Community Food Action E-Brief #37 - November 29, 2007
The goal of the Community Food Action Initiative (CFAI) is to increase food security
for all British Columbians. YOU are the heroes of this initiative, the individuals
and community groups who are planning community food forums, mapping community
assets, assessing your local food systems, working to protect traditional food
sources, running community gardens and community kitchens, teaching cooking and
nutrition skills, forming food policy councils, feeding the hungry, eating local
food, and so much more.
In this issue:
Local Connections
* City of Vernon supports Food Security and Regional <> Food Systems Planning
* Charitable food providers consider <> "FoodShare" model
* Healthy Food on the Menu at UBC Okanagan <>
* Penticton Mayor Supports Idea of <> Agricultural Heritage Park
* South Okanagan Similkameen Food Security <> Presentation to Social Development
Committee
* New Oxford American Dictionary Announces Word of <> the Year
* Food Security in Golden Official Community <> Plan
* North Okanagan Regional District Hires Meat <> Rules Consultant
* North Okanagan Regional District Turns Down <> Application for Seniors Housing on
Agricultural Land
Learning Opportunities
* NEW What's the Future of Agritourism in Canada? <> Opportunities and Challenges
* NEW Prairie Heritage Beef at Next Meal <> & Spiel, Kelowna November 28
* Women in Agriculture Conference, Penticton, March <> 14-15, 2008
Funding
* NEW Dash Meia Cooking and Skill Building Equipment and Resource <>
Grants, February 1, 2008
* NEW Funding Opportunity for Accessible Playgrounds, January 15, 2008
* New Horizons for Seniors Programs <> , December 14
* Vancouver Foundation Community Impact <> Grants, Letter of Intent Jan 17, 2008
* Geoconnections Funding for Community <> Mapping, February 1, 2008
(Letter of Intent)
* Measuring Up Accessibility and Inclusion <> Fund, January 31
Tools and Resources
* Aboriginal Health Research Abstract <> Database
* New sustainable food purchasing policy guide <> available
Food & Environment
* Facing a Threat to Farming and Food <> Supply
* EU Officials Propose Ban on Genetically Modified <> Corn Seeds
* Agricultural Practices Lead to Bee Colony <> Collapse
* Study Shows Organic Agriculture Outperforms <> Conventional
Food & Health
* Health Canada consultations on health claims <> for food
* Old MacDonald had a Farm - And He Got <> Arrested?
* Unpasteurised Milk: In The Raw <>
* How the Food System Itself Impacts <> Disease
* Hunger Count 2007 <>
* Evidence Links GM Foods to <> Allergies
* Weight Study Results Baffle Health Researchers <>
Food Safety
* Expanded Health Hazard Alert - Certain Beef <> Products May Contain E. coli
O157:H7 Bacteria
* Bovine TB Forces Cattle Cull in BC, AB <>
School Food
* School Gardens Curriculum <> Downloads
Good Food
* Get Local is New, Metro Vancouver Entry into Locavore Scene
Indigenous Food Sovereignty
* Closing the Gap (BC Almanac <> archives)
* Disappearing, Displaced, and <> Undervalued: A Call to Action for Indigenous
Health Worldwide
Social Determinants
* Cost of Eating in BC 2007
* Raven and Jason, Life <> & Love on Vancouver's Mean Streets
* When Handouts Keep Coming, The Food Line Never <> Ends
* Eroding Tax Fairness: Tax Incidence in Canada, <> 1990 to 2005
LOCAL CONNECTIONS
City of Vernon supports Food Security and Regional Food Systems Planning
[Thanks to Wendy Aasen, North Okanagan Food Action Coalition. Ed. note: I managed to
clip off the last paragraph in e-brief #36. It's too good to just let it go.] After
a presentation from the North Okanagan Food Action Coalition, the City of Vernon
resolved to:
* Support the North Okanagan Food Action Coalition's vision of food
security in principle
* Support this vision in the Official Community Plan where it is
feasible (i.e. community and neighborhood gardens)
* Support development of an Agricultural Area Plan following the OCP
review
* And further, that Council supports and refers, the North Okanagan
Food Action Coalition's request to support "food systems planning" in the
pending Regional Growth Strategy to the Regional District of the North
Okanagan for consideration, regardless of forthcoming, third party, funding
support.
