| October 7, 2009 Time is Ripe for Picking the Best of B.C. Products SURREY – The fall harvest is underway and British Columbians are encouraged to take advantage of the bounty of fresh, local food as the time for holiday meals approaches. “Surrey farms produce some of the best, local produce available,” says Surrey-Panorama MLA Stephanie Cadieux. “I encourage everyone to enjoy fresh, delicious food and to take this opportunity to support our local economy.” “Establishing relationships with our local farms and supporting their business is an important step in building a strong community,” says Surrey-Tynehead MLA Dave S. Hayer. “Living an active, healthy lifestyle means eating fresh, local produce,” says Surrey-Cloverdale Kevin Falcon. “The ActNow BC initiative says ‘Every move is a good move’ and the best move our residents can make is to buy B.C.” With over 225 agricultural commodities and countless more products available, B.C. has the most diverse agriculture sector in Canada. This diversity means people can source local foods and goods to meet their holiday entertaining needs. “Knowing where your food comes from builds quality relationships between consumers and farmers,” says Minister of Agriculture and Lands Steve Thomson. “As someone who grew up on a family farm, I know the value of this relationship to maintaining a thriving agricultural economy throughout the province.” A visit to a local farm market allows consumers to choose fresh produce and find locally-made foods like jams, juices and sauces. It also means more of a family’s food dollars go to the people who work to produce the food, while directly benefitting the local economy. This Thanksgiving, make a healthy and sustainable choice by buying local. Consumers are reminded to actively seek out their local producers, or look for labels at the supermarket indicating a product’s origins in B.C. To find your local farms, visit www.gov.bc.ca/al and click on the Farm Fresh B.C. Products button or visit www.bcfarmfresh.com. -30- | |
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