Quebec Pork Producers Develop Progress Indicators
The organisation representing Quebec’s pork producers has come up with its own indicators for the progress and performance of its members. The FPPQ says the 13 indicators are broken down into 3 for environment, 3 social and 7 dealing with sustainable development. The Federation says it’s convinced that now is the time for action. Environmental indicators include greenhouse gases and ammonia emissions and the recognition of best agro-environmental and farm health practices in pork production. Blackburn Agri-Media story.
Pork Industry Publishes Sustainable Development Indicators
The Fédération des producteurs de porcs du Québec (FPPQ) is proud to announce the release of its own sustainable development indicators for pork production today, a first for agriculture in Quebec. At a news conference held at the J.P.L. Inc. farm, FPPQ president Jean-Guy Vincent unveiled a list of 13 indicators that apply to pork production: 3 environmental, 3 social and 7 economic indicators that will help measure the progress and performance of pork producers in terms of sustainable development in their respective operations. The FPPQ approach is based on a firm conviction that the time is ripe for action, and that its plan must reconsider three equally crucial priorities: environmental integrity, social fairness and economic efficiency. Canada News Wire story.
The Little Local Food Connector That Could
Deb Reynolds knows the grind of the farmers’ market circuit. She used to drive from Cawston to Vancouver four times a week to hit different markets around the city. The draw? A customer base willing to pay a good price for her organic fruits and vegetables. The drawbacks? A five-hour drive each way, early mornings, late nights and too much time away from the field. While Reynolds knows that farmers’ markets are an important outlet for people who want to buy local, she also knows they can be a pain in the ass for farmers. She has since left the farm, but her experience gave her unique insight into how she could support farmers while meeting urban demand for local food. Reynolds has been the catalyst for a new co-operative venture called the Home Grow-In Market Collective, a place that offers the ethos of a farmers’ market with the convenience of a retail store. The Tyee article.
Commercial rooftop garden is world’s first
If all goes well, urban locavores will have a year-round source of non-GMO, pesticide-and-herbicide-free produce by early 2011. Lufa Farms, a Montreal company, plans to unveil the world’s first commercial-scale rooftop greenhouse atop of a two-storey office building near Marche Centrale. The nearly $2-million, 31,000 square-foot project should be completed before the end of the year and is expected to be ready for planting in January. Montreal Gazette story.
In Vancouver, a ‘Crown Jewel’ of Local Food Is in the Works
If you found yourself on the southern shore of False Creek at Westminster Avenue (now Main Street) on Saturday, Aug. 15, 1908 you would happen by opening day of Vancouver’s City Market. The grand building with dual bell towers and a generous waterfront promenade is plastered with signs advertising retail and wholesale “farm products” for sale and a restaurant serving “meals at all hours.” Rail tracks in the foreground illustrate the prime mode of transportation bringing food from the Fraser Valley to be sold at the market. The Mt. Pleasant marching band posing in full regalia is a testament to the community celebration accompanying opening day. Could B.C.’s biggest city today bring back to life so vibrant a public space, building a key component in what could be one of North America’s most robust local food economies? The Tyee article.
A Food Policy Council for Winnipeg
Are you concerned about policies that restrict urban agriculture in the city? Rules that limit farmers’ markets? Think that there are economic or environmental opportunities in local food? Wonder how our city could best dispose of its food waste? Fortunately, many other Winnipeggers are as well! And they are encouraging the city to establish a food policy council for Winnipeg; a council that could address all these questions and more. Vancouver, Toronto, and many American cities already have food policy councils. So, what is a food policy council? Who is part of it? What would be the benefits of having one in Winnipeg? And how can you get involved? Manitoba Alternative Food Research Alliance post.
2010 Canadian Culinary Book Award Winners
They read, they cooked, they deliberated. Since April, some of Canada’s top food professionals have been reading and testing their way through 68 entries to determine the winners for the Canadian Culinary Book Awards. Cuisine Canada and the University of Guelph are proud to announce the winners of the 13th annual Canadian Culinary Book Awards. Winners of the second annual Canadian Culinary Landmarks Hall of Fame Award, given to authors who have produced a stellar culinary book or a body of culinary works that taken together have had a lasting impact upon Canadian cuisine, are: Cuisine Canada list.
Call for Papers: “Exploring Change through Food”
The Canadian Association for Food Studies (CAFS) will host its sixth annual general meeting at University of New Brunswick and St. Thomas University, Fredericton, on May 28 – 30, 2011 in conjunction with the 2011 Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences. Founded in 2005, CAFS promotes critical, interdisciplinary scholarship in the broad area of food systems: production, distribution, and consumption. CAFS recognizes the need for interdisciplinary research on food issues both within and outside of academia in response to societal needs such as informing policy makers, assessing the outcomes of community-based work, and demonstrating the health, social, cultural, spiritual and environmental impacts of food systems. To encourage interdisciplinarity, and to reflect the broad range of important work happening in this field, we encourage academics and community members to submit proposals for either 1) sessions or 2) individual papers or 3) submissions for the Exploration Gallery. Details.
Metro Vancouver Regional Food System Strategy
Metro Vancouver is developing a Regional Food System Strategy. This collaborative effort aims to create a sustainable, resilient and healthy regional food system. In this Webinar hear about the vision and objectives of the Draft Strategy, become informed about the issues, engaged in the discussion, and have your opinions heard. There will be time for questions and discussion. Participants can clarify issues arising from the Draft Strategy and provide input into the next steps. Webinar at noon on Thursday, November 25. Draft Strategy. Webinar and other events.
A Tale of Two Farmlands
For the past two months, we reporters — Colleen Kimmett, Justin Langille and Jeff Nield — traveled to two of the most productive agricultural regions in the entire country: Ontario’s Greenbelt and British Columbia’s Fraser Valley — to talk to farmers, policy makers, food activists and academics. Our journeys landed us in a hundred-thousand-dollar combine, a Mennonite produce auction, took us into the egg industry in Abbotsford and Vancouver’s urban farms. Along the way, we sensed first hand not only the challenges holding back local food systems, but also the dynamic cultural shift that offers hope for those dedicated to making sustainable local food flourish. It’s a shift away from the industrialized food system and towards good taste, pride in place and renewed appreciation for the people who provide what is essential for human life. The Tyee article.
AND IF YOU HAVE TIME
Getting Fooducated with Hemi Weingarten
Do you ever feel overwhelmed when trying to make healthy food decisions? Do you find yourself standing in the aisles of your grocery store trying to navigate ingredient lists, nutrition labels, and latest health claims. Hemi Weingarten did, which is why he used his technology background to build Fooducate, a personal grocery advisor that helps make it easier to navigate food labels. The newly released iPhone app enables users to access easy-to-understand nutrition analysis and provides recommendations for healthier alternatives. Fooducate blog. Food & Tech Connect story.
Local Food News 