Food: Centre of the Local Economy event on September 26, 2012

Not a likely scene in Southwestern Ontario this fall, as much of the apple crop was lost due to spring weather. Photo credit: Muffet (Liz West)

Title:   Food: Centre of the Local Economy

Presenter: Hélène St. Jacques

When:     Wednesday, September 26, 7 pm

Where:   Poplar Hill Baptist Church, Poplar Hill             

We've got another event coming up next Wednesday - one at which group interaction and sharing one’s own food experiences will be strongly encouraged. The event will be part presentation, part working group where participants will be able to explore options such as food hubs, and presently available sectors. A limited number of local snacks will be available (if you have some to share, feel free to bring them!) 

About the Presenter

Our facilitator, Hélène St. Jacques serves in an advisory capacity with the Toronto food co-op, FoodShare (& a former board member). She is also citizen co-chair of Toronto Food Policy Council, and is very active in the development of comprehensive food security policies, programs and principles of healthy public policy. Hélène has conducted extensive research across the entire food value chain from eaters to growers, studying consumer attitudes, purchase, usage and consumption patterns.  This includes consumer packaged goods and processed food companies (international and local/Ontario/Canadian).

Through her firm, Informa Research, Hélène has also provided the following research services:

- to retail (health/organic, independents and chains) including alternative channels (food box programs, farmers' markets and buying clubs)

- to distribution (organic/natural food distributor) and wholesaling

-to producers and marketing boards (beans/legumes, turkey, vegetables, eggs, milk/dairy)

- to farmer owned co-ops  (Gay Lea Foods and OntarBio - Organic Meadow brand)

- to industry organizations (Organic Council of Ontario and Canadian Organic Trade Association)

- to farm owned, value-added products (Mapleton's Organic)

Hélène favours a hands-on collaborative approach when bringing together the corporate and community worlds. She is currently engaged in a variety of volunteer activities and community development initiatives, including Enoch Turner Schoolhouse, Jessie's Centre for Teenagers, Canadian Foundation for Women's Healthcare, Dixon Hall, and Sheridan College School of Crafts and Design.

If you are at all involved with local food (and let's face it, everyone is, whether we are eating it or involved in its production or processing), we hope you can make it out to this event. One hope is that we will have the start of a  Local Food Subcommittee of Transition Middlesex beginning to form by the end of the evening!