feeding Diversity: Community Access and Commercialization of World Crops: so called ‘world crops’—grains, pulses and vegetables that reflect the cultural origins of immigrant communities—play an important role in the diets of newcomers to Canada, as well as presenting niche market opportunities for farmers and grocers. Recently Toronto Public Health and Vineland Research and Innovation Centre published a report that assesses market opportunities for local world crop producers.
A common challenge facing regional food systems is that the means of efficiently distributing locally grown foods to institutional buyers no longer exist, having been displaced by systems that favour an import/export economy. The Perth County Regional Food Hub Feasibility Study examines the potential to invest in local infrastructure to restore vitality to a regional market. Coordinating the work, Foundation partner Food Secure Canada convenes a Local and Sustainable Food Systems network that provides members with ongoing opportunities for learning and collabaoration.”
Visit the McConnell foundation’s website to read more about what other projects are currently being funded.