A3-Boosting access to local, sustainably produced food

How can we increase opportunities for eaters to access local, sustainably produced food?

Led by: David Hahn

Present: Hank John Reinink, JoAnne Hopkins, Pat Dawson, Ron Versteeg, Jennifer Roche, Norman Brown, Marie Traynor.

David spoke about the development of our (NFU) local food projects.  Food Down the Road, Feast of Fields, and this year 2009, a New Farmer Training Project, including an intern program.

Food sovereignty - Ron Versteeg  Individual farmers are very limited in what they can accomplish - need to build networks. Don't work against each other, we work collectively.  Government regulatory aspect that is important, but want to connect food with farmers.

Our Gov't took cultural industries off the trade table, they should do the same for agriculture.

JoAnne - people are concerned about where their $ goes.  is it too expensive?

David - selling his garlic at Garlic Festivals (Stratford, Perth) says he's noticed price doesn't matter as much as whether the garlic is 1. organic and 2. locally produced 3. attractively presented.

Discussion about:

• local food access for those of limited means
• supermarkets increasing local and organic produce on their shelves
• Jennifer - could a more affluent consumer pay extra, this extra to go to towards the financially compromised shopper.
• much talk about models to help those on limited means.
• should government put targets for local food? organic food?  (ie. as Hydro is mandated for a percentage of renewable energy)
• should food trade be taken out of the WTO (as 
• The farmers struggling with insufficient income and the non-farmers struggling with insufficient income can collaborate when it comes to voting and advocacy opportunities. For example, a loud voice advocating for affordable housing may, if succesful, result in additional income for food expenditures and therefore the ability to pay a fair price to farmers for their work & products.

For those interested in further reading The Metcalf Foundation published a report last February called Food Connects Us All, Sustainable Local Food in Southern Ontario