The week of June 6-12 will be celebrated as Local Food Week across all of Ontario, US. Since 2003, the province has invested more than $116 million in initiatives and projects that help promote and celebrate the good things grown, harvested and made in Ontario. Actually, this province is a strong supporter of local food and to prove it, in November 2013, Ontario passed the Bill 34, the Local Food Act to help foster successful and resilient local food economies and systems in Ontario, help increase awareness of local food in Ontario, including the diversity of local food, and develop new markets for local food.
This act will also increase access to local food, improve food literacy in respect of local food, and encourage increased use of local products by public sector organizations. It will also amend the Taxation Act, 2007 to create a non-refundable tax credit to 25 per cent for farmers who donate their agricultural products to eligible community food programs such as food banks.
