Consuming Urban Poverty: Food systems planning and governance in Africa’s secondary cities

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Postdoc Fellowship at CUP

The successful candidate will be based at the African Centre for Cities at the University of Cape Town. The postdoctoral research fellow will assist with analysis and publication of survey results on urban food insecurity from the three case study cities. The ideal candidate will have expertise in urban studies debates as they relate to inequality and poverty in Africa as well as an understanding of the literature and debates on urban food insecurity in the global South. The postdoctoral fellow will work under the supervision of Dr Jane Battersby and Professor Vanessa Watson. Read more…

Fortnightly Feast

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Grow Local! Grow Strong! The 7th Annual Assembly of the LOFC Network

The Assembly is an event in which emerging and established co-operatives explore possibilities for collaboration and affirm aligned visions for sustainability, stewardship and co-operation. Celebration of various co-operative successes, active working sessions and network planning are included in the agenda. Read more…
February 23 – February 24, 2016
Loyola House, Ignatius Centre, Guelph, Ontario

preceded by

Fair Financing for Local Food and Farms

The various workshops and plenaries will explore innovative and adaptable forms of finance.  Conversations with lenders and funders will explore various financing sources and how to build meaningful dialogue.  The day will also begin to build the case for sector bench-marking and creating the narrative necessary to prove the economic impact of food systems across Ontario. Read more…
February 22, 2016 – 9am – 4pm
Loyola House, Ignatius Centre, Guelph, Ontario

What You Get When You Mix Chickens, China and Climate Change

Every few months, it seems, an invasive virus from a distant land attacks the Americas: dengue, chikungunya and, most recently, Zika. But the pathogens that frighten me most are novel strains of avian influenza. Novel avian influenza viruses are mongrels, born when the influenza viruses that live harmlessly inside the bodies of wild ducks, geese and other waterfowl mix with those of domesticated animals like the ones at Jiangfeng, especially poultry but also pigs. Read more…

The Eden Alternative

…He decided to transform the nursing home. Based on a hunch, he persuaded his staff to stock the facility with two dogs, four cats, several hens and rabbits, and 100 parakeets, along with hundreds of plants, a vegetable and flower garden, and a day-care site for staffers’ kids. Read more…

George Brown launches fund for nutrition research

Toronto’s George Brown College is launching a new initiative that aims to engage municipalities, universities, schools, health agencies and hospitals in helping to improve the diet, physical health and wellness of people in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Called the Helderleigh Nutrition Application Fund, the new fund will make a total of $400,000 available over a four-year period for nutrition and health-related applied research projects conducted in partnership with the college’s Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts and its food innovation and research studio, FIRSt. Read more…

Ontario Craft Brewery Ramps Up Production

After learning a little more about the program, Wellington Brewery decided to work with a business advisor – who had successfully worked with other breweries to access funding – to help them through the Growing Forward 2 application process. Read more…

From Soil to Table: Eco Farm Day 2016

Workshop topics include soil biology, what to do with soil test analysis, holistic management in practice, organic seed potato production, mob grazing, Hops and brewers, direct marketing grains, and more. Read more…
Saturday February 20, 8 am – 5 pm
Ramada Inn Cornwall, 805 Brookdale Ave, Cornwall, Ontario

Land Access Testimonials: Farm Viability Webinar Mini-Series

Looking for creative ways to get farming? Is land the last big piece? Explore different models of land access and ask all your questions as four successful farmers from across Canada recount their “land testimonials”. These sessions will be useful for farmers seeking land, farmland owners seeking farmers, and those interested in new farmer and land use policy. Cost: $25 per session or $80 for the series of 4. Series registration deadline is Monday February 15th. You can register for individual webinars up to 48 hours in advance.  Read more or register…

Growing Hops in Eastern Ontario

With an explosion in craft breweries in Ontario, as well as strong demand for locally sourced ingredients, now is a perfect time to consider the option of growing hops for commercial sale. Read more…
March 21, 9:30 am to 3:30 pm
Two Rivers Food Hub, 361 Queen St, Unit 5000, Smiths Falls, ON

Selling Food to Ontario

Create new opportunities for your farm or food processing business by learning how to expand into new markets such as grocery stores, restaurants, food hubs, schools, universities and other public institutions. Read more…

Trojan Horse Aid: Seeds of Resistance and Resilience in Bolivia

A first-hand account of development assistance gone awry. An important critique of development practices that undermine peasant strategies as well as suggestions for more effective approaches for the future. Read more…
February 25th, 2016, 7-9 pm
Wilson Lounge, 40 Willcocks Street, Toronto

Growing Food for Health

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Exploring the therapeutic benefits of food gardens at Hôpital Glengarry Memorial Hospital, in Alexandria, Ontario

As a leading innovator in the delivery of hospital rehab services, Hôpital Glengarry Memorial Hospital (HGMH) is home to an expansive therapeutic garden, established as an extension of the Stroke Rehabilitation department. The garden has been expanding slowly since 2011, and this past year—in collaboration with Project SOIL—the growing area almost doubled in size. In 2015, the garden team produced over fifty varieties of fruits, vegetables, herbs and edible flowers, using SPIn techniques, organic practices.

While they are consistently imagining ways to expand production and in-house use of fresh food, the team at HGMH is also looking to future projects — including working with researchers at Carleton University to develop tools to assess the preventative and therapeutic benefits of edible gardens.

You can find the full case study here!

