Efforts to expand the local food movement will take another step forward Monday when a the first Grey Bruce Food Summit takes place in Elmwood.
Freeman Boyd is with the Grey Bruce Agriculture and Culinary Association and says this summit will being together a broad cross section of people interested in building a sustainable local food system.
Boyd says farmer market managers and vendors and producers and chefs all will mingle to talk about how to improve the local food system.
He says the producers and processors will be setting up displays of the products which will allow them to build business relationships with other sectors of the local food chain.
Boyd says they also will use the occasion to brainstorm on how to improve on the success of the local movement during the next 12 months.
He says one area that needs improvement is with farmers markets where they have a difficult time balancing the number of vendors they have with the number of customers they attract.
Boyd says through the use of some small subsidies, they are trying to encourage producers to ramp up production of more vegetables which is an area he says where production does not meet demand.
The Grey Bruce Food Summit till take place Monday at the Elmwood Community Centre between 9 AM and 5 PM and also includes a local food buffet.
Boyd says if people want to attend they must register before the end of today and can do that by calling the local food movement at 1-800-268-3838.