the north grenville
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TIMES The Voice of North Grenville
Vol. 3, No. 31
August 5, 2015
First local food report
The North Grenville Times is Locally Owned and Operated
Photo by Marguerite Boyer by David Shanahan The Ontario Government has issued the first annual Local Food Report, as laid down by the Local Food Act of 2013. The aim of the Report is to summarise the progress of local food initiatives and strategies by the province in three main areas: Increasing Awareness among the public of local foods, Increasing Access, by ensuring that local foods are available and identifiable, and Increasing Sales, through encouraging innovation and competitiveness, especially in the processing sector. The Report underlines the importance of the agri-
food industry in Ontario. It not only generates more than $34 billion in revenues to the provincial economy, but it also supports almost 800,000 jobs. As local food initiatives continue to develop, it is expected that these figures can increase even further. This can be particularly important to areas like North Grenville, where we have a supply of arable land, experienced farmers, and a growing market for local foods, both here in the municipality and in the neighbouring City of Ottawa. The Local Food Strategy, as outlined by the Province through its Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs [OMAFRA], includes encouraging the use of local
foods in institutional settings, such as schools, hospitals, municipal and provincial centres, as well as publicising the benefits and raising the profile of local foods in communities. In order to increase their use of local foods, consumers need to be able to identify products as local, and understand the varieties of what is available and at what seasons of the year. Foodland Ontario is already involved in raising awareness in stores and through education, and have a number of award programs to recognise those private companies, stores and institutions that help to give a higher profile to local foods. In the most recent presentations,
Jonsson’s Your Independent Grocer, located in the Kemptville Mall, received a Gold Seasonal Award from the Minister. The Local Food Report discusses the need for finding new ways of distributing local food products, and emphasises the importance of the growing number of Food Hubs across the province. “Alternative means of distributing food, such as food hubs, can fill a missing link in local and regional food systems by giving small and medium-sized farmers better access to customers.” The Ottawa Food Hub is “increasing local food sales by providing continued on page 2
Don’t miss the Merrickville Fair August 7, 8 & 9 see page 10
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