Food Forward Hopes Wynne Can Champion Ontario Food Policy

Feb 25, 2013

Toronto-Based Organization Wants Premier Wynne to Review the Local Food Act

If you thought agriculture and food were only topics that rural and small-town Ontarians cared about, you thought wrong.

A Toronto-based non-profit organization dubbed ‘Food Forward’ that seeks to act as a united voice for good food and good food jobs, is calling on Premier Wynne to work towards developing a meaningful food policy. The group hopes that with the right food policy that it would spur job creation while making way for a healthier Ontario. Wynne has taken on the role of Minister of Agriculture and Food in addition to being Premier.

“There is a growing need to have a minister dedicated to the defence of our food system, which is struggling to generate good income for farmers and workers growing local sustainable food, and provide access to food for all,” said Darcy Higgins, Executive Director of Food Forward.

In a press release, the organization says that despite the Premier’s error in having to re-do her oath as Minister of Agriculture and Food, after forgetting “Food” during the first swearing-in; the organization is pleased with her willingness to take on this portfolio.

“Food is our biggest job provider province-wide, and has the ability to generate more opportunities, especially for young people, immigrants and low income people” said Higgins.

Food Forward would like Wynne to keep her promise that she made during her campaign to not only reintroduce the Local Food Act, but review it again to look at ways to strengthen it with am enhanced jobs focus. During the campaign, Wynne sent a letter to Food Forward promising that a Local Food Act would be a priority if elected.

More information about Food Forward can be found on their website.

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.