Tag Archives: Regional Food Hubs

Because it matters! The Food Hub Value Chain Survey

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Food Hub Value Chain Survey…from Mike Nagy, Survey Project Manager, Nourishing Communities, Laurier Centre for Sustainable Food Systems

Thank you to those who responded to our previous request.

We very much hope that those who have started the survey can complete it now and those who still have not had a chance to fil it out can do so as we are closing the survey on February 17th.

Receiving data for the 2015 business year and growing season would be of tremendous benefit to our study while assisting funders and policy makers to better understand the challenges that you face.   We have kept the survey open in hopes to receive much needed additional input.

Follow this link to the Survey:
Take the Survey

Or copy and paste the URL below into your internet browser: https://uoguelph.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe3/form/SV_5cmyMK6xn6wpBFH?Q_DL=6YEfstRzT4gNIYl_5cmyMK6xn6wpBFH_MLRP_6xjfdEkdAVt0qQl&Q

We have also included a link that will provide you a comprehensive summary of the 2014 survey results with easy to read Info-graphics.  We hope that you find the results helpful. Please spread widely!

https://fledgeresearch.ca/resources-results/food-hubs-in-ontario/

Thank you for your participation, your input is highly valued.

Help us to identify the food value chains in your region!

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The Nourishing Communities research group is conducting the second annual OMAFRA-funded survey to identify existing and potential regional food hub demand in Ontario. If you are a farmer, processor, distributor, retailer, restaurant, or institution that engages with the regionally-produced food value chain—or would like to—we need your input, so we can provide the most up-to-date summary of food hub activity in Ontario for 2015, and identify future demand.

The goal is to enable you to get more local and/or sustainable food into the hands of consumers, and develop a more accurate snapshot of your local food system. The survey results will help regional food value chain members explain their needs when applying for loans and/or grants, and help funders understand more about community and business needs, where funding or resource gaps exist, and how to effectively support operations such as yours.

We need everyone to complete this second survey so we can tell the story of how this sector is growing. Please complete this survey within the next three weeks, if at all possible!

Thanks to everyone who participated in the first survey of food hubs in 2014 – we are happy to share results. Please contact Project Manager, Mike Nagy at nagym@uoguelph.ca or at 519-829-6249.

We also conducted 25 case studies and network analyses that describe innovative value chains, food hubs and network projects as good practice examples of food hub initiatives: http://nourishingontario.ca/ontario-food-hub-case-studies-2015/

Click here for more detail or to take the survey…

The Food Hub Future

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The Future of Local Food for the Region

March 25, 2015

Day long “Scaling Up Wholesale” workshop organized by Eat Local Sudbury Co-op. Cap the day off with PRESENTING THE DESIGN: A REGIONAL FOOD HUB

The time has come to present the design for the NEW Regional Food Hub to be built by Eat Local Sudbury Co-op. Learn more about our region’s unique Food Hub model that incorporates local food aggregation and food education for consumers, producers and wholesale purchaser.

Presentation is FREE to attend.

____________________________________________

LOCAL FOOD MINGLE AND MASH

When: Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Where: The Motley Kitchen, 70 Younge Street, Sudbury, ON
Time: 5PM-7PM
Cost: $15.00, tickets can be purchased at Eat Local Sudbury (176 Larch St., Sudbury, ON).

Before the ‘Regional Food Hub Presentation’ join us at The Motley Kitchen for some local food and beverages. We want to meet and chat about how the community can participate in the future of local food for the region. After your dinner stay for the presentation of the NEW Regional Food Hub. See you soon!

*Free for ‘Scaling Up Wholesale Workshop’ attendees*

Last Chance to have your say!

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Food Hub Survey Closing March 31

Thank you to all of you who have already participated in this important survey.  If you haven’t completed your survey (it is possible your link has expired) or wish to begin again please see the link below.  We are very eager to hear from as many people as possible.  This will be our last communication, the food hub survey will close at the end of the month!

For further details on the survey

For technical issues or questions about filling out the survey please reply to Mike Nagy nagym@uoguelph.ca or call 519-829-6249. For questions about this project, please contact Dr. Alison Blay-Palmer: ablaypalmer@wlu.ca.   Thank you!

Follow this link to the Survey:
New Directions Food Hub Survey

Or copy and paste the URL below into your internet browser:
https://uoguelph.eu.qualtrics.com/WRQualtricsSurveyEngine/?Q_SS=cMUN7oQpROmHztX_bP1JYQMeBNU8iDH&_=1

Fortnightly Feast

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Better Farming story on the Regional Food Hub Survey

Food Survey News

Our Regional Food Hub Survey features in the latest (May 10, 2015) online Better Farming breaking news. Read the full story here…

YMCA Cedar Glen Hiring Farm Manager

YMCA Cedar Glen Outdoor Centre is a year round operation, open 7 days a week, which delivers outdoor education programs to school groups, youth and adult retreats, a day camp and an overnight camp focused on leadership development during the summer months. The centre also operates a fruit and vegetable farm and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) system.

Reporting to the Facility Manager, the Farm Team Leader is responsible for planning and carrying out the day to day operations of the fruit and vegetable farm and the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) system with the key objective to maximize productivity while utilizing organic farming practices. The position aids in delivering the highest quality farm education programs to outdoor education and summer camp participants that align with the overall mission, vision and values of the YMCA. Read more…

Now THAT’s a Greenhouse!

