ENHANCING THE SUCCESS OF

ELK ISLAND REGION’S FARMERS AND RANCHERS

Food producers receive a boost of support in return for their ideas on developing a profitable local food system for this region.

In the past few years, awareness and interest about where our food comes from has increased dramatically for various reasons, including social, environmental, economical, ethical, nutritional, food safety, etc. The “100 Mile Diet” is growing momentum and people want to purchase locally produced food. This movement comes at an important time, as our farmers and ranchers have been working hard but making less profit. Selling direct to consumers (e.g. vegetables, eggs, meat, berries or other produce), as well as introducing more value-added or processed products (e.g. beef jerky, jams, pies), could increase producers’ profits while satisfying consumers’ hunger for locally produced foods: a win-win. If you are a food producer interested in processing and selling direct or if you are already doing so, but would like to increase your success, please read-on.

Community Futures* would like to invite food producers to participate in a short survey to enhance the Elk Island Region’s (counties of Minburn, Lamont, Strathcona and Two Hills) development of a resilient and profitable local food system. In return for producers’ valuable time and input, Community Futures will create a Producer & Products Directory on its website – free advertising for producers. The producers’ feedback will also provide Community Futures with a better idea of how to assist producers’ in increasing their sales and success as well as shape the future direction of the local food system in the Elk Island Region.

We appreciate your participation in the survey by September 15, 2010 at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8TKJ9X5.