Demand for locally-grown food is increasing in Canada, but the number of organic growers has shown a national decline. A shortage of organic processing plants -- especially those used for meats -- is a limiting factor in the 'slow food' movement.
Business has been good at local farmer's markets throughout Canada, but the demand is greater than the country's few organic farmers can handle.
"In 2005, shoppers snapped up an average of $10,000 worth of edibles an hour at the bottle-necked bazaar in East Vancouver."
"The rising interest in eating local and eating healthy has to contend with a national decline in organic growers and a dependence on foreign food, according to a recently released Canadian Organic Growers report. The study showed that while demand for pesticide and GMO-free food is up 20 per cent a year in Canada, more than 90 per cent of organics come from the U.S. or overseas. Not only that, but the number of organic producers is actually declining in Canada."
"B.C., the nation's organic anomaly, showed 'strong growth' in 2005, according to the report's author, Anne Macey. But even though the number of organic farms in the province was up 9.5 per cent over 2004, it's unlikely that trend will continue."
Read the full story: Slow Food's Growing Pains
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Data reveals that NYC’s bet on congestion pricing has paid off
After almost two years of the program, reports show positive impacts on traffic and air quality and no disruptions to parking.
HUD modernizes 50-year-old manufactured housing framework
The Next Generation Manufactured Housing Action Plan establishes new energy-efficiency standards for manufactured homes, and new guidelines for anchoring them.
This Ohio town is using AI to speed up transit analysis
The Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority’s new AI tool correctly determined riders’ preferred ways to reach key commuter routes.
Yet again, Seattle’s density zoning update is hit with delays
The city must now examine the ‘maximum possible development’ under a future zoning scenario, rather than the ‘maximum likely development.’
In the heart of suburbia, a Utah developer is building a high-density downtown from scratch
The project faces criticism from some city council members, who say the private developer is using taxpayer dollars to turn a profit.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
One Hundred Miles
County of Mendocino
planning NEXT
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Montrose County
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority