Kawartha Lakes Food Charter Lauded
While debates continue in Toronto, on the proposed Bill 36, Local Food Act, local efforts continue towards the development of a Kawartha Lakes Food Action Plan.Jeff Leal, Minister of Rural Affairs, calls the Kawartha Lakes Food Charter a 'success story'. Premier and Minister of Agriculture and Food, Kathleen Wynne, thanks those volunteers who wrote the Charter, and Kawartha Choice FarmFresh members 'for helping bring the good things that grow in Ontario to our tables.'
What Is Kawartha Lakes Food Charter?
The Kawartha Lakes Food Charter supports a just and sustainable food system that includes a vibrant community food culture, food security, community health, a strong farming economy and a healthy ecosystem, but the work is just beginning.Supporters of the Charter, passed in 2011, are now actively working alongside representatives from many of the over 90 organizations involved across the food system to develop action initiatives to move closer to those community ideals identified in the Charter.
As a newly formed umbrella organization, the Kawartha Lakes Food Coalition will facilitate the collaboration of the dozens of groups working in the area of food production, processing, distribution, access and consumption. While an over-arching direction-setting process will guide the selection of activities, the work itself will come from within the seven sub-working groups or focus areas.
- Healthy Ecosystems
- Growth and Sustainability of Farms
- Access to Healthy Food For All
- Workforce Development
- Regulatory Hurdles
- Processing and Distribution Capacity
- Collaborative Marketing
'The strength of a community comes from its people, and the new Kawartha Lakes Food Coalition reflects the dedication and devotion to agriculture and food in this region,'says Agriculture Development Officer, Kelly Maloney, adding 'There is so much energy and willingness by volunteers within the food system to take what is already a strong sector and to make it even more vibrant.The Food Coalition is an open collaboration of organizations and individuals with a connection to the food system and invites ongoing participation whenever and wherever there is interest. To become involved in the Action Plan development process or one of the activities, please contact Kelly Maloney, Agriculture Development Officer, City of Kawartha Lakes, phone 705-324-9411 extension 1208 or Aisha Malik, Public Health Dietitian, Haliburton, Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit, phone 705-324-3569 extension 300.
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