S 2011

Feeding Our Communities by Championing Local Farms

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Components of the Green Partys Ontario Food and Farming Strategy include: 1. 2. 3. Access to healthy food for Ontarians Programs to support nancially sustainable local food systems Removing barriers to success for family farms and local food processors

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Access Food

Healthy

1. Access to Healthy Food for Ontarians

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We will:

Establish a comprehensive healthy school food program, including purchasing targets for local food, including local sustainable and local organic Invest in community food centres and food security programs, and provide tax credits for farmers and processors who donate to chari es upport uy ocal campaigns and set targets for government ins tu ons

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Access Food

Healthy

We will establish a comprehensive healthy school food program, including purchasing targets for local food.
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Your Green MPPs will:

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Access Food We will invest in community food centres and food security programs, and provide tax credits for farmers and processors who donate to charities

Healthy

Community food centres promote food security and increase access to healthy, local food for Ontarians who need it. Programs oered by the centres include community gardens and kitchens, food banks, farmers markets, community cooking, and educa on programs for sub ects such as sustainable food systems. he common goal is to pro ide par cipants with healthy and nutri ous food, build community, support farmers and create opportuni es.

Poor nutri on can lead to an increased risk of chronic and infec ous diseases, low birth weight, and nega e impacts on the growth and de elopment of children. t costs more to treat and manage these diseases and condi ons than it does to support programs that pro ide the nutri ous food that might pre ent them. or e ample, research by the eart and troke ounda on of Ontario has shown that, independent of other risk fac tors, diets rich in fruit, egetables and whole grains may decrease risk of heart disease by as much as thirty percent. n addi onal bene t of the community food centres and security programs is that they recogni e the importance of support for local farmers and local food systems. he pro ince should pro ide ta incen es for farmers and proces sors to make food dona ons and in est in their local communi es. Your Green MPPs will:

n est $200 million o er four years in community food programs that promote access to healthy food, community gardens, cooking and nutri on classes. d ocate for the e pansion of food sharing programs like the Good ood Bo program to target priority popula ons and neighbourhoods, with a par cular focus on irst a ons and children. Build partnerships with local food retailers to sell subsidi ed bo es. Conduct research and program e alua on on the alue of dollars spent on programs that im pro e food security. ntroduce a Producers ona on a Credit for farmers who make healthy food a ailable through dona ons to food banks, food security and food access organi a ons.

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Access Food

Healthy

We will support Buy Local campaigns and set targets for government institutions.

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Support Su t oo S t

2. Promote Programs to Support Financially Sustainable Local Food Systems

Ontario must invest in the rural infrastructure needed to rebuild self -reliant, local food systems and improve farm incomes. arm incomes are variable and ne a ve for most sectors. ocal food pro rams are a ood start. But without consistent and bankable overnment support these eorts can only o so far. he reen arty is commi ed to workin with farmers, processors and other stakeholders to improve the business model for farmers and local food producers. or e ample, the decline of aba oirs and processin facili es makes it di cult for farmers to produce hi her prot and branded products and for consumers to access local food. f Ontario farmers had access to these facili es, the benets would include more jobs, access to new and dierent markets, and more opportunity for products with local, ar san and specialty brands. lon with promo on, farmers some mes need help e n their products to market. Breakin into the consolidated retail and distribu on systems of bi chain supermarkets is a challen e for many Ontario farmers. e ula ons can o en place an unreasonable burden on family farmers and deprive all of us of the fruits of their labour. he reen arty will level the playin eld to allow farmers to par cipate more fully in our local economy. We will:

Establish an Ontario ood and armin consult diverse stakeholders.

olicy Council to coordinate plannin across ministries and

eward farmers for stewardship prac ces that provide environmental and societal benets. nvest in rural infrastructure, research and innova on, bio-based manufacturin products, distribuon hubs, farmer co-ops, or anic and specialty crops to support farm incomes.

