June 15 Community Food Meeting

The following are notes made from a meeting held at The Ginger Press, June 15, 7-9 pm

 

Although the discussion was held during a monthly Transition Owen Sound meeting, the content is applicable to a larger audience. Everyone is encouraged to join the discussion and share with others.

Present: Freeman, Ron, Paul, Ted, Anne, Kelda, Shane, Pauli, Thorsten, Maryann, Laurie, Allison

Initial points about food security:

Food security: "Commonly, the concept of food security is defined as including both physical and economic access to food that meets people's dietary needs as well as their food preferences... Food security is based on 3 pillars: Food availability, Food access, Food use". (WHO)

How accurately does local food meet the criteria of being “food secure”? There was discussion about a need to keep perspective on the whole issue. Ie – does local food necessarily mean being ‘food secure’? 

Another point in regards to food security included the need to have a food system set in place for potential future needs.

It was also clarified that food security is different from food sovereignty as well as food safety.

A)    What do we want it to look like? If we could wake up tomorrow and things would be different in Owen Sound & area...

Have to look at all aspects of food system:
1. Production
-greater number of small to medium-scale producers (vs. fewer producers that scale up production)

2. Processing
-locally-based slaughtering
-have frozen and processed food available for year-round consumption
3. Distribution
-local distribution
4. Retail
-more local food in big grocery stores. Food in grocery stores to reflect the season.
5. Consumption
- affordable food
-reliable availability

Other thoughts: 
-if the border closed to imported food, how would things change? Would the politics of food change?
-want to wake up tomorrow and see happy, healthy people in the community
-people have to make a living at every cog in the food system
-have more local nodes / hubs. Can tailor to the community’s specific needs.

B)    What is happening now? (Existing & starting initiatives)

Kinloss Food Auction
Kinloss Produce
Local food stores in Meaford, Markdale, Southampton
Several CSAs in area (Community Supported/ Shared Agriculture)
Farmer’s markets in Grey-Bruce
Community gardens in Owen Sound, including a policy
Foodlink– connects eaters to producers, restaurants, markets
Local Food Project (connected to Foodlink)
Farmlink – connects growers to land and vice versa
Grey Bruce Agriculture and Culinary Association – local food map and projects
Georgian college – agriculture & skill courses
Local Food Plus
Food Charter (involves Public Health, Healthy Communities, Local Food Project)
Possible food distribution centre in Hepworth -?
Possible food distribution business in Meaford -?

*Note: Consider what categories the above initiatives fit into. Some of them can be categorized under multiple cogs in the food system, for example: a CSA addresses production, distribution, retail and possibly more.

C)    What needs to be done?
-Local food terminal – this was identified as important a few years ago
-more small to mid-size producers
-egg-grading station
-some producers are uncomfortable with marketing their goods
-supermarkets reflect the season

* a note on moving forward : it was felt that it might be best to start with tangible projects (ie – “let’s start with this one project” versus “we’re going to do it all”) and tweak existing operations, then replicate as people become comfortable.

D)    Ideas:
-processing plant for frozen foods
-mobile flash freezer
-local food storage (in a rural building?)
-industrial kitchen separate from a community kitchen (different funding sources, different intention. Could be in same location or not.)
-producer’s cooperative  / distribution centre, whereby:

• Producers’ food comes to a central warehouse. Food is then distributed  / picked up by local restaurants, caterers, retail stores, processers etc.
• Have a computer-based ordering system. Someone at warehouse fills order.
• Could start with certain products that are easier to store (ie – non-perishables) and build business from there

*Producer’s cooperative / distribution centre generated a great deal of discussion on the method of food distribution. Ie – How would the food travel from producers to local centre, then to receivers?
   
-instead of buying a refrigerated truck and putting another vehicle on the road, we need to be more creative.
-maybe just coolers within vehicles that are already travelling on the roads
-use a rideshare program. A ride matchmaking business might be necessary to develop
-what about Peninsula Parcel? They already make deliveries on the peninsula

E)    Next steps:
-identify people interested in developing something like a producer’s cooperative / distribution centre AND develop the details of such a project
-could use Foodlink to contact potentially interested producers
-Freeman Boyd, of the Local Food Project, explained there is a need for a distribution method/ centre but at the same time there is a need for mid-size producers. They must be brought up together.
- talk to Barb from Creemore’s 100 Mile Store about her method of pickup and delivery

- Use the Food group on Localmotive website to continue this discussion