Calgary Food Policy Council Minutes: 20Jan10@ Calgary Water Centre

Calgary Food Policy Council:
20 January 2010, Water Centre 7pm.

32 attendees, 7:11 commencement

We began with a round table of introductions, each person stating their interest and motivation to see a sustainable food model. The backgrounds were diverse, yet the inspiration was common. After the basic introductions, several individuals representing more developed interests spoke of their current efforts toward more sustainable food models. The evening dispersed by 9pm, and I made an attempt to make into point form what are very large and respectable ideas. Do forgive me for mis-spellings, and I invite you to send in corrections as you see the as I will become more accurate with greater familiarity of the individuals and groups participating in Calgary’s Food Policy Council.

Phil
philipsarsons [at] hotmail [dot] com


Introduction.
Paul expressed his thanks to Susan & Nancy from city of Calgary for their presence here and for making the arrangements to use the Bow River room at the Water Centre.
Susan mentioned briefly that her group’s purpose is to reduce Calgary’s eco-footprint, launching a campaign regarding local food this spring, featuring and encouraging local markets, organics.
Nancy, from the Office of Sustainability gave her greeting, her office is directly inside City Manager’s Office being of note, coordinating Council’s mission for food sustainability. They are looking to respond to Council by June, to listen and observe and learn of the CFPC.

Brief round table introductions:
Tavis - community organizers, behing “Purple Revolution” - incubating change, growing community (Prov & Federal govt liason)
Nile: co-chair and sucession planning
Harlen: McKay’s Ice cream
Wade S: Infuse Catering, specializeing in local food “Local 101”
Justin: UofC student coordinator - mini farm project
Matt: food policy founder, education focus
Michelle M:
Al. info to follow on Iron Mills, Rocky View/County
Chromna: from S. Korea in small town famous for Greenhouses
Tony: Community Gardens, Chef. Community Liason for CFPC
Mary: concerned Mom, raises Chickens, CLUCK member
Sarah: (used to have chickens!) “Civic Camp,” Land Food Group Nov. 25 5-7 Eau Clair
Ursurla: CLUCK.
Walter: “YA” Youth petitions against cosmetic pesticides, 2500 youth, Clagary Youth Food Policy Council?
Rain: Local Witch, Herbalist & Massage, permaculture designer, Prema Sai Calgary
Mike: Gardener, City of Calgary - watersheds, Chicken interest
Justin: anti-GMO and chemical based food, micro-farm project
Tommy: Engineer, community interest, Civic Camp, Permaculture TUCs
Eliese: A.B.C
Adrian: Big Sky, education in permaculture design liason
Susan: Nutritionist Ab Health Services, Horticultural Society
Kathryn: Meals on Wheels, Olds College Alumni
Dee: Chef & Educator since 1983, poet, writer, SlowFood Calg.
Dana: UofC, Students Association
Myrla: Meals on Wheels, UofC environmental management, community gardens myrla.culman@shaw.ca “FreeHand Consulting; Ecology”
Ron: Farm Boy gone Architect, City of Calgary
Shauna: cook and gardner, concerned citizen
Pamela: Nutrition Student.
Phil: spud.




Presentations:


Wade:
Local 101, March 13, 2010
AB Agriculture support through Dino Program
infuse@telus.net
www.attheroot.ca
www.foragefoods.com
“Vision 2020” - vision for local food system, asked of cooks & chefs
Feb 1rst meeting
wants to expand to education and health care
interested in defining a common direction, and creating a common use data base
info@forgefoods.com attheroot.ca = blog

Justin:
UofC, 240 acres, much undeveloped land, wants to launch a mini-farm to incorporate into the UofC expansion devleopments 1/4 acre pilot with hope and passion to expand; coordinated with campus community bike shop

Al:
Rocky View Urbanization (race track, shopping mall, meat packing plant)
Issue: Sewer pipe to reach these developemnts 200Million, Urbanizing a massive plot of farm land 16000acres
public input requested.
100% of the comments were oppossed.
The report on the public input said “several responded” and recommended the by-law be passed
Jan 26 people can speak in person, anticipates the by-law will be passed
Hearing is in the county office on 32nd Av by the bus barns
Rockyview.ca for info
canadiangorilla.com = blog a

Tony:
Community Gardens
year round applications
water accessibility - a primary issue
and funding
looking to develop a resource centre or information line to aid in CG development
values: trust, community, safety

Sarah
Land-Food Group, Civic Camp
an organization form grassrots origin
people who want to start gardens or mini-farms, raising chickens, possible other animals, slow food
many angle operation, a hub for many groups

Eliese:
ABC
facilitating responsible beekeeping practices
education forums, guest speakers in Feb.
biodiversity
new website to arrive soon
backyardbees.ca

