Three Ontario groups praise Local Food Act

Mar 26, 2013

Groups say Local Food Act is a “step in the right direction”

Local food gets a boost from the Government of Ontario with the introduction of the Local Food Act.

Three Ontario groups released a joint statement on Monday - Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation and Gordon Food Services (GFS) saying that the Local Food Act is welcomed.

“Ontario farmers are eager to meet consumer demand and preferences for local, fresh food,” says Mark Wales, OFA President. “This Act will help create more opportunities but to be truly effective Ontario also needs to focus on food literacy in our schools and improving access to nutritious food for all Ontarians. We look forward to working with the government to better develop these food priorities.”

Ontario has one of the most diverse agricultural systems in the country, with more than 200 commodities, including fruits, vegetables, and a variety of livestock and greenhouse products available.

The OFA is the largest general farm organization in the province representing farmers in the province. The Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation oversees 1.8 million acres of farmland, forests, and wetlands and seeks to protect natural resources. Gordon Food Services is North America’s largest foodservice distributor.

Video: Seaweed-Based Solutions: Building Natural Performance in Modern Swine Production

In today’s pork industry, producers are under increasing pressure to do more with fewer inputs—while maintaining performance, improving animal health, and meeting sustainability expectations.

we sit down with Sylvain David and Scott Preston from Olmix to explore how seaweed-based solutions are emerging as a foundational tool in modern swine nutrition.

Rather than acting as simple alternatives, these solutions are designed to support gut health, immune resilience, and overall system consistency—especially during key stress periods like weaning, feed transitions, and disease challenges.

The conversation dives into:

• What seaweed-based solutions actually are and how they work

• Why consistency and standardization matter in “natural” products

• How gut health connects to immune function and performance

• Where producers are seeing real-world impact today

• The role of natural solutions in the future of sustainable pork production