By Sue Tiffin

Following Harvest Haliburton’s Food and Agriculture economic development forum held this past March a diverse collective of community organizers and leaders gathered again to collaborate this time on action plans for next steps toward local food marketing and culinary tourism local food planning and infrastructure and agricultural economic development.

Held at Abbey Retreat Centre on Nov. 29 the agriculture roundtable conversation was again attended by municipal planners and councillors economic developers food producers and farmers food processors retailers restaurateurs food tourism operators and promoters environmentalists and anyone interested in creating a sustainable food system in the region.

Breaking into three discussion groups: local food marketing and culinary tourism local food planning and infrastructure and agricultural economic development advisory council attendees hashed out action over the next few months to work toward.

The plans include the development of awareness and education campaigns; organization and development of a committee that includes a municipal planner representative to research review and make recommendations to councils around local food policies related to agriculture; better understanding barriers to local food production; developing a productive partnership between food producers and policymakers; and potentially hiring people to take research and leadership roles to work toward better support of local food systems.

For more information on Harvest Haliburton visit www.harvesthaliburton.ca or follow Harvest Haliburton on Facebook.