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Politics as usual has failed to make food and farming issues a top priority at Queen’s Park. The Green Party has led on this issue, calling for a Ontario Food and Farming strategy since Mike Schreiner was elected Leader in November 2009, and will continue to lead on this issue to fight to make food and farming a top election issue.
The Green Party of Ontario knows that a healthy food and farming system must be a provincial priority. We have put forward an Ontario Food and Farming Strategy that supports Ontario farmers while providing all citizens with access to healthy local food. The Green Party’s plan will work to support farmers and consumers within a framework of sustainable, local agriculture.
Will the NDP’s agriculture announcement today commit to making food and farming strategy a top priority?
Green MPPs will commit to:
- Invest $200 million over four years for a comprehensive healthy school food program.
- Support Buy Local campaigns and set targets for government institutions.
- Set a standard for purchasing forty percent Ontario food for all public institutions.
- Invest $100 million over four years to reward farmers for stewardship practices that provide environmental and societal benefits.
- Establish an Ontario Food and Farming Policy Council to coordinate planning across ministries and consult diverse stakeholders.
- Invest in rural infrastructure, research and innovation, bio-based manufacturing products, distribution hubs, farmer co-ops, organic and specialty crops to support farm incomes.
- Cut red tape for family farms and local food processors; implement smart regulations that recognize differences in the size of operations.
- Eliminate tax penalties and reduce zoning restrictions to facilitate local, on-farm food enterprises and innovative sources of farm income.
- Improve income stabilization programs so they are more accessible for family farms, cover a wider range of products and don’t penalize farmers who experience bad years.
Quotes
“Ontario needs real change at Queen’s Park. The rhetoric of the other parties has not translated into action. That is why the Green Party is the only choice this fall to end politics as usual.” – Mike Schreiner, Leader, Green Party of Ontario
Information
For more details on the Green Party’s commitment to supporting farming in Ontario please visit: http://www.gpo.ca/sites/gpo.ca/files/attachments/gpo_issues_paper_food.pdf
Rebecca Harrison
Director of Communications
Green Party of Ontario
(c) 905-999-5479
(e) rebeccaharrison@gpo.ca