Just prior to this request, the North Okanagan Food Action Coalition encouraged the
RDNO to consider sending in an Expression of Interest to the UBCM Community Health
Promotion Fund to begin data gathering that will inform a Regional Food Systems Plan
which would build regional food self-reliance, a local food economy, and increased
food security for the area. This received unanimous Regional Board support and the
Expression of Interest has been sent in.
Charitable food providers consider "FoodShare" model
[Thanks to Wendy Aasen] At a recent meeting with the key charitable food providers
in the Vernon area, the group decided to begin exploring a foodshare model that
would increase healthy food recovery and improve distribution efficiencies among
organizations. They have also agreed to give greater consideration to disease
prevention and management by using a set of guidelines that will be developed by
local nutrition experts. The North Okanagan Food Action Coalition and the Social
Planning Council for the North Okanagan will continue to develop this model with
local charitable groups and are encouraged by this display of cooperative effort.
HEALTHY FOOD ON THE MENU AT UBC OKANAGAN
[Thanks to Claire Budgen, UBC-O School of Nursing] Students and organizational
leaders at UBC Okanagan are celebrating their project listening to - and acting on -
health concerns of the campus community. One of the things they will be talking
about is their plans for healthy food, and they're walking the talk by serving
organic food along with the refreshments. November 27, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Student
Service Foyer and Courtyard. For more information contact Claire Budgen at
250-807-9204
Penticton major supports idea of agricultural heritage pare
[Thanks to Christine Schwarz] During the November 5 council meeting Mayor Jake
Kimberley of Penticton stated that he would like to see the Munson Mountain property
turn into an agricultural heritage park in collaboration with Summerland Research
Station, showcasing the variety of fruit developed in the South Okanagan. This
property was proposed to be turned into an extensive soft-ball field complex. For
video of the statement see:
http://www.penticton.ca/city/council/meetings/2007/11/2007-11-05-VideoRe...
click Video 1 and go to 2 hours 9 minutes for mayor's statements.
South Okanagan similkameen food security presentation to social development committee
On November 8, Christine Schwarz, Community Developer for Food Security in the South
Okanagan Similkameen, and Thomas Tumbach, Food Security Advisory Committee Member
and Healthy Harvest Box Coordinator, gave a presentation on food security and the
current development of a Community Food Plan to the Social Development Committee of
the City of Penticton. The presentation was well received and sparked some good
discussions and was extremely timely due to the current Munson Mountain debate on
council, as Councillor Garry Litke pointed out. Christine and Thomas are invited
back to present the final draft of the Food Plan in March, 2008.
NEW OXFORD AMERICAN DICTIONARY ANNOUNCES WORD OF THE YEAR
So, OK, maybe this isn't a local connection in terms of BC or the Interior, but it's
connected with the local foods interest that's gaining ground so: The 2007 Word of
the Year is (drum-roll please) locavore. The past year saw the popularization of a
trend in using locally grown ingredients, taking advantage of seasonally available
foodstuffs that can be bought and prepared without the need for extra preservatives.
The "locavore" movement encourages consumers to buy from farmers' markets or even to
grow or pick their own food, arguing that fresh, local products are more nutritious
and taste better. Locavores also shun supermarket offerings as an environmentally
friendly measure, since shipping food over long distances often requires more fuel
for transportation. http://blog.oup.com/2007/11/locavore/
FOOD SECURITY IN GOLDEN OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN
[Thanks to Cathie Green for the URL] Golden is one of many communities around the
province working on revisions to an Official Community Plan (OCP). Among the
Steering Committee vision and goals:
* Dedicate specific land for long-term food security purposes within the Town
boundary (community gardens) and encourage dedication of lands for agricultural
purposes outside the Town boundary (CSRD).
* Implement "community gardens" for sense of place and as food security in
multi-family developments and redevelopments as well as other areas. Identify
locations for a community garden and secure Town support for it.
Take a look at the Golden OCP here -
http://www.town.golden.bc.ca/whatsnew/index.php?cmd=news
&SUID=&id=145. OCPs can be found on all municipal Web sites. Public reviews are an
opportunity to help shape the communities we live in.
north okanagan regional district hires meat rules consultant
The regional district is getting behind a plan to help farmers affected by BC's new
meat inspection regulations. NORD and Community Futures will share the $6500 cost
for a consultant to prepare a report on the impact the rules have had on the area.
