Last week, the BC government announced support for a new food hub in the Creston Valley. This is an exciting announcement for both the Creston Valley and the Central Kootenay region that will bring increased opportunities for farmers and food producers as well as strengthen food security in the Kootenays…
New Regional Food Hub in the Creston Valley Read More »
On February 21st, 14 of our region’s farm leaders in the organic sector came together for the Annual General Meeting of Kootenay Organic Growers (KOGS). As became clear through the various reports from the Board, the organization is in a very positive place…
Kootenay Organic Growers Society AGM Read More »
I started attending Kootenay Organic Growers meetings shortly after a group of farmers came together to form it in the mid 1990’s. The idea was to create a farmer-run organization that would allow local access to certification, keep the costs down, and allow farmers to distinguish themselves from other claims in the marketplace…
Celebrating Kootenay Organic Growers Read More »
I came out as queer in 1993. It had been a long journey, recovering from a childhood marked by sexualized violence that kept me from any notion of sexual choice. When I had finally healed enough to understand who I truly was, it felt amazing. But it was also scary….
Celebrating Diversity, Supporting Choice Read More »
The impact of the pandemic has been felt differently across the Columbia Basin and farming sectors. In order to better understand its impacts and how to provide the supports for adaptation and stronger farm businesses, we have created a survey to learn how last year went and what is being planned for the year ahead.
Survey: Farming in a pandemic Read More »
Our two year project exploring how to use evidence to support resilient food systems in the Central Kootenay wrapped up in December 2020.
Evidence-based Food Policy Project Wraps up Read More »
In January 2020, the Food Policy Council committed to integrating into our work programming focused on systemic racism and food. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted our plans for 2020, just as it has done to everyone, everywhere. Nevertheless, the urgent need to understand how systemic racism is manifested in food systems has only been highlighted by the events of 2020…
Food Justice & the Food Policy Council Read More »
Five years ago, on December 12th, the Paris Climate Agreement came into being. It gave people hope that at long last the political leaders of countries around the world were taking climate change seriously enough to set ambitious targets that reflect the gravity of the existential threat that faces the planet. In the intervening years we have seen a few measures taken that reflect the seriousness of the crisis before us…
The next Central Kootenay Food Policy Council Meeting is happening on Monday December 14th from 1 – 2:30pm PST via Zoom. Everyone is welcome to attend. If you’re interested in attending for the first time, please contact Abra. The Zoom meeting link can be found in the Agenda.
Join us December 14th for our next Council Meeting Read More »
When I moved to the Kootenays in 1990, my first major social outing exposed me to the cannabis trade in the region. As a non-smoker, I have never indulged, but as someone working on food systems and agriculture, it was always evident to me that cannabis is inextricably linked to the food economy of our region. There is plenty of academic and anecdotal evidence that connects cannabis to countercultural influences. Perhaps it is linked to the ancient practices and cultures of the Indigenous peoples in this region, but the Kootenays has long attracted successive waves of non-conforming groups…
Cannabis & the Food Policy Council Read More »
