Sustain Ontario responds to government investment in local food logistics
Posted: July 21, 2009
Categories: Local Procurement / News from Sustain Ontario / Ontario Food Policy
Local Food, Local Jobs:
Growing Local Food Infrastructure in Ontario from Field to Table
“The Ontario government could help build an infrastructure for a regional food economy, a regional system to support diversified farming, shorten the food chain and reduce the carbon footprint.†Betsy Donald. 2009. “From Kraft to Craft: Innovation and Creativity in Ontario’s Food Economy.†Toronto, Martin Prosperity Institute.
The April 6th 2009 provincial announcement of $24 million to “develop the logistics to get more Ontario-grown food into the province’s schools, hospitals, food service companies and other institutions†is a timely investment in the local food economy. Demand for local food is at an all-time high. Across Ontario, public interest groups, stakeholder organizations and food enterprises have been developing innovative ways to get local food to consumers. Targeted investment in local sustainable food production, processing and procurement will spur economic growth across the province, creating new green jobs. The Government of Ontario can create the conditions for Ontario producers to access new markets and stimulate food enterprise development. Sustain Ontario – The Alliance for Healthy Food and Farming, is launching the “Local Food, Local Jobs†initiative to support a local and sustainable food system for Ontario.
Sustain Ontario recommends key investments over the next three years in local food infrastructure and programs that stimulate regional food economies across the province.
– Encourage relevant ministries to co-operate on the development and execution of a province-wide local food strategy.
– Support regional civil society groups, stakeholder organizations and enterprises to scale-up their local food and agriculture efforts, and develop innovative partnership models to build supply chains for local food.
– Encourage the purchasing of local and local sustainable food in all public sector food procurement contracts. Provide transition funding for institutions to develop local supply chain linkages.
– Re-establish infrastructure to support the local food economy by developing regional food processing, abattoirs and distribution facilities, and by enabling on-farm post-harvest handling and other value-added activities.
– Support farmers to transition to meet the surging demand for local food, and encourage production practices that shorten the food chain and reduce the carbon footprint.
The province of Ontario should balance the investment of $24 million for local food procurement between priority areas:
Developing and executing a province-wide local food strategy – $3 million.
Transitional funding for farmers and institutions to develop local supply chain linkages – $7 million.
Supporting civil society groups, stakeholder organizations and enterprises to scale-up their regional food and agriculture efforts, and develop innovative partnership models to build supply chains for local and local sustainable food – $7 million.
Re-establishing infrastructure to support regional food economies across the province – $7 million.
Let us know what you think of these recommendations by commenting below.
2 responses to “Sustain Ontario responds to government investment in local food logistics”
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I have been promoting the idea that summer camps (day and overnight)should be providing vegetable gardens where staff and campers can experience the benefits of growing at least some of the food that is consumed at the camp. I’ve received some positive responses encouraging this type of initiative. Some individuals and organizations recognize that if you get staff and campers to by-in to the experience of growing and eating vegetables that can be consumed shortly after picking then they will spread the word to parents and others in the community. Even though it may seem that so many people are recognizing the financial and health benefits of locally grown vegetables there are still thousands and thousands of people who choose to buy their vegetables at supermarkets and don’t really care where they came from or how healthy they are. So the challenge of educating the public about locally grown vegetables and fruits is still out there.
What a stupid idea, the last thing I want is some public servant telling me how to run my business.
How much of that money will see the light of day, it will be gone before it leaves the office. Apart from a few stickers and two ads on the TV.
If you think the plebs of this world are going to compete with the supermarket chains think again. If your business relies on government hand out then you are not a business, your are public servant. As it is, the rules on the slaught of meat, in Ontario is a prime example, if I produce rabbit or chickens I have to send them to a registered slaughter house 600km away, pay for a vet and meat inspector plus the cost of the slaught company, then the meat comes 600km, only to be sent back to me, to sell locally for sale $6 to $10. Plus GST. Yes that is reducing my foot print.
I bet my life if you go down to your arty farty farmers market because it, is trendy, you will find that most of the fruit you buy is not local grown but the fruit left over from the main fruit market in the city, that sells cheap after, the main buyers have finished.
In the end hobby farms are just that a hobby, and for the rest of us who want to start and run business, do so, to make a living. We rely on demand and price. And if the government were serious, they would change the laws to help promote competion with the big boys, eg no GST on local grown food products. But this will never happen.