Agriculture and Local Food

A young boy picking strawberries at a local farmThe Greater Peterborough Area has a rich, diverse, and passionate agriculture and local food community. Farming and food production, ingrained in the community’s culture, has long been a significant economic activity in many parts of the region, and will likely continue to be so well into the future. Be it the local food branding initiatives of Kawartha Choice FarmFresh, the hustle and bustle of local markets, or the advocacy of groups like the Peterborough Community Garden Network, increasing local food production and the awareness of such activities is an issue that is top of mind for many in the Greater Peterborough Area.

Our Goal:

We will feed ourselves sustainably with local, healthy foods.

Strategic Directions:

  • Maintain adequate farmland availability to support our sustainable agricultural needs.
  • Facilitate the production, storage, processing, distribution, and marketing of local, healthy food.
  • Encourage farmers to practice good environmental stewardship.

Priority Actions:

  • Undertake a community food system assessment to identify gaps and opportunities to connect local food growers and producers, processors, distributors, retailers and consumers throughout the region, building on the feasibility study currently planned by the Kawartha Community Food Hub.
  • Identify and protect existing farmland, and increase its capacity to supply local food needs.

Future of Food and Farming Working Group

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 and the Agricultural Advisory Committee to Peterborough Economic Development.  For full details, membership and research reports, please visit their page on the Sustainable Peterborough website.

Community Partners’ Sustainable Activities pertaining to Agriculture and Local Food