ONTARIO – Harvest of all kinds is in full swing in Ontario, from grains and other field crops to a wide range of fruits and vegetables.
Many of these crops, particularly produce, aresold directly to consumers at farmers’ markets across the province, along with flowers, meat, honey, baked goods, jams and other items made with locally grown ingredients.
Ontario’s farmers’ markets are also tourist destinations, attracting visitors from far and wide who are in search of fresh Ontario products, and want to know where their food comes from.
In fact, they are arguably one of the strongest direct links between farmers and consumers.
I can speak from my own experience here – this is one of my most favourite times of the year when we can take the opportunity as consumers to experience fresh, seasonal and local product delivered by the personal passion of the individual or family that produced it.
Various initiatives help promote that relationship, whether locally, regionally or provincially.
The Farmers’ Markets Ontario (FMO) MyPick Verified Local Farmer program, for example, identifies bona fide local farmers selling only what they grow, raise or otherwise produce on their farms. This adds additional transparency to local sellers and local markets and gives consumers extra confidence in what they’re buying.
At the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), where I serve on the provincial board of directors, recent surveys of our farmer members have shown that a growing number are interested in engaging more directly with consumers, including by direct sales of their products at venues like farmers’ markets and more.
As well, in responding to the OFA’s most recent Farm Business Confidence survey, our members from all regions of the province indicated that encouraging Ontarians to consume more local food was a top three priority area for them.
Last winter, the OFA announced a $50,000 cost-share funding project to support marketing activities that promote Ontario farmers at farmers’ markets across the province – as a result of its first-ever partnership with FMO.
Through the program, participating markets would see up to 50 per cent of their cash contributions to project costs matched to a maximum of $2,500.
According to FMO, this brought the total investment through the program to $100,000 with an estimated economic value of $300,000.
Open to FMO’s approximately 180 member markets, funding was available for marketing and awareness projects to promote and support local farmers who are participating at farmers’ markets.
And demand has been brisk, far outstripping the available funding.
A total of 28 projects were approved out of 46 applications received, covering expenses such as digital and social media advertising, point-of-sale promotions on market days, and special events with a focus on farmers and their products.
In addition to helping promote markets and local farmers, the projects help consumers be able to better access local food options in their communities and gives them the chance to engage in direct conversations with local farmers.
As well, these efforts are also an excellent complement to the OFA’s Home Grown campaign, which focuses on raising awareness of the bounty of food, fibre and flowers we produce here in Ontario and the need to protect the farmland, resources and infrastructure farmers depend on to do so.
We have a diversity of locally grown food here in Ontario that is mind-blowing thanks to the climate, the soil and the passionate people who pull this off.
Our farmers grow, raise and produce more than 200 different agricultural commodities, giving us buy-local opportunities from one end of the province to the other and at all points in between.
So, on your summer holiday and fall weekend travels this year, keep an eye out for local farmers’ markets in the places you’re visiting and stop in to take a look, meet people and try the home grown bounty of Ontario’s fields, orchards, vineyards and greenhouses.
Clint Cameron is the Ontario Federation of Agriculture director.