Ad-hoc committee member Buffy Baumbrough says the study will show the province that
there is a demand for more licensed slaughtering facilities. "Once we have that and
are able to demonstrate to them that it isn't just anecdotal, it isn't just some one
saying - there's insufficient capacity - we can demonstrate to them that we don't
(have sufficient capacity) then we can begin to negotiate further and lobby for
further support to help get the slaughtering capacity." The consultant will complete
the report by late December due to the urgency. All local producers and processors
are invited to attend a meeting with the consultant Wednesday November 14 at 7:00 pm
at the Schubert Centre.
http://www.1075kiss.com/news/headlines/ (Nov 8 Local Headlines)
NORTH OKANAGAN REGIONAL DISTRICT TURNS DOWN APPLICATION FOR SENIORS HOUSING ON
AGRICULTURAL LAND
A proposal for seniors housing on agricultural land in the B-X, has been shot down
by NORD directors. A developer called Focus Corporation had proposed 20 bungalow
units on four acres along Star Road, looking to meet the demand for seniors housing
outside the city core. However, NORD staff recommended against using farm land for
the development, and 18 nearby residents signed a petition against it. Opponent
Alain Roy told NORD the homes would change the character of their rural
neighbourhood and put stress on the water system.
(Nov 8 Local Headlines)
Learning Opportunities
NEW WHAT'S THE FUTURE OF AGRITOURISM IN CANADA? OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES
[Thanks to Keith Duhaime, Agricultural Support Officer, Central Okanagan Regional
District] This is a reminder to join us on Monday, Nov. 26 at 9 am Pacific time to
join us in a web seminar with Brent Warner. He will cover what agritourism is and
why it is now not only the fastest growing tourism product in the world, but also a
real part of the agriculture industry. He will discuss challenges that impact the
operators and ways to organize and get beyond these problems (examples such as
location signage, quality of the product, etc.) He will also talk about how to
professionalize the industry so that it is really tourism ready and the benefits to
regional development of these new rural tourism products. And finally, he will
document some of the amazing statistics and individual success stories that cut
across all agricultural commodities so that all producers and communities can see
there may be an opportunity for them. For more information and/or to register, go
to: http://www.agriwebinar.com/speakers/2008/b_warner.php
NEW PRAIRIE HERITAGE BEEF AT NEXT MEAL & SPIEL, KELOWNA, NOVEMBER 28
Thanks to Keith Duhaime, Agricultural Support Officer, Central Okanagan Regional
District]
On Nov. 28, the Okanagan Agrifutures program in conjunction with Ducks Unlimited
Canada, the BC Agritourism Alliance, and the District of Lake Country Chamber of
Commerce will be holding its next 'Meal & Spiel'. Special guest spieler is Dr.
Christoph Weder of Prairie Heritage Beef, a unique partnership of farming families
who are discovering how to improve their farms' incomes and viability through value
chain management that captures the value that consumers place in more sustainable
and environmentally friendly farming practices. In addition, we will also have
brief presentations from Brent Warner, Agri-tourism specialist with BC Ministry of
Agriculture and Lands, and Carolyn Carr, Marketing Director with Thompson Okanagan
Tourism Association. The meal will feature Prairie Heritage Beef and begin at 4:30
pm. There is limited capacity for the meal, so it will be first come, first served
and interested attendees are STRONGLY encouraged to RSVP. Meal cost is $15. The
spiel is open and free to everyone, and begins at 5:30 pm. For more information on
this event, contact keith@okanaganagrifutures.com.
PRO BONO LAW OF BC FREE NON PROFIT SEMINARS
[Thanks to Cathie Green, Community Development Facilitator] Pro Bono Law of BC
(PBLBC) is pleased to announce that free non-profit law seminars will be held in
each of Cranbrook, Vancouver, Prince George, and Terrace in late 2007 and early 2008
as part of its Solicitors' Program. The half-day seminars will be conducted by
volunteer lawyers with the Program and will provide legal information and advice to
community organizations of limited means in areas such as employment law,
incorporation, charitable registration, board governance, privacy law, directors'
liability and contracts. We are currently contacting non-profit organizations
located within and around the four seminar locations in order to determine overall
interest in attending the free seminar. PBLBC also welcomes suggestions for
non-profit law topics that you would like to see included in the seminar. The
Cranbrook seminar is tentatively scheduled for January 2008. The specific date for
the seminar will be confirmed once we have determined the level of interest from the
non-profit community. If you or someone from your organization is interested in
attending the free seminar or if you would like to learn more about PBLBC and the
services we offer, please visit www.probononet.bc.ca
, or inquire by email at aanderson@probononet.bc.ca or by phone at 604-893-8932.
WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE CONFERENCE, PENTICTON, MARCH 14-15, 2008
[Thanks to Christine Schwarz, Food Security Community Developer, South Okanagan
Similkameen] Keynote speakers will be Val Roddick, MLA for Delta South and
Parliamentary Secretary for the Committee on Agricultural Planning, and Gwendolyn
Simpson, owner/operator of "Inspired Market Gardens" in Carvel, Alberta. She is
also a motivational speaker/trainer. Workshops include mentoring for women in
agriculture, consumers and food security, products and markets, and much more. For
more information contact Laurel Burnham,
laburnham@shaw.ca.
FOOD SAFE TRAINING READILY AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT BC
Whether you work in the food services industry or just want to be sure you
understand how to handle food safely, you can sign up for the FOODSAFE Training
Program. Developed in BC, FOODSAFE is also used across Canada and around the world.
To find a program near you, check out the searchable database at
http://www.foodsafe.ca/FSCourses.htm. If you have questions about training,
regulations or food safety issues, contact the nearest Public Health Inspection
office, http://www.foodsafe.ca/FSHealthAuthorities.htm#IHA.
For dozens of links to food safety resources, check out
http://www.foodsafe.ca/FSLinks.htm.
FUNDING
NEW DASH MEIA COOKING AND SKILL BUILDING EQUIPMENT AND RESOURCE GRANTS, FEBRUARY 1,
2008
DASH BC is pleased to announce the remaining Cooking and Skill Building project
equipment and resource funding will be made available in a third funding cycle
beginning January 2008. The project provides grants for equipment and "how to"
learning resources for community agencies throughout BC providing hands-on cooking
and nutritional skill building programs for adults and families living with limited
income. Priority will be given to agencies who DID NOT receive funding in cycle one
and two of the project. Community agencies who previously received funding can
re-apply to address additional equipment and resource needs and will be granted
based on availability of funding. Cycle Three applications will be available on the
DASH website in the first week of January, http://www.dashbc.org. DEADLINE for
submission of applications is February 1, 2008 with funds to be distributed mid
March 2008. For more information contact DASH BC at info@dashbc.org or call
604-583-6047
NEW FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FOR ACCESSIBLE PLAYGROUNDS, JANUARY 15, 2008
Thanks to Barbara Oates McMillan Community Foundations of Canada, & Brandon Hughes]
Let's Play is a new program to contribute to the construction and renovation of
accessible play spaces in British Columbia. A joint initiative of the Rick Hansen
Foundation and the Province of British Columbia, Let's Play offers grants for the
creation of accessible, public play spaces for children ages 0-6 in B.C., and builds
awareness about accessible play and related best practices. Grants of up to $50,000
are available for accessible play space projects that focus primarily on
accommodating children 0-6 years old and caregivers with mobility-related
disabilities. Funds may be applied to new construction, renovation of an existing
space, and/or the purchase of equipment. The application deadline for the first
cycle will be Tuesday January 15, 2008. Successful applicants will be announced in
March 2008 and grants distributed in May 2008. For more information on Let's Play,
please visit the website at http://www.rickhansen.com/play or call the Let's Play
Coordinator at (604) 709-6320.
NEW HORIZONS FOR SENIORS PROGRAMS, December 14
[Thanks to Louise Renaud, Service Canada, & Brandon Hughes] The New Horizons for
Seniors Program is inviting non-profit organizations to apply for two new types of
funding until December 14, 2007. An additional $10 million per year has been added
to the Program's budget to support two new types of funding: Capital Assistance
Funding provides grant funding of up to $25,000 to non-profit organizations for
upgrading community facilities and equipment related to existing programs and
activities for seniors. Elder Abuse Awareness Funding provides contribution funding
up to $250,000 to non-profit organizations for national or regional projects that
raise awareness to help reduce the incidence of elder abuse and fraud. Eligible
applicants for Capital Assistance Funding are non-profit organizations which have
been delivering community programs and activities for seniors for at least the past
two years. This includes seniors clubs, seniors' centres, ethno cultural
organizations, service clubs and aboriginal organizations. Eligible applicants for
Elder Abuse Awareness Funding are non-profit organizations or coalitions with
knowledge and expertise in the field of elder abuse and fraud and/or the capacity to
promote educational programming or awareness initiatives related to elder abuse and
fraud. To obtain further information on the New Horizons Program and community
information sessions scheduled in November and December contact: 1 - 866 - 317 -
8555. The Capital Assistance and Elder Abuse Awareness Applications 2007-2008 and
Guidelines can be found on the following websites:
http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/community_partnerships/seniors/index.shtml;
http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/home.shtml; or
http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/en/audiences/seniors/index.shtml.
