Tag Archives: Food

Economic Development, Local Food

Sobeys Helps Local Suppliers Expand Their Business

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Sobeys Ontario held two Local Supplier Partner Roadshows to help their suppliers grow their businesses on February 4th in Ajax and February 5th in Hamilton. Over 372 people from local Ontario agri-food businesses attended each event.

The Local Supplier Partner Roadshows were composed of:

  • Presentations by Sheri Evans, Sobeys Local Development Manager who provided an overview of the Sobeys Local program, and;
  • Interactive panels who answered questions about working with the Sobeys stores and growing their brands.

Continue reading Sobeys Helps Local Suppliers Expand Their Business →

Agricultural Development, Local Food

RESTAURANTS CANADA SHOW 2020

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The Restaurants Canada (RC) Show is Canada’s largest annual foodservice and hospitality trade-show held in Toronto, Ontario. The RC Show is dedicated to creating networking and sales opportunities between vendors and buyers within the food service industry. The RC Show is being held on March 1-3 at the Enercare Centre, Toronto starting at 10am.

The show will offer three days of non-stop business-building action including a dynamic trade show floor with seven stages hosting over 150 speakers, six competitions, three leadership conferences and four networking events. With 20,000 industry professionals in attendance, this annual event provides thought leadership and education, boasting 250,000 square feet of the latest product innovation and culinary events designed to inspire and motivate by showcasing cutting-edge products, pioneering influencers and transformative ideas.

Continue reading RESTAURANTS CANADA SHOW 2020 →

Agricultural Development

A First-Timer’s Guide to Agriculture in Spain

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I started 2020 by doing something I never thought I would do: travelling to Spain to learn about agriculture and rural communities. This once-in-a-lifetime learning experience from January 7-18 was a part of the Advanced Agriculture Leadership Program (AALP), offered by the Rural Ontario Institute. AALP is an executive professional development program for those working in careers related to agriculture, food and rural communities.

Our trip began in Madrid, then did a circle around the southern half of the country, hitting eight major cities and several smaller communities along the way. The history, culture, music and architecture were fascinating parts of the trip, but for today, I want to focus on the agriculture.

Continue reading A First-Timer’s Guide to Agriculture in Spain →

Local Food

Food, fun and friendship at the 2019 Eastern Ontario Local Food Conference

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Planning a 2-day regional local food event is no easy task, especially when it includes:

  • three separate culinary tours
  • a local food reception, and
  • a full day program that with a dozen sessions and thirty-seven speakers

The planning process takes time, an incredibly skilled and committed team, and fantastic host communities.

Luckily, this year’s Eastern Ontario Local Food Conference had all these elements, resulting in an ambitious, inspiring program that was delivered to over 200 attendees. The event took place on November 13 and 14, and was co-hosted by the City of Cornwall and the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry. The theme, “Growing Communities Together”, was demonstrated through the program, which included French and English resources, and topics that integrated Canadian-newcomer and Indigenous perspectives. Continue reading Food, fun and friendship at the 2019 Eastern Ontario Local Food Conference →

Local Food

Metro puts the spotlight on local food at The Royal

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The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair logoSince its inception in 1922, the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair has been a gathering place for Canadian farmers, growers and producers to display their very best agricultural products. Fast forward to 2019, and The Royal has grown to become the largest indoor agricultural event in the world. Each year, this impressive event attracts, educates and entertains over 300,000 attendees.
Continue reading Metro puts the spotlight on local food at The Royal →

Local Food

Speaker Line-up You Won’t Want to Miss at the Eastern Ontario Local Food Conference!

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There are thirty-five speakers coming to share their knowledge and passion for local food at the 2019 Eastern Ontario Local Food Conference, November 13-14 in Cornwall.

And I dearly wish that I could tell you about each and every one of them. Because they are incredible. Unfortunately, this blog is not a novel, and I can’t possibly do them justice here. So, I have the horrible task of choosing just a few to tell you about. Here it goes… Continue reading Speaker Line-up You Won’t Want to Miss at the Eastern Ontario Local Food Conference! →

Economic Development

Trade mission to Japan & South Korea presents new opportunities for Ontario agri-food businesses

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Ontario’s agri-food sector is a power house in North America, and a key contributor to the province’s economy, supporting more than 837,000 jobs and contributing $47.7 billion towards the province’s GDP. To maintain Ontario’s leadership in the agri-food sector, the province has launched the Market Access Initiative – targeted cost-share funding available to help businesses and organizations across the Ontario supply value-chain that have been directly impacted by trade restrictions.

This initiative is only a small part of what the province is doing to help navigate trade challenges. Over the next two weeks, Ernie Hardeman, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade are leading an Ontario trade mission to South Korea and Japan.

Continue reading Trade mission to Japan & South Korea presents new opportunities for Ontario agri-food businesses →

Local Food

Attend the 2019 Eastern Ontario Local Food Conference!

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The Eastern Ontario Local Food Conference is the premier regional event focused on supporting and celebrating the local food sector. This year local hosts, the City of Cornwall and the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry (SDG), are preparing a phenomenal event to inspire, motivate, and feed you. It takes place on November 13-14 in Cornwall. Continue reading Attend the 2019 Eastern Ontario Local Food Conference! →

Agricultural Development, Economic Development

Municipal Agriculture Economic Development & Planning Forum – Registration now open

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The 9th annual Municipal Agriculture Economic Development & Planning Forum is being held in Halton Region on October 18-19, 2017.

The forum is tailored to all those involved in municipal economic development and planning who have agriculture and food in their portfolio. Whether it’s farming, food processing, agri-tourism, equine, or agri-entrepreneurship in focus, this is an opportunity to network and share successes with your colleagues. We’ve prepared two jam-packed days of tours and speakers to showcase the experiences and insights of agri-businesses in the Halton Region and beyond.

Registration is now open – click here

Day One

Continue reading Municipal Agriculture Economic Development & Planning Forum – Registration now open →

Agricultural Development

#Agsplore The North

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pic-1-modifiedAt the end of September 2016 a bus load of University of Guelph, Ontario Agriculture 
College (OAC) students headed north from Guelph to tour the Nipissing and Temiskaming farming districts. Through pictures and quotes here is a summary of their trip.

Two OAC students from the Temiskaming District, Emily Potter and Tanja Gahwiler, decided their fellow aggies should experience the agriculture found in northern Ontario, so they set about to organize a bus trip to northeastern Ontario.

With assistance and sponsorship from enthusiastic farm associations, the two brought 50 of their fellow students to the region. Continue reading #Agsplore The North →