For Immediate Release
June 29, 2007

Support for Farmers' Markets Encourages

Consumer to Pick Ontario Freshness

Government Investment Means Stronger Rural Communities

TORONTO - The McGuinty government is encouraging Ontario consumers to Pick Ontario Freshness by supporting Farmers' Markets Ontario, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Leona Dombrowsky announced today.

"Supporting the growth of farmers' markets is a wise investment in our rural communities," said Dombrowsky. "They provide a significant marketing opportunity for farmers and are a wonderful place where consumers can buy the fresh, high quality foods grown and produced in our province."

The government is investing $90,000 this year, the third installment under a $270,000 Memorandum of Understanding signed by the province and Farmers' Markets Ontario. This investment will help farmers' markets prosper and help strengthen rural communities.

"People visit farmers' markets to buy fresh, high quality products and to have a great experience," said Robert Chorney, Executive Director of Farmers' Markets Ontario. "Our ongoing partnership with OMAFRA gives us the resources to support the development of new farmers' markets and rejuvenate or expand existing markets."

Farmers' markets have a significant economic impact on Ontario's rural economy - more than $1.9 billion annually. More than 27,000 people in Ontario are directly involved in preparing and selling products at farmers' markets. And, with annual sales of more than $645 million, they provide an important economic link between local food suppliers, small processors and consumers.

Providing this assistance to Farmers' Markets Ontario is just one more example of how, working together, Ontarians have achieved results in rural Ontario. Other examples include:

  • Providing $10 million to the new Pick Ontario Freshness marketing strategy, which includes a consumer awareness campaign designed to increase interest and demand for local foods across the province, expands the Foodland Ontario program to more fresh food products and boosts the Savour Ontario program in fine dining and vacation establishments.

  • Providing $2.5 million in 2006-07 to a number of Ontario agri-food organizations that fund marketing initiatives for Ontario farm products, and $200,000 to the Organic Council of Ontario, which promotes industry development activities.

  • Providing $12.5 million to the Vineland Research and Innovations Centre Incorporated. The federal government is making a financial and in-kind commitment valued at $15.5 million over the next five years towards research projects that support the mission of this new Centre at Vineland. These are the first steps in creating a vital hub for horticultural science and innovation in Vineland by making it a model for research facilities elsewhere in the province and the country.

  • Investing more than $31.2 million in rural communities through the Rural Economic Development Program.

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Contacts:
Kelly Synnott
Minister's Office
416 326-6439

Brent Ross
Communications Branch
416 326-9342

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