(A Brief Foreword from Niagara At Large publisher Doug Draper – On the surface, the following public release from Ontario’s Wynne government sounds hopeful for what are left of our family farmers – many of them struggling to survive against the corporate factory food producers – here in Niagara and the rest of the province.
Let’s hope that it brings us foreword with as much support as I have witnessed for local food growers across the border in the Buffalo/Western New York area where well-customered food sellers like the Lexington Co-op on Buffalo’s Elmwood Avenue and the grocery chain Wegmans run the whole field to promote and sell food grown by local farmers.
There are a few goood advocates for family farmers in Niagara, Ontario like Welland Riding (federal) MP Malcolm Allen but much more needs to be done. We need governments that care more about saving our ability to grow food here than depend on it from countries that might turn around and cut off our food supply, even if WalMart and other cheap retailers here prefer to ship in that food at tthis time. And we need consumers willing to possibly pay a little more to support those in our own region and country that produce food for us and will continue to do so at the worst of times.
Please read the following release from the province’s governments, then share your views below.)
News from the Ontario Government of Premier Kathleen Wynne
September 29th, 2014 – A new tax credit is helping put nutritious, fresh, locally grown food on the plates of those who need it most.
This sign was posted on a peach farm in north Niagara after a food processing plant that purchased the peaches shut down. The orchard was uprooted more than three years ago. File photo by Doug Draper
The Food Donation Tax Credit for Farmers — the only one of its kind in Canada — is giving farmers a tax credit valued at 25 per cent of the fair market value of the agricultural products they donate to community food programs, including food banks and student nutrition programs.
The tax credit is a part of the Ontario government’s local food strategy and Local Food Act, 2013 to promote the good things that are grown and harvested across the province.
Building a stronger agri-food industry is part of the government’s economic plan to support a dynamic and innovative business climate, invest in people and invest in infrastructure.
QUOTES
“This new tax credit is an integral part of our government’s commitment to support farmers, increase access to nutritious, locally grown food and promote the good things that are grown right across the province.”
— Jeff Leal, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs“This new tax credit will help farmers donate more fresh food to their local food banks, which will support our farmers, drive local economic growth, and benefit families in communities across the province.”
— Charles Sousa, Minister of Finance
“Ontario’s farmers have a long tradition of donating their agricultural products to charitable causes, and we believe this credit will both honour that tradition and help motivate others to donate.”
- Neil Currie, General Manager, Ontario Federation of Agriculture
“Everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy local food, and we applaud the Ontario government for introducing a tax credit that will encourage more farmers to make that food available to families and individuals who need it most. Many food bank clients do not receive the recommended daily servings of fruits, vegetables, and protein, which causes additional strains on one’s health and well-being. A balanced diet with local, fresh, and nutritious foods will help improve the health of food bank clients as well as the health of communities across Ontario.”
— Bill Laidlaw, Executive Director, Ontario Association of Food Banks
“Hamilton Food Share has focused on increasing the amount of fresh product distributed to local emergency food programs as the thousands of people who visit a food bank do not have access to fresh food on an ongoing basis. We remain deeply committed to food security and we believe the new tax credit for farm donations will help us forge new partnerships within the agricultural sector in our community.”
— Joanne Santucci, Executive Director, Hamilton Food Share.
QUICK FACTS
- One-third of the 375,000 Ontarians served by a food bank every month are children.
- More than 600,000 children and youth participate in breakfast, snack and lunch programs in communities across Ontario.
- Under the proclaimed legislation, farmers can claim the new tax credit for donations dating back to Jan. 1, 2014.
- Ontario’s agri-food sector contributes about $34 billion to the province’s economy and supports more than 740,000 jobs across Ontario.
- LEARN MORE
Ontario’s Local Food Act
Find local food sources and organizations on the ministry’s Local Food webpage
Ontario Association of Food Banks
Ontario Student Nutrition Program Network
Seasonal recipes at Foodland Ontario
(NOW IT IS YOUR TURN. Niagara At Large encourages you to share your views on this post. A reminder that we only post comments by individuals who share their first and last name with them.)
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