Published on
You've probably noticed that more and more Quebec products are available in our grocery stores. There are indeed more than 25,000, a 22% increase since April 2020. And if your family has been going to a daycare, a hospital or a school, you’ll likely notice that the institutional sector is also setting an example when it comes to sourcing food locally.
This common desire to promote local produce is good news, because we all have a role to play in ensuring that locally produced food has a central place on our plates.
By choosing local food, not only are we supporting Quebec farmers and the local economy but we are also helping the planet by reducing greenhouse gas emissions (reducing the distance travelled from farm to table), and by reducing plastic pollution (cutting down on the purchase of over-packaged foods). 🥕🥬
Giant strides for our institutions
Many institutions in the health, early-childhood and education sectors have made considerable progress in increasing the proportion of locally produced food on school menus and in meals served in hospitals.
Through our community of practice, Commun’assiette, Équiterre is proud to be part of this great adventure, supporting and encouraging local food procurement by institutions and food service companies.
60%
This year, member institutions and food service management companies achieved impressive results, increasing their local food procurement by an average of 10%, from 50% to 60%.
Considering the many challenges that they had to face during the pandemic—labour shortages, rising food prices, natural disasters related to climate change, etc. - it’s impressive to see these types of results in such a short period of time.
Gains on all fronts
The increase in the share of Quebec-produced food procurement is across a wide range of products:
So, what did you do to help promote Quebec's regional products this summer?
Whether it’s by buying local or cooking with local products, or by participating in some of Équiterre’s initiatives, you have the power to encourage the movement towards more local food on our plates and in our institutions.
Here are a few ideas:
- Ask your daycare, school, hospital, etc., to source their food locally
- Buy organic vegetable baskets directly from Quebec farmers
- Talk to your local school about our Schools Take Root project
- Learn more about the seasonality of fruits and vegetables
Now, over to you. Bon appétit!
Tous les membres de Commun’assiette ayant réalisé cet exercice de quantification sont reconnus Aliments du Québec au menu - Institution, se dotant ainsi d’une cible d’achat d’aliments québécois, tel que réclamé par la Stratégie nationale d'achat d'aliments québécois (SNAAQ), mise en place par le ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation (MAPAQ). Ils s’engagent maintenant à se fixer une nouvelle cible ou encore à la maintenir pour l’année 2022-2023.
