Headwaters Food and Farming Alliance offers this monthly e-newsletter featuring the foundational pillars of the Headwaters Food Charter . The Charter was developed in partnership with WDG Public Health and has been widely endorsed. This series aims to keep you informed about issues and events relating to the Charter's 6 Pillars, 15 Goals and 27 Actions prioritized by our communities to enhance our food system.
Supports for Local Food and Farming
As our local food system continues to adapt under the impacts of the pandemic, many constructive conversations are being had, experiences and resources shared and actions taken to help all stakeholders - producers, processors, distributors and eaters - navigate a new and changing food landscape. In this digest, we share just a few things that have come across our desks since our last newsletter.
Are you looking to sell products from your farm online?

Tech Volunteers are available to help farmers setup their online stores. We have received several responses to our posting on VolunteerDufferin.ca . If you are in need of a tech volunteer to help your farm start selling online, please contact us: info@HFFA.ca.
Watch for the 2020 Headwaters Farm Fresh Guide!

The 2020 Farm Fresh Guide printed version will be in your mailbox soon inside the June edition of In The Hills Magazine . The online version of the Farm Fresh Guide with updated listings can also be found at headwatersfarmfresh.ca .
Acting Locally

HFFA's food distribution/hub subcommittee is exploring opportunities to partner with other food stakeholders to access some of the support funding available now, in order to address gaps or create synergies in our local food system, to facilitate access to and distribution of local foods, with solutions that benefit producers, processors and eaters alike.

A Local Conversation: Dufferin County Virtual Agriculture Rountables
Dufferin County Virtual Roundtable June 17 9am: Economics of Farming

This week on June 17th, Sean Bigley and James Bryan, Senior Relationship Managers from Farm Credit Canada will be joining us to discuss the economic outlook for farming.

Danielle Collins from the OFA will also join us to discuss their new initiative: Feeding Your Future; Connecting Ontario’s Agri-Food Workforce. This initiative assists business owners in finding, training, and retaining workers they need to get them through COVID and beyond.
Dufferin County Virtual Roundtable June 24th 9am: Social Media Success Stories

On June 24 th , Amy Kitchen from Sideroad Farm in Grey County will join us to speak to her experience navigating through COVID-19 with social media and e-commerce. An opportunity to ask Amy questions and have open floor conversation will follow.
 
As always, we will be opening up the floor for discussion about challenges currently being faced by our business community after we have heard from our speakers.
Browse Dufferin County's page of Agriculture Sector Resources for a collection of information gathered through the fruitful conversations of previous Ag Roundtables and other work they've done to support local Agriculture businesses.
Funding for Food

It seems like every day brings a new emergency response announcement from the Government of Canada. Several address food system issues ranging from food insecure households to supply backlogs.

Here is a handy listing of supports available for individuals, businesses, sectors and organizations that help people, including these food-related lists:

Agriculture and agri-food
  • Keeping workers in the food supply chain safe
  • Increasing credit availability
  • Helping food producers access more PPE and adapt to health protocols
  • Helping producers faced with additional costs incurred by COVID-19
  • Increasing the Canadian Dairy Commission borrowing limit
  • Helping redistribute existing and unsold inventories
  • Increasing interim payments from 50% to 75% through AgriStability
  • Expanding AgriInsurance to include labour shortage
  • Additional support for your business


The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) has also published a good Summary of financial assistance for Ontario farm businesses.

There is also support for organizations providing essential services to vulnerable Canadians, through programs the help both supply and demand sides:
A Broader Conversation: Rethinking Food Security After COVID-19 

Watch this panel discussion full of insights into what food security might look like as we emerge from this time of crisis.
Trusted Links
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Our Vision
The Headwaters Food and Farming Alliance (HFFA) envisions a food system that is productive, sustainable, transparent, and fair; supports the health and well-being of our residents and food providers; and contributes to the prosperous and equitable economy.
Headwaters Food and Farming Alliance (HFFA) is a project of
Headwaters Communities In Action