Adrian
permaculture liason
concepts strategies and materials to meet the needs of all living things
Food-forest: mimics a climate ecology of forests = high yield, effective water use
wishes to provide a permaculture lens
Calgary fallen fruit rescue Initiative: harvest unused fruit: 34 full size trees on board and growing, with a group of volunteers
food goes to volunteers, tree owners, and food needs groups
Residents can develop a portion of their yard unused for food
Permaculture Course: 2 day intro courses March 27-28
bigskypermaculture.ca
permaculturecalgary.org - to create a resiliant food economy, matching yields to needs, April presentation ahead(!)
large turnout to first meeting (planned 30, got 75)

Suzanne:
march = National Nutrition Month, “Farm To Table”
Individual and Household Food Security focuses on Access to Food.
Awareness raising and data collection: Prevelence of food security, ability of household to afford food.
Costing of food and healthy diet. partner with poverty organizations See “cost of Eating in Alberta executive summary
Seniors and social support or winimum wage: finding household income is inadequate to meet the needs.
Encouraging advocacy with MLA’s and councillors.
Programs to link with: PaCT project, partnership with low income housing/affordable housing. Developed a community garden and developed a ‘kids kitchen.’
food access concerns: the food dollar is very limited. Food is the only maleble part of the budget. Also, time resources under two jobs for example.
pilot project: clinic sites within Alberta Health services, focusing on food security and nutrition
poverty and income relief

Paul: Google list to post links related to food policy

Kathryn
Meals on Wheels
feeds seniors; started in Calgary by local women concerned about hospital discharges who needed support, delivering meals to 8 clients by 2 women; 1900 meals per day now(!); service chronic illnesses, health concerns, near the end of their lives and want to live at home; a practical visual safety check for people; 44 year history, never missed a delivery date. 75 volunteers blanket the city in two hours; bag lunches to the working homeless at the DIC; collaborates with many charities; meals are hot; children helped create the menu; allows for annonimity and integrity for children; helps to maintina independence (magic meals delivered once per week)
current challenge: building size and condition; equipemnt issues and layout - intended for 1000 meals per day... expansion needs; City of Calgary = landlord. Capital Campaign is afoot, purhcase of new building has been made.
expansign demographics = increased need.

John Marr’s motion: admin was asked for reommendation, admin came back with ‘this isn’t our mandate’ Wheels continues to request being put on the council agenda.

Dee
Slow Food
commitemnt to Local
an international group
100000 members
grassroots movement to preserve tradition methods of growing, preserving and consuming
The Presidia, 300 methods of growing food important to culture
Educaiton component.
The pleasure an doh of food and promotion of thriving local economy, defense of biodiversity, food & food cultures
the commodity mindset is unwelcome ie: not “product” but someone’s “supper”
not interested in facroty farm, monoculture gmo, desertificaiton, biofuel, long distance food, seed patents ... Monsanto
farmers leaving the farm, fast food, that food is only fuel
Vandana Shiva = Vice President
sovergn access to food culturally appropriate to us
monthly meetings
“bring food to these meetings!”
value and meaning of food - intrinsic value, grounding aspect of food (ie: “we’re all Carbon”)
re-assured by community gardens comign allong

slowfoodcalgary.ca
curiouscook.net

slowfood reading list
does not endorse businesses
has a list of local growers - posted on sfc website

teaches how to CAN!!!
seed saturday = purchasing and swapping of heirloom seeds

john dutton theatre, Calgary public library = film screenings
fEb 8th - kitchen party - Kris Vestor - goat chees & milk



Dana:
UofC - Urban Calgary Studensts Assoc.
Fall of 2008
Community tours - examples of Urbanism (Garrison Woods)
Paul = inagural speaker
planet open house: to inform students
used mac hall = opportunity for FPC to reach students

Ron:
decreased foot print for house and garage, and in so doing can make for gardening space (deep rich soil)
800 sq ft of land can produce up to $3000 of food. an aninuity of 33k can only provide a payback of 1k.

Commulatively, this adds up to a tremendous amount of land and income generating potential.

read up on the blog

Tavis:
tomorrow: Transitions Towns - a movement for renewable energy and ideas.
between 2-5pm Calgary Area Outdoor Council.
Umbrella Structure

“Vital conversations”
calgary foundation focusing on “sustainable cities”
register on Calgary foundation website
at john dutton theatre
6-8pm.

Micheal Schmit Case on Raw Milk comes down tomorrow.
wildthingorganics.ca is following it closely = chritina Lake BC raw milk dairy Karen & Curtis

Deconstructing Dinner at cjly.com



Paul:
now a member of te north american food policy council
lobbying to council
nov 30th notice of motion
deliverable by june

purpose: to bring yoru “crop-o-ganda” to the table to be heard and feasted upon(!)
little money, lots of energy

local food is at a crux,

the above issues to be put forward to a city council

goals: liaison position to make effective
there is no blueprint for a food policy council: each one is unique to the area/region
beginning to get traction
an open invitation to all food initiative within the food system

calgaryfoodpolicycouncil.ca

the conversation has just begun!
post ideas on teh google list 24/7

MEETING ADJOURNED: 9PM