With support from Memorial University’s Office of Public Engagement, Food Producers Forum is pulling together representatives of food organizations and groups from across Newfoundland and Labrador to plan an in-depth conference focused on rebuilding food production and food security in April 2022.

This event is being developed by a planning group that includes board members of Food Producers Forum, representatives of Memorial University, Western Environment Centre and members of the Federation of Agriculture. The general theme will be “Regeneration – Soil, Food, Community” meaning that we will be gathering food producers and the public to take a closer look at how we can renew food production at the local level as a foundation for healthy food and food security in our province.

The conference is envisioned as a series of events taking place at three levels:

• WORKSHOPS: hands-on, small group workshops distributed across the province focused on practical skills, such as composting, vegetable production, food storage and processing, etc.
• SPEAKERS: presentations on-line by local and international speakers and panels about new knowledge that can be applied to expand and improve how we grow, store, transport and utilise our foods
• FORUMS: a series of five or six topical discussions, with public participation, of policies and practices that need to change if we are to achieve a higher level of food security based on local food production.

We will be convening an advisory group made up of representatives from all major food production and food policy groups, whether public, organizational or governmental, to ensure that we have their support and advisement as we focus on key issues related to how our food is grown and shared. Please contact us if you or your group would like to be part of this process.