A weekly report prepared by the staff of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAF) and the Ministry of Rural Affairs (MRA). If you require further information, regarding this report, call the Elora Resource Centre at 519-846-0941. Office hours: 8:30am to 5pm. For technical information, call the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or visit the OMAF website: www.ontario.ca/omaf and/or the MRA website: www.ontario.ca/mra
CELEBRATING ONTARIO FOOD CHAMPIONS
Province Recognizes Creativity in Promoting Local Ontario Food
Ontario is recognizing 66 grocery retailers with Foodland Ontario Retailer Awards for their outstanding efforts to promote fresh Ontario food.
Stores submit photos of their promotional displays for fresh Ontario produce to qualify for the awards. This year, judges reviewed a record number of over 5,000 photographs submitted by 3,500 entrants, narrowing down three stores for the Foodland Ontario Award of Excellence:
• Metro #73, 406 Lakeshore Road East, Mississauga
• Metro #479, 70 Front Street North, Orillia
• Sobeys Ira Needles, 235 Ira Needles Boulevard, Kitchener
The Vision Awards, which honours retail head offices for outstanding corporate support, go to Sobeys Inc., Food Basics (Metro Ontario Inc.), and Longo Brothers Fruit Markets Inc.
Supporting the province’s farmers by promoting Ontario food is part of the government’s economic plan that is creating jobs for today and tomorrow. The comprehensive plan and its six priorities focus on Ontario’s greatest strengths: its people and strategic partnerships.
Quick Facts:
• Since 2003, the province has invested more than $116 million to support sales of Ontario foods.
• Research shows that 76 per cent of purchase decisions are made once customers are in-store.
• Ontario farmers produce more than 200 commodities.
• The province’s food processors purchase about two-thirds of Ontario food-related farm production.
WELCOME TO THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF ONTARIO FARMERS’ MARKETS
Farmers’ markets in Ontario are booming.
Shoppers love them because they can buy top-quality farm-fresh products directly from the person who produced them—and can often find products they won’t find anywhere else.
Communities love them because they bring people together and can turn once-deserted areas into hives of activity, attracting extra business for stores and restaurants nearby.
Farmers love them because they’re fun and let them connect with consumers who love what they sell and appreciate their hard work. They’re also an important source of income, helping farmers keep on doing what they love to do, so that Ontarians can keep on enjoying fresh local food.
We hope you find everything you’re looking for on our site today. See you soon—at the market.
http://www.farmersmarketsontario.com/.
CARBON FOOTPRINTS TO FORESTS:
Many people are concerned about carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases they put into the air through the day-to-day use of their cars or trucks, the fuel and electricity they use to heat and run their house, or their travel by plane. Local citizens now have a way to compensate for that carbon footprint by donating to local tree planting through a new website.
The Maitland Valley and Ausable Bayfield conservation authorities are launching a new website at footprintstoforests.com. This new and easy way to make a difference is the key action of the Carbon Footprints to Forests program, created with the financial support of the County of Huron.
The project partners held an online web conference and telephone conference on Feb. 20. At that time, they unveiled the new website. http://www.abca.on.ca/News_item.php?ItemID=433
COMING EVENTS:
April 13 – North Wellington Junior Farmers Annual Spaghetti Dinner – 5 to 7 pm at the Drayton Agricultural Hall, Drayton.
May 9 – Grower Pesticide Course, OMAF and MRA Boardroom, Elora. To register, please call the Ontario Pesticide Education Program at: 1-800-652-8573 or visit the website at: www.opep.ca or email: opep@opep.ca.
