Major step for sustainability in key Ontario farming region

Farmers in one of Ontario’s major farming regions are commiting to sell their products in the local area, making another important step toward sustainable communities.
Tuesday, the Holland Marsh Growers Association, located near Barrie, Ontario, received a $400,000 grant from the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation. The money will help Holland Marsh farmers, in collaboration with local packers and processors, shift fresh vegetable production in the specialty crop area from a largely export market to the local market. They will also diversify crop production and implement more sustainable growing practices.
For decades, farmers in the region have focused on exporting vegetables grown in the area, one of Ontario’s most productive agriculture regions featuring some of the richest soil in Canada. More than 150 farmers work about 10,000 acres. Food produced in this region will also be promoted as part of a new Holland Marsh Local Food Plus brand.
Focusing on the local market is an important step in sustainability because the entire distribution chain is now shortened thereby reducing greenhouse gases caused by excessive transporting costs due to exportation, and the local economy is strengthened.
The Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation began its work in June 2005 as an independent, charitable foundation with a mandate to promote and sustain our Greenbelt as a beneficial, valuable, and permanent feature, enhancing the quality of life for all residents of Ontario.