The Inuvik Community Greenhouse, home of the Community Garden Society of Inuvik, is the most northerly greenhouse in North America and the only Community Greenhouse of its kind in the world!

The Inuvik Community Greenhouse is located at the corner of Gwich’in Road and Breynat Street, behind the Igloo Church, and is open from May until October. Read more…

Now THAT’s a Rooftop Garden! (YouTube video)

From The Times of India:

10,000-sq-metre roof top farm makes waves in China

BEIJING: This 10,000-square-metre farm in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality may look ordinary at first glance. But this is an exceptional farm situated on top of a sprawling factory that manufactures doors. It is big enough that a tractor is needed to help with farming. The factory’s staff grow crops there, as well as raise poultry and livestock.

Factory official Lu Xiaoqing explained the company’s rationale for setting it up. “It would be a waste if we left the big rooftop unused. That’s why we created a farming project that involves our staff…”. Read more…

1ère journée des innovations pour une alimentation durable (JIPAD 2015)

Jeudi 02 avril 2015 (10h00-16h30)
à Agropolis International
(Amphithéatre Louis Malassis)
1000, Av. Agropolis – Montpellier

Avec les étudiants ingénieurs de spécialisation “Innovations dans les systèmes agricoles et agro-alimentaires du monde” (ISAM) et de mastère spécialisé “Innovations et politiques pour une alimentation durable” (IPAD) – Montpellier SupAgro/CIRAD. Lire la suite…

OMAFRA-sponsored Ontario Regional Food Hub Survey

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For Ontario’s local and regional food producers, processors, distributors, and food service procurers: This is your chance to make your needs clear!

OMAFRA-sponsored Ontario Regional Food Hub Survey

This survey will help us to report on the current capacity of food hubs in Ontario, and recommend improvements for farmers, processors, distributors, retailers and restaurants. The ultimate goal is to help funding agencies to understand community and business needs, where funding/resource gaps exist, and how to effectively support operations such as yours. We very much appreciate the time you will take filling out the survey and hope that we can receive your input by Family Day February 17.

For technical issues or questions about filling out the survey please reply to Mike Nagy nagym@uoguelph.ca. For questions about this project, please contact Dr. Alison Blay-Palmer: ablaypalmer@wlu.ca.   Thank you!

Follow this link to the Survey:
New Directions Food Hub Survey

Or copy and paste the URL below into your internet browser:
https://uoguelph.eu.qualtrics.com/WRQualtricsSurveyEngine/?Q_SS=e2Omc92FS1HeXlz_bP1JYQMeBNU8iDH&_=1

 

Fortnightly Feast – vol. 14

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EVENTS

Conference provides forum for innovative cross-sectoral approaches to food system issues facing Ontario

Sustain Ontario and its presenting partners are proud to announce the launch of registration for the 2013 Bring Food Home Conference. Taking place in Windsor, Ontario on November 17-18-19, Bring Food Home is Ontario’s sustainable food system conference. With dozens of workshops and presentations by producers, educators, chefs, poverty advocates, First Nations’ leaders, and more, the three-day conference offers a forum to share experiences and expertise in assisting and directing the development of a better food system for the province.  Read more…

Planning for Food-Friendly Municipalities

The Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable is calling on Foodies in Waterloo Region to join in the work of advocating for more food-friendly municipalities in Waterloo Region. The first organizing meeting will be held Wednesday, October 2nd. It will focus on a new report by Krista Long which outlines ways to create more supportive environments for community gardens and temporary farmers’ markets in Waterloo Region.  Read More…

 

IN THE NEWS

Group exploring food hub for Grey County

Grey County farmers may soon have a hub where they can drop off their product to be distributed to markets across Southern Ontario. The Grey County Chefs’ Forum is currently working on creating a food hub in southern Grey County that would link the wares of local farmers with buyers in both the Grey-Bruce region as well as those in the GTA and beyond. Sun Times, Owen Sound.
Read more…

The 2013 National Food Hub Survey, conducted by MSU’s Center for Regional Food Systems and the Wallace Center at Winrock International, show that hubs throughout the United States continue to develop as financially viable businesses providing locally produced food to restaurants, schools, grocery stores and other wholesale customers. Food hubs may also provide much needed size-appropriate infrastructure and marketing opportunities for local food produced by small and midsized farms and ranches.
Read more…

Further Releases from the Holland Marsh

“The autumn wind is a pirate. Blustering in from sea with rollicking song, he sweeps along swaggering boisterously. His face is weather beaten, he wears a hooded sash with a silver hat about his head . . . the autumn wind is a raider, pillaging just for fun.”
A reminder, if you will, that all good things come to an end – as will this video series, which has only one more week after this. We sincerely hope that you have enjoyed this educational series about life in Ontario’s crown jewel – the Holland Marsh.

Video clips – for this week:
Confronting Climate Change       +        Bonus Clip

Projet de loi pour les aliments locaux / Bill to Promote Local Food

On June 17, I introduced Bill C-539 in an effort to promote local foods.  The goal is to come up with a Canada-wide-buy-local strategy and to develop a local procurement policy for all federal institutions. This will help support Canadian farmers, create jobs and reduce transportation-related pollution. Read more…