Latest news with #FoodlandOntario
Hamilton Spectator
12-06-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Putting the spotlight on the agri-food sector for Local Food Week
Ontario celebrated local food and agriculture this past week, protecting the industry, which is at the top of mind, and ensuring a 'strong, self-sufficient food supply chain.' From June 2-8, the province highlighted the nearly $51 billion local agriculture and food industry. Minister of Agriculture Trevor Jones told The Observer that the Foodland Ontario brand is as recognizable as ever. 'We're talking about 85 percent of consumers who recognize the logo and that jingle (good things grow in Ontario), which is good because it is a small marketing investment for huge impact.' He added that the local food week is a chance for consumers to appreciate the 48,000 farms and 5,200 food processors and manufacturers that provide more than 200 different products grown in Ontario. 'Agriculture has always been the bedrock for the economy. It's $51 billion of our economic might through the agriculture and food industry, and a lot of it is exported to the U.S. and worldwide,' said Jones 'Local Food Week, it's the time to kind of laser focus on what our brand is. 'What is Grown in Ontario or made in Ontario?' And to me, it's like it is the global standard for trust and excellence.' The backdrop of tariffs and uncertainty due to the Trump administration has created a newfound patriotism, said Jones, adding the province is watching to see if that shows up at the cash register. There has been a four per cent increase in Canadian goods since January when President Trump was sworn in. Jones noted that may seem inconsequential, but grocery stores rarely see deviations of more than one or two per cent. 'Four per cent is huge as an uptick in people who are consciously looking to buy Ontario and Canada. So, all the little tags, in the low-cost marketing like a maple leaf beside a product, or the Foodland Ontario symbol, people taking steps to buy, that it's having a little bit of disruption, in a positive way, to the marketplace.' The success and further support for the local industry have made the local food week essential to promote the protection of Ontario's agriculture and food industry. Jones likened investing hundreds of millions in risk management tools that give farmers a safeguard in case of an emergency to strategically funding various other sectors, like technology and workforce development. Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) president Drew Spoelstra recently wrote that Local Food Week is also the ideal time to discuss what goes into producing Ontario's many products. 'Local Food Week is also a time to think about what goes into bringing all these fabulous food and farm products to market,' said Spoelstra in a release. 'At the root of it all – pardon the pun – is our farmland. We're lucky to have a lot of it here in Ontario, and it's some of the best in the world, but it's also a critical resource that's under threat.' Guelph MPP and Green Party of Ontario Leader Mike Schreiner and independent MPP Bobbi Ann Brady recently put forward Bill 21, the Protect Our Food Act. The bill, which proposes a Foodbelt akin to the Greenbelt, would establish the Foodbelt Protection Plan Advisory Committee. The OFA urged all levels of government to use a respectful and balanced land use and plan for a future that keeps local farms thriving while still meeting the growing goals of the country. Sara Wood, an OFA vice president, touched on the importance of preserving a key resource. 'Protecting farmland is a way to ensure that Ontarians and Canadians have food sovereignty. We're one of the very few countries in the world that has food sovereignty and produces enough food to export to other countries that aren't available,' said Wood. 'Local Food Week is a great opportunity to remember that if we continue to pave over farmland and don't preserve farmland, our ability to feed ourselves might not always be there.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
CTV News
04-06-2025
- General
- CTV News
Daily Dish: It's asparagus season!
Ottawa Watch Rebecca Kealey from Foodland Ontario shows us two unique ways to use fresh asparagus in your meal.
