[WRFoodNews] June 10, 2009 Waterloo Region Food System update

[xmarc at region.waterloo.on.ca]

Please find below the latest update on Waterloo Region's food system as
described on the website of the Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable at
www.wrfoodsystem.ca.

1. Over 60 Member Profiles on Roundtable website - and counting!
More people are adding their profiles to www.wrfoodsystem.ca - the website
hosted by the Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable for the discussion of
food issues in Waterloo Region.  The Member Profiles section is intended to
be a place to find others interested in similar issues or projects related
to Waterloo Region's food system.  It is searchable by name, city, and
interest area.  If you're not up there, perhaps it's time to add a profile
of yourself!  And if you have a profile but don't have a picture of
yourself there, please post a picture!  I think we'll all agree that a
photo looks better than the black and white silhouette currently up there.
If you encounter technical difficulties, please contact Marc Xuereb for
assistance.

2. New Staff at K-W Muliticultural Centre examining Access to
Culturally-Appropriate Food
Kathryn Lennon is working this summer for the K-W Multicultural Centre on
finding ways to improve access to foods to which our various multicultural
communities are accustomed.  She is working with the emergency food sector
to increase the presence of multicultural foods in food hampers, and is
exploring ways in which new Canadians can get into farming.  See her member
profile at http://www.wrfoodsystem.ca/index.php?p=view_profile&member_id=90
and two of her recent Discussion Forum posts at
http://www.wrfoodsystem.ca/index.php?p=forum/view_forum&forum_id=10001 .

3. New Canadian Organic Standard coming into law June 30
The Canadian government's new organic label comes into use at the end of
this month.  The new voluntary label will apply to products containing at
least 95% organic content.  See links to more details in the Discussion
Forum at
http://www.wrfoodsystem.ca/index.php?p=forum/view_thread&thread_id=10246&post_id=10260
 .

4. Campaign to Save Canada's Prison Farms heats up
The National Farmers Union is asking citizens to support a campaign to stop
the closure of Canada's six prison farms and revitalize them as centres for
training in in sustainable agriculture.  Many food organizations have
signed on to their position statement, including the Toronto Food Policy
Council and Food Secure Canada.  For more details, see
http://www.wrfoodsystem.ca/index.php?p=forum/view_thread&thread_id=10250 .

5. Waterloo Region to host Sustainable Food Conference in March 2010
Waterloo Region has been selected as the location to host a conference on
Ontario Food and Agriculture in March, 2010. Organizations involved in
planning this conference include the Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition,
Sustain Ontario, the London Community Resource Centre, FarmStart, FoodShare
Toronto, GTA Agricultural Action Committee, FoodNet Ontario and Region of
Waterloo Public Health.  For more info see
http://www.wrfoodsystem.ca/index.php?p=forum/view_thread&thread_id=10263

6. Upcoming Food Events
Full details on upcoming food-related events in Waterloo Region can be
viewed under "Upcoming Events" on the Roundtable's website (
http://www.wrfoodsystem.ca/index.php?p=9 ).  To share news of your event,
email details to xmarc at region.waterloo.on.ca, and I will post it to the
website.  Some upcoming highlights include:

100-Mile Challenge Information Event - June 15, 7pm at the Clay & Glass
Gallery

Marc Xuereb
staff support to the Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable
c/o 99 Regina St S, 3rd Floor
Waterloo, ON N2J 4V3
tel: 519.883.2004 x.5872
email: xmarc at region.waterloo.on.ca