WRFoodNews June 22, 2011

Please find the latest Waterloo Region Food News below.  WRFoodNews archives can be viewed at http://www.wrfoodsystem.ca/wrfoodnews, and you receive timelier updates by subscribing to the Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable’s blog at http://www.wrfoodsystem.ca/index.php?p=blog.RSS.

1. Stronger Food Policies Needed
Foodie guru Wayne Roberts laments governments' reluctance to pass strong food laws and their reliance on appeals to individuals to change their eating behaviours. Don't governments have a responsibility to do more than merely ask people to consider eating less red meat? For full story, see Roundtable blog.

2. Designing Supermarkets to Combat Obesity
Every inch of your supermarket has been carefully designed to entice you to buy more. What if they were designed to encourage sales of healthy foods? For full story, see Roundtable blog.

3. Could German Sprouts Scare Happen in Ontario?
Local food activist John McVicar wrote recently to Loblaws asking for reassurance that Ontario-grown sprouts could not have caused the type of e-coli outbreak recently experienced in Germany. Read the response he received on the Roundtable’s Discussion Forum.

4. Proposed Food Policies for Ontario
In anticipation of the October 6 provincial election, Sustain Ontario has compiled a list of food policies it would like the Ontario government to consider adopting. For full story and debate, see Roundtable blog.

5. Oxfam Calls for Food System Change
Rapidly rising food prices and the effects of climate change are pushing more of the world’s poor into hunger, according to Oxfam, which is calling for a dramatic turnaround in the way we produce and share food.  For full story, see Roundtable blog.

6. CTV’s Provincewide covers Patchwork Gardens
Two Patchwork Community Garden sites aim to tap into the Waterloo Region's multicultural diversity. To view the 7-minute video, look for part 1 of the June 5 edition of Provincewide at http://swo.ctv.ca/provincewide/.

7. Propose Workshops for 2011 Bring Food Home Conference
Bring Food Home is Ontario's bi-annual conference connecting food and farming leaders working towards a sustainable food system. The 2011 conference, themed "Preparing the Ground for a Sustainable Food System" is taking place at Trent University in Peterborough October 27th, 28th and 29th. All of those interested in using this conference as a venue to share innovative models, train others, or organize for action, should submit a presentation proposal by completing the online form at http://www.bringfoodhome.com/ by Sunday July 10th.

8. Work Opportunities in Food
There are a few new jobs – paid and volunteer – in the local Foodie sector, including some farm apprenticeships and a volunteer farmers’ market price tracker. See http://www.wrfoodsystem.ca/jobs/.

9. Kitchener Market adopts “Verified Local” labeling system
The Kitchener Farmers Market is adopting the Farmers Markets Ontario VERIFIED Farmers' Market Vendor system. Under this process, truly local producers selling only their own products can become "Verified Local" vendors & be identified as such so it is clearer to customers what they are buying. For details, and to view and contribute to discussion, see http://fertilegroundcsa.blogspot.com/2011/04/real-farmers-real-local.html.

10. Small Abattoir Owners Speak Out
Several small meat processors and abattoir owners spoke about the difficulties they are experiencing with the enforcement of food safety regulations at an event in Chesley on June 6. Wellesley Holistic Nutritionist Margo McIntosh attended and wrote about the issues, and what needs to be done to preserve the possibility of local meat processing, in her blog. Find out how you can join Margo in her local advocacy on this issue on the Roundtable Foodie project page. 

11. Upcoming Food Events
You can now post your own Foodie events on our website!  Go to our new and improved Events page on the Roundtable's website to view details on these and other upcoming events, or to post your own.

Forks Over Knives – June 17-23, Princess Cinema, Waterloo
Mega Quarry presentation – June 22, 7:30pm, Guelph
Preston Market Seniors’ Appreciation Day – June 23, 10-6pm, Cambridge
Guelph Wellington Local Food Fest – Sunday, June 26, Ignatius Farm, Guelph
Eating at the Casino – Tuesday, June 28, KPL Forest Heights Branch, Kitchener

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