Organic agriculture key to feeding the world sustainably

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Study analyzes 40 years of science against 4 areas of sustainability

Researchers have concluded that feeding a growing global population with sustainability goals in mind is possible. Their review of hundreds of published studies provides evidence that organic farming can produce sufficient yields, be profitable for farmers, protect and improve the environment and be safer for farm workers.
Washington State University, Feb 3, 2016
Read more…

National food strategy: Are we there yet? (Waterloo Region Record)

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With a new federal government and new Agriculture Minister (Lawrence MacAulay) in Ottawa, many people are deliberating on the notion of a national food strategy for Canada. In recent years, many Canadian political parties, think tanks, and trade associations have recommended Canada’s need for such a strategy. In fact, most of us by now have lost count of how many strategies have been proposed. Nonetheless, many in the industry question whether Ottawa will set priorities to develop a national food strategy. Read more……

LOFC is Hiring! Executive Director Search

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This position manages and coordinates the activities of the Local Organic Food Co-ops Network. This position is responsible for fund-raising and financial management of the Network, monitoring expenditures and meeting the budget requirements as agreed to by the Steering Committee. The person is responsible for regular reports to the host Ontario Natural Food Co-op’s General Manager that can be forwarded to or summarized for the ONFC Board. Read more…

Workshop: Growing Hops in Eastern Ontario

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With an explosion in craft breweries in Ontario, as well as strong demand for locally sourced ingredients, now is a perfect time to consider the option of growing hops for commercial sale. In this workshop, you will learn from provincial researchers and experienced growers and brewers about:

  • Market demand for hops: who is buying, and what do they want?
  • Growing hops: start-up costs, sourcing materials, soil management, weed and pest control, harvesting, etc.
  • Processing hops: do you need to process? What are your options?

Lunch will be provided by Bruce Wood, Chef at Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company.

When: March 21, 9:30 am to 3:30 pm

Where: Two Rivers Food Hub, 361 Queen St, Unit 5000, Smiths Falls, ON

Cost: $30

To Register:  http://eastontlocalfood.ca/growing-hops-in-eastern-ontario/ or contact Katie Nolan at 613 258-8371

SPACES ARE LIMITED!

This event is organized by the Two Rivers Food Hub, Just Food and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

Food Policy Article Series: Exploring Stories of Local Government Food Systems Planning and Policy Innovation

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On behalf of the Growing Food Connections team, we are excited to announce the addition of 5 free publications to the Exploring Stories of Innovation series, a series of short articles that explore how local governments from across the United States are strengthening their community’s food system through planning and policy. These include:

  1. City of Burlington and Chittenden County, Vermont
  2. City of Cleveland, Ohio
  3. City of Minneapolis, Minnesota
  4. City of Lawrence and Douglas County, Kansas
  5. City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Beginning in 2012, Growing Food Connections (GFC) conducted a national scan and identified 299 local governments across the United States that are developing and implementing a range of innovative plans, public programs, regulations, laws, financial investments and other policies to strengthen the food system. GFC conducted exploratory telephone interviews with 20 of these local governments. This series highlights some of the unique planning and policy strategies used by some of these urban and rural local governments to enhance community food security while ensuring sustainable and economically viable agriculture and food production. The first four articles in the series featured:

  1. City of Seattle, Washington
  2. Baltimore City, Maryland
  3. Cabarrus County, North Carolina
  4. Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

For more information…..

Grow Local! Grow Strong!

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The Local Organic Food Co-operatives Network hosts an annual Assembly bringing togethe farm and food co-ops from across the province. The Assembly is an event in which emerging and established co-operatives explore possibilities for collaboration and affirm aligned visions for sustainability, stewardship and co-operation. The 7th Annual Assembly of the LOFC Network promises to be a great event. Two Full days of peer-to-peer workshops and facilitated open space sessions, nourished by healthy and delicious meals in a cozy retreat setting.

February 23-24, 2016 at Ignatius Jesuit Centre, Guelph, Ontario

Read more on the LOFCN website

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Partnership Event – February 22, 2016 at Loyola House
Ignatius Centre, Guelph, Ontario

“Fair Financing for Local Food and Farms” is a full day session and a partnership event with the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario and the Local Organic Food Co-ops Network. The various workshops and plenaries will explore innovative and adaptable forms of finance. Conversations with lenders and funders will explore various financing sources and how to build meaningful dialogue.

 

Special Forum: The rise of flex crops and commodities: implications for research (Journal of Peasant Studies)

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As a concept and phenomenon, ‘flex crops and commodities’ feature ‘multiple-ness’ and ‘flexible-ness’ as two distinct but intertwined dimensions. These key crops and commodities are shaped by the changing global context that is itself remoulded by the convergence of multiple crises and various responses. The greater multiple-ness of crops and commodity uses has altered the patterns of their production, circulation and consumption, as novel dimensions of their political economy. These new patterns change the power relations between landholders, agricultural labourers, crop exporters, processors and traders; in particular, they intensify market competition among producers and incentivize changes in land-tenure arrangements. Crop and commodity flexing have three main types – namely, real flexing, anticipated/speculative flexing and imagined flexing; these have many intersections and interactions. Their political-economic dynamics involve numerous factors that variously incentivize, facilitate or hinder the ‘multiple-ness’ and/or ‘flexible-ness’ of particular crops and commodities. These dynamics include ‘flex narratives’ by corporate and state institutions to justify promotion of a flex agenda through support policies. In particular, a bioeconomy narrative envisages a future ‘value web’ developing more flexible value chains through more interdependent, interchangeable products and uses. A future research agenda should investigate questions about material bases, real-life changes, flex narratives and political mobilization.

For more information…..