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Support Su t oo S t We will establish an Ontario Food and Farming Policy Council to coordinate planning across ministries and consult diverse stakeholders.
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We will reward farmers for stewardship practices that provide environmental and societal benefits.
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Support Su t oo S t We will invest in rural infrastructure, research and innovation, bio-based manufacturing products, distribution hubs, farmer co-ops, organic and specialty crops to support farm incomes.
Investments in rural infrastructure are needed to rebuild local value chains and foster prosperous and vibrant local food systems. Ontario's farmers also need a government that understands that rural infrastructure goes far beyond roads and bridges. Our rural communi es need investments in modern food processing facili es that can help farmers get their products into local stores and in markets around the world. Rural infrastructure provides consumers with the opportunity to purchase fresh, local foods in Ontario stores and markets. The Green Partys plan starts by working with farmers, processors, and other agricultural workers to develop, access and promote local markets. The Green Party will support farmers to seek out new markets, alterna ve revenue streams and higher value markets such as organic produc on. The Green Party will also support producer owned enterprises and organi a ons that focus on increasing value by encouraging producer coopera on, coordina ng warehousing and supply management, crea ng be er handling and distribu on systems, and developing branded products. Your Green MPPs will:

Introduce a package of tax credits of $760 million over four years to:

oster local marke ng and distribu on systems, such as access to post-harvest handling and storage facili es, distribu on hubs and regional wholesale markets to promote local food and provide farmers with a fair share of the consumer food dollar. Support research into new revenue streams for farmers such as energy from biomass and plant-based manufacturing materials Support organic farm business training, development of organic processing capacity and peer-based internship and training programs to assist new farmers and those conver ng to organic produc on. Support innova ve programs to assist farmers in developing new business models and sources of revenue. Support local branding and educa on pro ects that assist farmers in obtaining higher returns for the products.

Reform and expand organic crop insurance programs to cover producers of all organic commodies. Improve access to the Ontario ood Terminal (O T) for local farmers. More than any other facility in the province, the O T facilitates food transac ons. et, most of the food sold there is not grown in Ontario. ith be er infrastructure in place for local growers and easier access for local farmers, the O T could help Ontario farmers be er access local markets.

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Success s cess s

3. Remove Barriers to Success for Family Farms and Local Food Processors
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Success s cess s

We will end one-size-fits-all regulations for family farms and local food processors; implement smart regulations that recognize differences in the size of operations.
The Green Party recognizes the burdens that the government places on family farms and processors. Many regulaons are designed for large businesses. e believe regula ons need to be revie ed to give small and medium sized businesses and family farms a level playing eld. maller companies need regula ons that ma e sense not a one -size-ts-all approach that buries them in red tape. mart regula ons ensure food safety hile ta ing into account the size and scale of opera ons allo ing local businesses to compete fairly on a level playing eld. As ell e need to rethin ho e address environmental issues in agriculture if e don't ant our local farmers to become an endangered species. The Green Party supports increasing incen ves and reducing prescrip ve regula ons to achieve essen al environmental ob ec ves. The Green Party is commi ed to or ing ith the food and agricultural sector as ell as other levels of government to develop regula ons by-la s and zoning la s appropriate for family farms and farm-based businesses.

Your Green MPPs will:

Promote smart regula ons that support local and ar san food processors by considering the size and scale of opera ons. educe regulated mar et barriers for local ineries and cra bre ers. upport incen ve based programs such as an e panded nvironmental arm Plan and Alterna ve and se ervices (A ) to encourage and re ard environmental ste ardship hile reducing the regulatory burden on farmers.

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Success s cess s

We will eliminate tax penalties and reduce zoning restrictions to facilitate local, on-farm food enterprises and innovative sources of farm income.
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Success s cess s

We will improve income stabilization programs so they are more accessible for family farms, cover a wider range of products and dont penalize farmers who experience bad years.
If we are to maintain food security and keep farmers on the land, Ontario needs income support programs designed to support family farms from all sectors. The Green Party supports a permanent, bankable business risk management program. The Green Party also seeks to work with the farm sector to de elop e ec e programs to manage losses from wildlife. The Green Party will supports e orts to bring the federal go ernment to the table to support a business risk management program. Your Green MPPs will:

Support Business Risk Management Programs that are more accessible for a di erse range of farms and dont penalize farmers who experience bad years. Support a program to assist farmers with succession planning and farm appren ceship programs. Consult the farm community and other stakeholders on a program to reduce losses from wildlife.

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