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Home My WebLink AboutLakeshore Advance, 2011-04-27, Page 25• Promote food securlty and vote with your fork Colleen Ross Lakeshore Advance Food prices in the gro- cery stores are on the increase. Rumours of glo- bal food shortages abound. Fuel prices are skyrocket- ing, as are all products that rely on fossil fuels for man- ufacturing or transporta- tion, including most farm inputs such as diesel fuel, chemicals and fertilizers. Very soon, it may not be an option to find a farmer and buy your food directly from her or him. Meanwhile, the crisis in Japan and the resulting nuclear fallout is destroying the land and livelihood of Japanese farmers. It is a disaster for Japan, and all the world is concerned. Almost daily, there are tsunamis, earth- quakes, tornadoes, floods, droughts, oil spills and other man -trade and natu- ral disasters occurring around the globe, affecting food production and inter- national food trade. Climate change is a reality, with unpredictable and often violent weather patterns wreaking havoc. Gone are the days when a farmer anywhere in Can- ada could be pretty sure that there would be a crop to be harvested, even when that fanner planted several types of crops which pro- vide diversity as a way to cope with uncertain %vt ather conditions. This is no longer the case -- often fanners lose entire harvests due to rain, premature freezing or drought. Canada is food insecure. Over the past 2-3 dec- ades it has become increas- ingly difficult for fanners to withstand bad years. ()ft farm jobs and increasing farm debt has taken its toll on Canadian farmers, hence today farmers make up less than 2% of the pop- ulation. Farmers have indeed become an endan- gered species. Although farms have become bigger, so has the equipment. The costs associated with farm- ing larger acreages can no longer be justified by "economies of scale." There are obvious -- but not so easy solutions: get more people to farm and rebuild the local infrastruc- ture that once existed in rural communities in order to produce our food close to home. Other solutions may include creating more reasonable regulations that would allow small scale processors and abattoirs to function instead of them being subject to regulations designed for huge factories making it virtually imi)ossi- ble for local family -run businesses to survive. Partners that have embraced monoculture production models must begin to relearn how to produce food with fewer chemical inputs, and move towards more biodiverse, ecologically sound pr(xluc- tion practices. Consumers may want to leggin to exam- ine their own food choices -- shopping more inten- tionally by choosing (frown in Canada, shopping at Gardeners and Farmers: Remember Tetanus Shot! MAI Agency Shirley Chalmers is a gardener. But the Huron County resident is also a senior public health nurse at the Huron County Health Unit and she wants to remind other gardeners to make sure their tetanus booster is up to date. "Spring is finally here and we're all anxious to spend more time out- doors. Gardeners and farmers in particular are more likely to be exposed to tetanus. The bacteria that causes tetanus lives in soil, dirt and dust, and can enter the body through a cut or puncture CONTINUED > PAGE 26 1 1 O OFF Our Wedding Packages for Friday and Sunday Weddings. lei ANNUAL WEDDING & EVENT FAIR Saturday, April 30th, 12 - 4 pm Sunday, May lst, 12 - 4 pm Tour our Inn, Gardens, Historic Coach House & Garden Room Reception Halls & Coach House Suites NEWLY RENOVATED GARDEN ROOM BAR AND COACH HOUSE UPDATES Everyone is invited to attend and admission is FREE Consider Hessenland for your next Event! 519-236-7707.866-543-7736 between Grand Bend & Bayfield on Hwy. 021 www.hessenland.com - Email: hessen O hessenland.com farmers markets, or buying directly from the fann, joining a Community Supported Agriculture program. These are just some of the easy steps folks can take to support local agriculture. On April 18th, 2011 Resetting the Thble: A People's Food Policy for Canada was released. The recommendations were developed with the participation of over 3500 Canadians, and are aimed at rebuild- ing our broken food and farming system in Canada while preparing us for an uncertain economic, climatic and politi- cal future. Food -related health issues, protection of agriculture land from urban and industrial development and prevent- ing farmland ownership by overseas investors would tw just some of the issues that would be addressed by adopting this policy direction. 'the report was endorsed by the National Fanners I Inion of Canada, with many of our own members contrib- uting policy ideas based on their own Canadian Cancer Society Societe cenadienne du cancer LET'S MAKE CANCER HISTORY For information about cancer, services or to make a donation i•888.939.3333 • www.cancer.ca 1 ..,�rJ fir, ,1�;,,'► v•ih.V1/.1•011). . . • ....nr . . . Wednesday, April 27, 2011 • Lakeshore Advance 25 experience and knowledge. The 32 -page paper is a great start to begin to prepare the first real food policy in Canada that would ensure that all peo- ple are cared for, including our farmers. Currently most fed- eral and provincial agriculture policy supports more glo- balized trade and the prolifera- tion of technologies such as genetically modified organ- isms. Yet, across Canada many progressive farmers and con- sumers are already are trans- forming our food system. But, we need policy to support our efforts, rather than undermine them. As you go to the polls, vote with your fork. Examine each party platform and make sure that your candidate of choice has a plan in place to restore and protect our food system in Canada. Colleen Ross is the National Farmers Union Vice -President of policy The People's Food Policy can be found at http://www.peo- plesfoodpolicyca/ GRADUATION ATTENTION READERS 'Bike advantage of our pricing for Includes: Birthdays, Anniversarks Weddings, Engagements, Graduations etc. Matthew Lovie Son of Catherine and the late Jim Lovie recently graduated from Conetoga College receiving his Mechanical Engineering - Robotics and Automation Co-op diploma He has accepted a positiot with Bruce power as a procurement Engineer in Tiverton, Ontario, Congratulations Matt! We are so proud of you! Love Mom, Mike and Emily. Actual Size: Pre -Payment is Required Just bring in your photo & write-up and we'll do the rest. Other Sizes & Prices available upon request. 0411 114 Pk Vi 58 Ontario St., N. Grand Bend (519) 238-5383