Celebrate Ontario’s local bounty on Food Day Canada

GUELPH, ON  – With a wide range of foods being grown and raised in Ontario, there’s a big menu to choose from to mark Food Day Canada.

Recognized on the first Saturday of August, Food Day Canada is a grassroots effort to inspire Canadians to shop, cook and dine Canadian. In doing so, they support our farmers, fisheries, butchers, chefs, restaurants and of course, our home cooks.

This year, Food Day Canada falls on Saturday, August 3.

“Put simply, local food tastes better, is good for the environment and supports local economic growth,” says Drew Spoelstra, President of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. “This is the easiest time of year to eat local, with food from Ontario farms available at farmers’ markets, countless road-side farm stands and at grocery stores — if you take your time and read the labels.”

With a robust network of 180 farmers’ markets across the province, Ontarians are in a ripe spot for enjoying local produce. Sweet fruits like peaches, watermelon, cherries, strawberries and plums are currently in season. Staples like green beans, sweet corn, cucumbers and peppers are currently being harvested. Along with root vegetables such as beets, potatoes and radishes. Ontario meats and poultry, farm fresh eggs, dairy products and preserved or frozen products continue to be always in season.

Beyond the patriotism, there are several reasons to make sure local foods become essential items on your grocery list:

• Good For You & Tastes Good — Fresh fruits and vegetables are packed with essential vitamins and minerals like vitamin C, potassium, and folate, which are vital for overall health and bodily functions. Eating locally encourages consumption of seasonal produce, which is usually harvested at its peak ripeness and flavour.
• Good for the Environment — Food miles — Local food typically has a smaller carbon footprint since it requires less transportation and often involves fewer packaging materials.
• Good for the Economy — The agri-food sector drives the Ontario economy, employing more than 750,000 people (that’s more than 10 per cent of the province’s workforce) and generating more than $47 billion in GDP. Every piece of Ontario fruit, every Ontario vegetable, every egg produced, every dairy product processed, and every cut of meat or poultry purchased from an Ontario farm drives economic activity.
• Good for Farms —According to the most recent Census of Agriculture, Ontario is losing an average of 319 acres of productive farmland every day. This is a worrisome decline for what is arguably the province’s most essential natural resource — the arable land with which we feed people. Buying local food bolsters local farms and helps ensure farmland remains for growing fruits and vegetables and raising livestock.

“Connecting Ontarians and Canadians to the food on their plates is something I’ve always been passionate about and Food Day Canada provides that great opportunity,” explained Spoelstra. “We know that fresh, local food carries a different meaning for everyone, so being able to help produce the food that brings people and communities together is what makes farming rewarding.”

Many farmers’ markets are open on Saturday’s where you can meet a farmer, talk to a local chef and pick up ingredients for your evening meal.

The OFA and Farmers’ Markets Ontario are collaborating on an innovative partnership to build consumer awareness about farmers’ markets across Ontario. In this first-ever partnership between the two organizations, the OFA created a $50,000 fund for marketing and awareness projects that promote and support local farmers who are participating at farmers’ markets. Find a farmers’ market near you by visiting farmersmarketsontario.com.