Farmers can connect directly with food service and retail operations to get more farm-fresh food on Albertans’ tables through an enhanced online tool.
Agriculture and Forestry provided $81,000 to the Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Association (AFFPA) through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership to enhance its online producer directory.
The grant allowed AFFPA to expand its directory to include more producer profiles and build awareness of the high-quality farm-fresh food Alberta is known for. The site will now give retailers, wholesalers, restaurants and the food service industry more opportunities to connect with farms.
With the recent increase in demand for local food, the province’s restaurants and stores have looked for new ways to bring more locally grown and produced food to Albertans.
Site enhancements include:
- Additional and more detailed product categories.
- Identification of additional certifications and licensing.
- More marketing channels for producers to include food service and retail.
- Improved search and mapping capabilities.
The AFFPA will also be offering complimentary memberships for farmers and ranchers for 2020 and 2021.
“Alberta’s farmers grow the best food in the world. We’re proud to work with the AFFPA to help get our high-quality, locally sourced food into more kitchens across Alberta.” Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry
“AFFPA is excited to partner with the provincial and federal governments to further promote Alberta local food. With increased connections between Alberta producers, processors, retail and food service, more Albertans will be able to enjoy the great locally produced and processed food.” Willard de Wilde, president, Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Association
“This initiative will help solidify the connections between the agriculture producers who want to direct market and their potential customers. It will also heighten the image of this segment of the industry, highlighting what products are available from Alberta producers.” Rod Bradshaw, Beck Farms
Source : alberta.ca