Why is now the time?

Grow what we eat, eat what we grow” is the message behind Connect for Food. The idea comes from Perry and Keleigh’s combined extensive experience in and passion for agriculture and food from working across Alberta and beyond. There is growing interest in localizing our food system, and the timing is right for an initiative to harvest the enthusiasm and new ways of thinking about our food system. We want to capture the best from our experience and others of what has been done. Making connections and building relationships in our food system is more important than ever and there is a lot of interest in and support now for doing just that. That’s exactly what Connect for Food can do. The typical local food approach has been to focus on unique or novel products, which has caused local food to be somewhat exclusive. We hope to talk more about localizing. Our agriculture industry in Alberta has evolved primarily as a producer and exporter of commodities and ingredients. We have the natural resources and much of the technology needed to produce far more food that could ultimately reduce imports. A strong sociological side to a localized food economy is needed. Having more people live and work rurally offers opportunities for increased diversity and inclusiveness, something that many rural communities know they need to survive.