Agriculture critic hosts local talks on Local Food Act

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Published on Thursday, 29 August 2013 21:42

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JOYCE CASSIN Northumberland Today Northumberland Quinte West MPP Rob Milligan, left, hosted a roundtable discussion on the Local Food Act with PC Agriculture Critic and Oxford MPP Ernie Hardeman on Monday.

When the provincial legislature reconvenes in the fall, Progressive Conservative agriculture critic Ernie Hardeman hopes to have some local food issues on the table.

His goal is to host a series of roundtable discussions with local farmers. The ninth such discussion took place yesterday in Northumberland, Hardeman said, and he expects there will be several more — and at the end of the day, he hopes to get the consumption of local foods up and imported foods on a decline.

“We are getting feedback from local farmers and producers to see what we can do to strengthen and address the Local Food Act,” Hardeman said after Monday’s roundtable discussion, held in Cobourg on Monday. “We feel the Act doesn’t go far enough to promote local foods.”

He said that the number-one issue he’s heard so far is the lack of education — that more education is required.

“We want to mandate food literacy as part of the curriculum in our schools,” Hardeman said. “Every roundtable in the province has discussed better education to understand food.”

The Food Act encourages people to eat the best (local) food in the world, and Hardeman said he agrees with Agriculture Minister Kathleen Wynne, although he feels people should be more than encouraged, and that more must be done.

The PCs hope to bring more to the Act, to preserve the lands and protect the environment, he said.

“The Minister is quite receptive to suggestions, and some things make perfect sense,” he said.

Hardeman also wants the Income Tax Act changed to help farmers when they are unable to sell their food crops — as in providing a tax break to cover the cost of transporting foods to a local food bank.

“The farmer wouldn’t get any money, but he’d get rid of his crops and the people of the food bank would benefit,” he said.

One of the Tories’ concerns is that there are no targets set, but the Minister has to report on the progress every three years.

“The Minister could say they were 110% successful, and not accomplish a thing (if there aren’t any targets),” he said.

Northumberland County director of economic development and tourism Dan Borowec said the government should take a better look at what is meant by “local” foods.

Currently the definition of ‘local food’ is food that is grown / produced in Ontario.

The Local Food Act is good for Northumberland, said Borowec.

“The intent is very much in line with our proposed niche processing facility,” Borowec said.

Plans to build an agriculture / food incubator in Cramahe Township’s industrial park will help make Northumberland foods available to not only the immediate vicinity, but to areas across the province, he said.

“There’s lots of potential,” he said.

Part of the plan is to label foods processed at the facility that will direct purchasers to the local producer’s website.

“The packaging will identify the source, and it’ll be a big benefit to local farmers,” Borowec said. “This gives the consumer the ability to check the food source and choose who they wish to buy from.”

And farmers and producers such as micro-breweries may have the option to use this niche processing facility soon.

“I’m hopeful the shovel will be in the ground within the next few weeks,” Borowec said.

By Joyce Cassin

Published in Northumberland Today, July 22, 2013

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