The UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s recent report Public Food Procurement for Sustainable Food Systems and Healthy Diets makes a strong case for how institutional food procurement, with a strong emphasis on school food programs, has great potential to transform food systems to be more sustainable. On page 2, the report states “Over the past...Read More
The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed 2021 the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables (IYFV). IYFV 2021 is aimed at raising awareness about the important role of fruits and vegetables in human nutrition, food security and health — with an appeal to improve healthy and sustainable food production through innovation and technology and to reduce food...Read More
Since 2015, a group of food activists have come together to develop and launch the Earth to Tables Legacies project, a multimedia educational package focused on food justice and food sovereignty. The website offers a plethora of resources including compelling videos and facilitator’s guides supplemented by insightful commentary from activists & academics across Turtle Island...Read More
In October, we released our Farm to School: Canada Digs In! Report 2020, which demonstrates how farm to school initiatives can significantly support public health, education & learning, economic development, and community connections. We’re now excited to share our new 9-minute Farm to School: Canada Digs In! video — available in English and French—that communicates...Read More
Our hearts are heavy this week as we mourn the loss of a dear friend and mentor, Dr. Wayne Roberts, who died peacefully on January 20th. Wayne was a true leader and an inspiration in the food systems world, affectionately referred to as the Godfather of food policy in Canada. Wayne advocated for ‘people-centred food...Read More
Farm tours provide a great opportunity for farmers to connect with their communities, and for community members to learn about how their food is grown. For students especially, farm visits and tours are excellent conduits for experiential education. Although on-farm visits have been put on pause due to COVID-19, farm and food education has been...Read More
From November 12-18th, Food Secure Canada’s online gathering, Cultivating Change, presented a rich program of events that looked at the intersections between food systems, anti-racism, decolonization and environmental justice movements. As part of the event the Coalition for Healthy School Food hosted two important conversations: one on showcasing Indigenous-led school food programs, and one on...Read More
The U.S. National Farm to School Network (NFSN) has issued a call to action: by 2025, 100% of communities will hold power in a racially just food system. We can all learn from some of the ways NFSN has shared they are working toward this — by looking at how they’re advocating for values-based policies,...Read More
Between September 2016 and June 2020, 86 schools and 10 campuses participated in the Canada Digs In! initiative. Schools received grants of up to $10,000 to deliver farm to school salad bar programs. Students ate local and healthy food, participated in hands-on food literacy activities and connected with local food providers, growers, chefs, knowledge keepers, public...Read More
