[getsmart-l] [Discover Local Food] Farmers plant seeds for local food movement

[John O'Gorman]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Discover Local Food 
To: Discover Local Food 
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2007 7:06 AM
Subject: [Discover Local Food] Farmers plant seeds for local food movement


Farmers plant seeds for local food movement
By TOM VAN DUSEN

Canoe.ca - Toronto,Ontario,Canada

ALMONTE -- Area food business representatives are invited to a "Meet & Greet" Nov. 12 to explore ways of increasing availability of regionally grown products as part of the roll-out of a Lanark County-wide Local Flavour campaign. 

The free-admission event will be held at Almonte Legion Hall on Bridge St., 1-3:30 p.m. Some of the local food in question will be served. 

The invitation is extended to restaurants, caterers, food retailers, farmers and market gardeners, said coordinator Cheryl Nash. 

The Lanark movement is part of a shift toward local food across Eastern Ontario, with a new campaign also underway in Ottawa. 

In an effort to promote wholesome homegrown vegetables, fruit, meat and cheeses, Ottawa will soon give qualified vendors in two city-operated markets an official stamp of approval. 

It's part of the "Savour Ottawa" program. 

Once vendors have been certified as growing their wares in Ottawa soil, they'll be issued special signage and stickers. 

In Lanark County, the seeds have beenn planted for an initiative to help shoppers identify products from local farms. 

By displaying a special logo, farmers, retailers and restaurants can benefit from increased awareness and demand for local food products, said Nash of ecoPerth which is an integral part of the Lanark effort. 

While the "Local Flavour" campaign addresses growing consumer demand for fresh local food, it also strengthens the local agricultural economy, Nash emphasized. 

"Based on data from the 2001 census, if every household in Lanark County decided to buy only 10% of its annual food budget directly from local farms, this would add $12.7 million to our farmers' bottom line." 

Participating farmers are encouraged to use the logo and additional material to promote and market their products; retailers and restaurants will display the same logo on menus and shelves. 

Environmental groups say that buying locally produced food is an effective means of helping to combat climate change by reducing the greenhouse gas emitted in shipping food around the globe. 

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Discover Local Food is for those interested in the growing number of celebrations, projects and initiatives in support of local food in the Greater Toronto Area and beyond. The list circulates invitations, announcements, news releases and project summaries that relate to local food in the GTA and throughout Ontario. The list is dependent on readers for suggesting items. Send yours now. Discover Local Food is a project of the Greater Toronto Area Agricultural Action Committee: www.gtalocalfood.ca. GTA AAC staff moderate this list.

 

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