Future of Food and Farming

The Future of Food and Farming Working Group is striving to address opportunities to strengthen the local food system in the city and County. It is made up of representatives of as many parts of the system as possible – production, processing, distribution, retailing, wholesaling, waste management, food access, health, including the social, economic and environmental aspects. The Working Group would welcome additional membership to fill current gaps in representation. Liaisons are maintained with the Peterborough Food Action Network, the Agricultural Advisory Committee to Peterborough Economic Development and the Peterborough Agricultural Roundtable.

To date, three Task Forces of the Working Group have been formed: (additional short-term Task Forces are struck as needed to, for example, plan Food and Farm Summits):

  • Farmland Task Force
  • Urban Agriculture Task Force
  • Local Food Promotion Task Force

The Task Forces perform research and develop proposals for submission to the Working Group as a whole.

Co-chairs: Dawn Berry-Merriam () and Pat Learmonth, Farms at Work ().

Future of Food and Farming Working Group membership list.  The Working Group meets approximately 8 times per year; all meeting minutes are available upon request.

Background to Formation of the Working Group

The Future of Peterborough Food & Farming: A Call for Reflection & Discussion (prepared by The Peterborough Social Planning Council in partnership with Farms at Work October, 2011)

Proceedings from “The Future of Food & Farming Summit” October 11, 2012 (prepared by Farms at Work & Peterborough Social Planning Council, 2012)

A follow up to: The Future of Peterborough Food & Farming: A Call for Reflection & Discussion (prepared by The Peterborough Social Planning Council in partnership with Farms at Work March, 2012)

Proceedings of Subsequent Food and Farm Summits

Proceedings from the fourth “The Future of Food & Farming Summit” March 19, 2018

Proceedings from the third “Future of Food & Farming Summit” March 24, 2015 (prepared by: Sustainable Peterborough’s Future of Food & Farming Working Group and presented to Sustainable Peterborough in July, 2015)

Proceedings from the second “Future of Food & Farming Summit” March 20, 2013 (prepared by Farms at Work and Peterborough Social Planning Council, 2013)

Reports Prepared by Working Group Task Forces

Farmland, Farmers and Food Production in Peterborough County Version 3.0, May 2017

Cultivating a Fertile Environment for Urban Agriculture in the Greater Peterborough Area, 2017

Peterborough in context: Phase One – Documenting How Local Activities Align With the AMO Best Practices in Local Food Guide for Municipalities (prepared by Farms at Work & Peterborough Social Planning Council for the Future of Food & Farming Working Group of Sustainable Peterborough, July 2014)

Research Prepared by Working Group Members

Farm Stewardship in Peterborough County – December 2019

Egg Grading for the Community: A Feasibility Study (Farms at Work, 2017)

Peterborough Food Charter (Peterborough Public Health: 2017) )

Find Local Food – Restaurant Survey (Farms at Work: May 2015) 

Regional Local Food Production Survey Summary (Farms at Work: April 2015)

25% Local Food Shift Peterborough (Transition Town Peterborough: July 2014)

The Role of Grocery Stores in Supporting Buying Local 2013/14 (Transition Town, Farms at Work and Peterborough Social Planning Council supported by the Trent Centre for Community Based Education: 2014)

CSA Economic Research Report (Fleming College / Transition Town Peterborough, prepared by Michelle Boyer, Rajinder Kaur, Daman Mehta and Michael Scanlon: April 2014)

Results of the PSPC Local Food and Farming Survey (prepared by Brett Throop for the Peterborough Social Planning Council: March 2013)

Synopsis Report: Results of the PSPC Local Food & Farming Survey (Peterborough Social Planning Council: March 2013)

Community Garden Policy (City of Peterborough: 2010)

Agricultural Economic Impact & Development Study (City of Kawartha Lakes, Kawartha Lakes Community Futures Development Corporation, Peterborough Community Futures Development Corporation, Peterborough County Federation of Agriculture, Victoria / Haliburton Federation of Agriculture, Peterborough Economic Development, Workforce Development Board, Industry Canada, Planscape: September 2006)

Community Focus Bulletins Related to Food

Community Focus Bulletin, March 2018 (‘Planning Locally for the Future of Food & Farming’,
prepared by Merriam & Associates)

Community Focus Bulletin, June 2017 (‘A Call to Action: Food to be viewed as more important’ prepared by Merriam & Associates)