Local Food Producers Weighing Options

May 04, 2020

Many local food producers are worried about what this summer is going to look like.

Phil Veldhuis is the president of Direct Farm Manitoba.

"They've been really concerned about whether the markets and whether the consumers will be there when their product is ready," he commented. "If you're thinking about planting peppers or sweet corn or something, you're kind of counting on there being a farmers' market full of people in the middle of July and August to buy those things. And if you didn't think that would be there, you'd probably rethink how much you're going to put into the planting."

Veldhuis notes some producers are seeing an increase in demand for their products.

"Producers that have stable products, whether that would be the last of the root vegetables, carrots and potatoes, or meat. In my case, I'm a honey producer and those folks are seeing a significant uptick in demand, partly because people don't want to get into the grocery stores. In some cases its long-term customers just wanting to make sure that they can get it from us."

It was announced this week that the federal and provincial governments will be supporting a project which will allow local food producers and farmers’ markets to sell their products online.

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