Title: Nurturing Fruit and Vegetable Processing in Ontario
Authors: Maureen Carter-Whitney and Sally Miller
Date: June 2010
Published by: Metcalf Foundation - Food Solutions Reports
Description: Across Ontario, facilities for food processing have reduced in size or closed.The closures of small and medium-sized food-processing facilities have occurred at the same time that there has been growing demand for local food from consumers who are concerned about the provenance and safety of their food. Consumers cannot find the local products they seek, while farmers have lost processing facilities for some of the local ingredients they produce. A review of the entire supply chain reveals a chaotic landscape of piecemeal solutions and missed opportunities.This paper examines the structural, legislative, economic, and regulatory frameworks that have led to an Ontario food-processing sector that is inadequate for many small and medium-scale farmers.
