Weekend forum encourages people to buy local food

Source: Times & Transcript, April 11, 2011

The need for more people to buy locally and the growth of organic farming were among the major issues discussed yesterday at a Local Food Forum.

Sponsored by Post Carbon Moncton, it took place at the Delta Beauséjour Hotel.

Andrew Spring of Moncton, executive director for the Fundy Biosphere and emcee for the forum, said there are a lot of issues preventing area residents from getting food produced in the area.

For one thing, a lot of local food is exported to Europe and Japan, said Spring. It is the small New Brunswick farmer, the one who cannot afford to do this, that concerns him, he said.

"These farmers work 16-hour days and do not have the time to go out and meet people and promote their products."

Right now, Spring said gas prices are "going through the roof" and this will further hike the cost of food items from outside the area. The extra cost of transporting them here will go on the price you pay at the supermarket, he said.

So, buying locally makes sense strictly from an economic point of view, he said.

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