[getsmart-l] Fw: Naional Farmers Union Ontario Commentary - Towards a more local food system:

[John O'Gorman]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Grant Robertson NFU Ontario Coordinator 
To: National Farmers Union- Ontario Commentary 
Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2008 12:47 PM
Subject: Naional Farmers Union Ontario Commentary - Towards a more local food system:


 

Towards a more local food system: 

positive action by the provincial government.

A commentary for the National Farmers Union-Ontario

By Grant Robertson

Those who know and understand the NFU know that we are not afraid to take a public stand on important issues.  The NFU is very careful about its criticism just as it is careful with its praise.  Over the top praise for the most minor of actions is just as non-constructive for the future of family farmers as is constant criticism.  In other words when the NFU offers praise or criticism it means it.

In that light, the NFU heartily congratulates Premier Dalton McGuinty and Minister Leona Dombrowsky for this year's successful Premiers Summit on agri-food.   The topic the government decided to focus on was local food.  The reality is though that the congratulations and acknowledgment extend well beyond a single meeting, but to a new direction this government seems to be taking in helping Ontario's farmers re-capture many of our own lost markets.  This is a direction that will be central as we strive for the economic dignity of Ontario's family farmers.  Certainly local food marketing will never be the entire answer, but it is just basic logic to see that the more we sell to ourselves the more that activity multiplies thoughout the Ontario economy, well beyond the farm gate.  

Minister Dombrowsky is to be congratulated for pushing this agenda.  More needs to be done, and the NFU will continue to push the Minister, but she is off to a good start on providing the kind of tools farmers need to recapture many lost opportunities.  The NFU has long been a leader in the push to ensure that Ontarians and Canadians in general, can find food grown by farmers who live in their community in their local stores.  People in Canada and in other countries are legitimately concerned about the future of the food system, and are taking a long, hard, critical look at what measures need to be implemented to ensure sustainability for the present and future generations.  At a grassroots level, wherever you find a local food initiative, you are almost certain to find an NFU farmer member or supporter quietly working in the background supporting the effort.

Local food has a lot going for it already.  Canadians understand that our farmers grow some of the safest, healthful food available anywhere in the world.  Local food production also places food on your plate when its freshness is at its best which improves both taste and nutritional value.  

However, local food has some real barriers.  Rural Ontario has lost much of the infrastructure that local food initiatives must be based on, through regulatory actions that are often more about appearing to do something rather than actually doing it and market power concentration that penalizes family farmers amongst others.  If these infrastructure issues are not addressed soon local food production will face a bottleneck between the farmer and the eater.  As well, farmers who move their production to try to capture local markets are often specifically excluded from government programming putting them at an immediate disadvantage.  So, good work so far Minister Dombrowsky, but there is more work to do and the NFU offers a helping hand as you continue these welcome and needed initiatives.

 

 

Grant Robertson is a senior official with the National Farmers Union-Ontario and a National Board Member of the NFU. Grant and his family farm near Paisley, Ontario.  The author can be contacted at grant at bmts.com

If you have been forwarded this commentary and would like to be added to the distribution list please send an email to grant at bmts.com with "subscribe" in the subject line. 

 

 
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