Municipal Agriculture Economic Development Forum Nov 2-3
Posted: October 24, 2016
Categories: Events / GoodFoodBites / News from Sustain Members
The 2016 Municipal Agriculture Economic Development Forum is fast approaching, taking place on November 2nd and 3rd.
This year’s event will be hosted in the Town of Caledon in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, with special thanks to Foodland Ontario and the Golden Horseshoe Food and Farming Alliance for supporting the bus tour on Day 1.
The Forum is an opportunity for those involved in municipal and local economic development who have agriculture and food (farming, food processing, agri-tourism, equine/agri-business sector, and agri-entrepreneurship) in their portfolio to network, share successes, experience the “tastes” and sites of Caledon, and to learn more about programs targeted to the agricultural sector.
Day 1: Bus Tour – Eat, Drink and Network with like-minded economic development practitioners while on a bus tour – tour Everdale Organic Farm, visit, eat and enjoy a variety of local, fresh and progressive lunch tastings at Spirit Tree Estate Cidery, Heatherlea Farm Shoppe, a new on-farm store and butchery, and finish the tour with wine tasting at Adamo Estate Winery. Networking reception with evening keynote speaker at the Millcroft Inn & Spa will be Dana McCauley of FoodStarter in Toronto on “Accelerating Food Entrepreneurship in your Community”.
Day 2: Forum speakers include Michele Harris, Executive Director of Headwaters Tourism, sharing the journey from identifying a strength in the equine sector to developing and branding Caledon and surrounding area as Headwaters Horse Country, Ontario’s Centre of Equine Excellence. Tour the Caledon Equestrian Park (PANAM equestrian site) with Craig Collins as part of the program and learn about the facility. There will also be speakers on Using Planning Tools to Support Farm Viability, Resources to support Agriculture Economic Development in Your Community, and Success Stories in Ag Ec Development.
Visit the Town of Caledon website for more information, including a detailed agenda and registration fees. Space is limited so register today. The forum is also available via webex on day 2 (Nov. 3). To register please visit www.caledon.ca/ecdevforum.