Ontario Wine To Be Sold At Farmers’ Markets
Posted: December 19, 2013
Categories: economic development / Food in the News / Policy News
Image credit: vqaontario.ca
The recently renewed Wine and Grape Strategy will allow VQA wines to be sold at farmers’ markets alongside local produce and crafted goods, as stated in a major announcement from Ontario government this week. The Strategy’s $75 million investment will be applied over 5 years.
The strategy, first launched in 2009, will create a new program that to permit Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) wines to be sold at farmers’ markets. There will also be an expansion of “Our Wine Country” boutiques at full-sized LCBO stores to further increase consumer access to Ontario-made wines.
Alongside these retail innovations, the government will also set up an Ontario Wine Fund to support on-site winery and vineyard investments such as specialized equipment as well as additional local and global marketing. Looking forward to more harmonized processes, the strategy will establish a Wine Secretariat as a “one window point” for the province and industry to discuss issues facing grape growers and wineries with the goal of reducing red tape.
We look forward to seeing the implementation of the programs as models for increasing the diversity of producers and processors at Ontario’s farmers’ markets, as well as growing dialogue between government and local food and farming industries.