Vancouver Foundation Community Impacts Grants, Letter of Intent JAN 17, 2008
Through the Community Impact Grants Program, Vancouver Foundation is interested in
exploring ways to address the most compelling needs across BC. Submit a Letter of
Inquiry by January 17, 2008. Deadline for proposals will be February 28, 2008. Read
the guidelines carefully, at
http://www.vancouverfoundation.bc.ca/grants/applyingforcommunity.htm.
GeoConnections funding for community mapping, FEBRUARY 1, 2008 (letter of intent)
The objective of this announcement of opportunity (AO) is to solicit letters of
intent for projects that will ultimately account for, build and draw upon
distributed sources of geospatial information over the Internet. Projects will
address specific issues within one of four priority areas: public health, public
safety and security, environment and sustainable development, and matters of
importance to Aboriginal People. Projects should assess and make use of the
policies, standards, technologies, services and datasets that comprise the Canadian
Geospatial Data Infrastructure (CGDI) and facilitate information sharing in support
of decision making. Furthermore, projects funded through this announcement of
opportunity will build capacity within user groups, and also promote, expand, and
increase the use of the CGDI.
http://www.geoconnections.org/en/opportunities/fa=IAO7.xxxxx1
Measuring Up Accessibility and Inclusion Fund, August 31 (also January 31, June 30
and December 31, 2008)
[Thanks to Brandon Hughes] - 2010 Legacies Now has received a $2-million grant from
the Province of BC to establish the Measuring Up Accessibility and Inclusion Fund.
This fund will support community projects aiming to improve how people with
disabilities can actively participate in, and contribute to, their communities. The
fund, which provides approximately 70 grants of up to $25,000, supports the
provincial government's goal to build the best system of support in Canada for
people with disabilities. For more information on the Measuring Up Accessibility and
Inclusion Fund, please contact Cynthia McEwan at (778) 840-5169. Measuring
Up Accessibility and Inclusion Fund Application in PDF
Measuring
Up Accessibility and Inclusion Fund Application in Word format
[Top] <>
TOOLS & RESOURCES
ABORIGINAL HEALTH RESEARCH ABSTRACT DATABASE
[Thanks to NEARBC - Network Environments for Aboriginal Research BC] NEARBC has
launched the first stage of the Aboriginal Health Research Abstract Database. This
initiative is a result of consultations with the Aboriginal community members who
wished to have access to information that would assist communities in defining
future health research questions. The Aboriginal Health Research Abstract Database
features five health areas that provide communities and researchers with a wealth of
information in the following categories: diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, fetal
alcohol spectrum disorder, tobacco, injury and suicide.
New sustainable food purchasing policy guide available
The Sustainable Food Policy Project announced this week the completion of a new
Guide to Developing a Sustainable Food Purchasing Policy (
http://www.foodalliance.org/sustainablefoodpolicy/sfpg.pdf). The guide is intended
to help universities, colleges, hospitals, and other institutions - as well as those
advocating for food system change - create, promote and implement practical
sustainable food purchasing policies. It can be downloaded along with related policy
examples at
http://www.sustainablefoodpolicy.org.
Food & Agriculture
STUDY SHOWS ORGANIC AGRICULTURE OUTPERFORMS CONVENTIONAL
After nine years of comparison, the clear differences between organic and
conventional crop production systems are emerging: the longer rotations and careful
management of the organic system show greater yields, increased profitability, and
steadily improved soil quality over conventional practices. Those are the
conclusions drawn from experimental plots set up at the Iowa State University
Neely-Kinyon Research Farm near Greenfield. The plots are part of the Long-Term
Agro-ecological Research (LTAR) initiative led by Kathleen Delate of the ISU
agronomy and horticulture departments and supported by the Leopold Center for
Sustainable Agriculture since 1997. The study is believed to be the largest
randomized, replicated comparison of organic and conventional crops in the U.S.
http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/news/newsreleases/2007/organic_111307.htm
FOOD & environment
FACING A THREAT TO FARMING AND FOOD SUPPLY
Climate change may be global in its sweep, but not all of the globe's citizens will
share equally in its woes. And nowhere is that truth more evident, or more
worrisome, than in its projected effects on agriculture. Several recent analyses
have concluded that the higher temperatures expected in coming years-along with salt
seepage into groundwater as sea levels rise and anticipated increases in flooding
and droughts-will disproportionately affect agriculture in the planet's lower
latitudes, where most of the world's poor live.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/18/AR200711...
