Food Security: It can be done
An evening discussion with Dr. Ralph Martin and the Thunder Bay and Area Food Strategy Network was held on May 29, 2014. It was the forth seminar in Environment North's Environmental Knowlegde Learning and Sharing Series. His presentation covered topics such as sustainable food production, urban agriculture, consumption & waste.
Kendal Donahue represented the Thunder Bay and Area Food Strategy Network. The Strategy document will soon be released.
During his visit to Thunder Bay Dr. Martin aslo spent time with students at Churchill High School, visited the Thunder Bay Agricultural Research Station and met with local farmers.Dr. Martin is the Loblaws Chair in Sustainable Food Production at the University of Guelph.
Dr. Martin states that, "My approach to sustainable food production is to produce enough food to meet dietary needs today, while preserving productive capacity for future generations of people and other species. This is within the context of healthy soil, clean air and water, and regenerative energy to support resilient farming and fishing communities."
Sustainable farming practices include "keeping the soil covered" as well as innovative technologies used in harvesting. There are also many ways in which food waste, currently at 40%, can be reduced.
Click here to view Dr. Martin's presentation (9 MB).
Click here to read "Waste not, Want not" an article written by Catherine Schwartz Mendez and Kendal Donahue on behalf of Envrionment North, originally published in the Chronicle Journal on May 27, 2014.
From left to right: Brittany Young, Catherine Schwartz Mendez, Roopa Rakshit, Kerstin Muth, Kendal Donahue, Graham Saunders and Dr. Ralph Martin
