Working Together to Plan for the Future

Old Orchard Inn, Sunday, 17 Jan, 10 am - 3 pm
Bill Carr, Keynote Speakers, Food Summit Co-chairs, Citizens and Leaders from Government and Organizations will gather to start "Putting the Pieces Together". Everyone is invited - come and contribute your ideas! There will be a charge for lunch, but other costs will be covered by the Food Summit fund.

The phrase heard most frequently from the 250 people who attended the Nova Scotia Food Summit in October - students from many faculties, farmers, educators, fishers, economists, food processors, chefs, concerned citizens, people engaged in healthcare and health promotion, food security, environment, tourism, media, retail - was "working together".

We buy less than 20% of our food from local sources, therefore local farmers and the Department of Agriculture are not primarily responsible for our food and food security. All stakeholders, leaders, and citizens must assume responsibility for food, because it affects our health, economy, environment and every other aspect of our lives.

By the end of the Summit there was a clear understanding that we can address many of our problems if we get food right. For this reason Summit participants advocate the formation of a broad-based, multi-stakeholder, consensus-building Food Policy Council that will inform participants about the issues, raise public awareness of solutions, and advocate for food policies that are appropriate for all Nova Scotians.

The Summit Co-chairs were asked to facilitate the development of a Food Policy Council. This is the next step in that process.

The Nova Scotia Food Security Network is a network of individuals and organizations that have expressed interest in working to build food security in Nova Scotia. We define food security as a situation that exists when "all people, at all time, have access to sufficient, nutritious, safe, personally acceptable and culturally appropriate foods that are produced, procured and distributed in ways that are environmentally sound, socially just and sustainable".

The network strives to increase the proportion of Nova Scotians who have access to nutritious foods, and to increase the availability of safe, locally produced, nutritious foods and to support sustainable food systems in the province.

Below is the NS Food Security Network Newsletter for 1 Oct 09.

The Tri County Local Food Network is a grass roots group formed to facilitate collaborative activities that advance food security issues in the Digby, Yarmouth and Shelburne regions of Nova Scotia.

Such activities include community gardens, education initiatives, and farmers' markets in Belliveau Cove, Sable River, Shelburne, Yarmouth and Digby.

The Nova Scotia Food Security Network is a network of individuals and organizations that have expressed interest in working to build food security in Nova Scotia. We define food security as a situation that exists when "all people, at all time, have access to sufficient, nutritious, safe, personally acceptable and culturally appropriate foods that are produced, procured and distributed in ways that are environmentally sound, socially just and sustainable".

The network strives to increase the proportion of Nova Scotians who have access to nutritious foods, and to increase the availability of safe, locally produced, nutritious foods and to support sustainable food systems in the province.

Below is the NS Food Security Network Newsletter for 1 Oct 09.