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Annual program links local " shoppers to trttttlt food CHOICES Instead toi going m " gm- L'vry store and buying imported food. Foodlink, an organization dedicated to promoting local food and farm products, is encourag- ing consumers In Buy Local! Buy Fresh! uumu-r Swill] it I summer food products. The 2005 Buy Local! Buy Fresh! Map. produced by Foodlink and Region of Waterloo Public Health is now available. with a variety of products offered by local farmers this summer. Marc Xuereb. a public health planner for the region, explained the title of the organization grew out of its purpose: "We saw a need for an organization out there that linked urban con- sumcrs with rural Produc- ers." Foodlink has undertaken several initiatives to educate people on the value of local food and provide informa- tion to consumers about where to buy local food and agricultural products. These initiatives include holding meetings on local food issues and producing the Buy Local! Buy Fresh! Map with the public health department. Foodlink was founded in 2000 by the public health department and a group of local farmers. The founders hoped the organization would not only provide farmers with a consistent local market for their food. but also enable consumers to purchase healthy, locally- produced food. The map shows the Inter lions of local farms that will sell their products directly to consumers. at through local stores and farmers' markets. The map includes other information on local farm products, such as the [near tion of pick-your-own pro- duce farms. farm events. and a seasonal produce availability guide. Since id beginning five years ago. Fondlink has By (lump: (murmur: For l he _ is here. and Comes fresh r produce and Chronicle grown from 30 to 67 farm- ers, an indication of a grow- ing interest in local food among consumers and a growing interest in selling locally among farmers. Foodlink's executive director. Peter Ketona. sees people beginning to ask questions about their food. about where and how it is grown. He said. "I think there's a growing awareness that food gravels 2.500 km on average because of the glob- alized food system. There's a consumer movement to know more about food and to buy locally." Even though there seems to he a significant consumer movement. Ket- nna is mindful that "Farm- ers are having a tough time economically because a lot of markets drying up. Farm- ers are looking to sell direct ly to consumer as a viable market opportunity. and Fondlink is a way for them tn do this. Every few years. Donna Wagler of Gerber's Meats weighs some sausage for a customer at the Waterloo Farm- ers' Market. Gertrer's Meats is a member of Foodlink, an organization dedicated to promoting local food. g» “a NEW BOUTIQUE in St. Jacobs 0rTiMMlaulBRhTT0Nshut Thagm..httruth4-ttrm immutym'u “but” LIFESTYLE Featuring. . . April Cornell 0 Soul Daisy . GI . Free People five to eight per cent of farms are lost. If we don't support family farms, we're going to lose them." Fondlink bone of several community food systems programs supported by Region of Waterloo Public Xuereh explained the practice of buying locally has wider benefits: "There's a lot of things about local food that have to do with health, like air pollution from food traveling. Also, when you look at health, it's determined by economic and social factors. Economi- cally. the more money that's kept locally. the more money circulates. and the more money there is in community. Socially. buying local food addresses the growing disconnect between urban and rural people. Social networks. like Foodlink, are important to people's health." Health. 7 lioth the region and Foodlink are hoping to have a local label for locally pro- duced food sold at super- markets and other locations. This is part of Foodlink's larger goal of creating a Foodlink brand that con- sumers can recognize and have conrrdence in. “WHICH Foodlink is not cortiined to Waterloo Region. as the organization has helped start other "buy local" orga- nizations in the province. Other countries with simi- lar programs include Huron. Prince Edward arid Perth. From now until October, there are events. festivals, and open houses held at Foodlink farms and detailed on the 2005 map. These Fondlink events build up to the annual Taste Local! Taste Fresh! event held at the Waterlm Restau- rant and Inn in New Ham- burg onOct. 2. The food awareness event. co-presented by the Canadian Organic Growers, VINTAGE SOUL Continued on page 16 life (AHLIN (ARK mu FHO TO home Neighbourhood picnic volunteers are needed this Saturday. - Ring toss. sponge toss, lollipop tree, candy floss. face painting and crafts for children are just a few of the activities that you could assist in from 10:30 am. to 3:30 pan. at George Lppert Park. For more information. call $641820. Ten Thousand Villages has joined a growing num- ber of individuals, celebrities and NGOs in demanding that the government of Canada. and other GB nations, provide more and better aid. fair trade rules and debt cancellation for the world's poorest countries. "Our organization has signed on to the Make Poverty History campaign because we want more action, not words about ending global poverty," says Marvin Frey executive director of Ten Thousand Vil- lages Canada. The Make Poverty History campaign. an effort involving more than 50 countries worldwide. is calling on citizens to pressure their governments to make goat on their commitments. at home and abroad. 'Tén Thousand Villages stores across the country will be selling White Bands, the universal symbol of the Make Poverty History campaign. from now until the end of September 2005. Ten Thousand Villages says it's time they live up to their commitments to end poverty and hunger, to enable every child to attend school. to create decent jobs and to contain the spread of HNIAIDS. In 2005. world leaders will gather in a series of landmark meetings to discuss the social, political and economic conditions that leave nearly one billion people in extreme poverty. . "Governments of the wealthiest countries have the power to change the way the world works and literally save millions of lives. Unless enough people tell them to. however, they might not." says Yasmin Rojas. man- ager of the Waterloo Ten Thousand Villages store. "This is why Make Poverty History is happening: to make world leaders do the right thing." If you would like to get involved, come to Ten Thousand Villages Waterloo to get your White Band and show your support on global White Band Days: Sept. 10and Dec. IO, By wearirig this band. Canadians can show their support and spread the message that theywanl pover- ty to stop, - - - - _ _ .- Today. 1.2 billion people live in abject poverty. more than 300 million people go to bed hungry and 50,000 people die every day from poverty-related causes. It doesn't have to be this way. --_t ___ - ,_ -___ M __ __ -___ W, "Emmy exists because of the choices we make as individuals. as communities and as nations," contin- ues Rojas. "If we choose to act. we can make poverty history." Ten Thousand Villages is a non-profit organization that provides vital. fair income to people in the devel- oping world by marketing their handicrafts and telling their stories in North America, (WEI 38. 000 Canadians have already signed on to the Make Poverty History campaign. Waterloo store says ‘Make Poverty History' Have fun while lending a hand Ilium Bldg. 1440 King St. 666-0019