EU OFFICIALS PROPOSE BAN ON GENETICALLY MODIFIED CORN SEEDS
European Union environment officials have determined that two kinds of genetically
modified corn could harm butterflies, modify food chains and disturb life in rivers
and streams, and they have proposed a ban on the sale of the seeds, which are made
by Pioneer Hi-Bred, Dow Agrosciences and Syngenta.
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/11/21/business/GMO.php
AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES LEAD TO BEE COLONY COLLAPSE
Colony collapse disorder may be as much a symptom of bad agricultural management as
mad-cow disease among ruminants fed industrial animal feed or wasting viral diseases
afflicting crowded pig factories or explosions of sea lice among farmed salmon.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20071103.BEES03/TPStory...
Food & Health
Health Canada Consultations on health claims for food
Health Canada is beginning consultations on Canada's framework for the management of
health claims for food. The objective is to increase government efficiency and
flexibility in the approval of health claims, while retaining high standards of
oversight to ensure their credibility. To this end, we are seeking input on the
management of health claims from a wide variety of stakeholders, including health
professionals, consumers, health/disease organizations, academia, industry, and
other federal, provincial, territorial or municipal government representatives.
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/consultation/init/man-gest_health_claims-al...
Regional workshops on the discussion document will be held in late January and early
February 2008. For more information on workshop dates and locations, please visit
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/public-consult/consultations/col/health_c...
OLD MACDONALD HAD A FARM-AND HE GOT ARRESTED?
Rapidly growing numbers of Americans are embracing the romantic notion of buying
food directly from area farmers, sometimes driving hours into the countryside to buy
veggies, meat and milk. But federal and state regulators are raising concerns about
safety. As the re-emergence of a farm-to-consumer economy draws increasing amounts
of cash out of the mass-production factory system, the new movement is bumping up
against suddenly energized regulators who want to protect consumers from pathogens
and other dangers. http://www.thenation.com/doc/20071203/gumpert
UNPASTEURISED MILK: IN THE RAW
A study published in The Internet Journal of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology found
that raw milk reduced children's risk of suffering allergy-related conditions by up
to 40 per cent. There are overall nutritional benefits, too. Unlike heat-treated
milk, it is full of beneficial gut bacteria, known to improve digestion and
immunity. Raw milk contains a full complement of folic acid, B vitamins, vitamin C,
omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients that are partially or completely destroyed
in pasteurisation. Raw milk drinkers also benefit from digestive enzymes, as well as
something called Wulzen factor, a compound that combats arthritis and arterial
stiffening. The product remains controversial, though. It is potentially a source of
food- poisoning bugs such as salmonella, listeria and E.coli. In Britain, the Food
Standards Agency says tests on raw milk show that it can contain illness-causing
pathogens.
http://www.independent.ie/health/diet-fitness/unpasteurised-milk-in-the-...
HOW THE FOOD SYSTEM ITSELF IMPACTS DISEASE
On this broadcast, we listen in on segments from a presentation by British Columbia
Ministry of Agriculture's Brent Warner. Brent was invited to speak at an event
hosted by
of local food systems impact human health. As the economic health of local farmers
also ensures the health of the population, today's broadcast is laying out some of
the key concerns for British Columbians leading up to the year 2017.
http://www.cjly.net/deconstructingdinner/102507.htm
HUNGER COUNT 2007
The latest Hunger Count shows a 3.6% drop in food bank usage in BC, with the total
of people served still at 76,514. Over a third of the people served by BC food banks
are children. (BC has the highest child poverty rate in Canada.) For the full
report, see
http://www.cafb-acba.ca/english/EducationandResearch-ResearchStudies.htm....
EVIDENCE LINKS GM FOODS TO ALLERGIES
The November 1, 2007, Genetic Engineering News carries a well researched article
questioning the safety of genetically modified foods. The article includes an
excerpt from a new book, Genetic Roulette: The documented health risks of
genetically engineered foods. The book documents lab animals with damage to
virtually every system studied; thousands of sick, sterile, or dead livestock; and
people around the world who have traced toxic or allergic reactions to eating GM
products, breathing GM pollen, or touching GM crops at harvest. It also exposes many
incorrect assumptions that were used to support GM approvals.
http://www.genengnews.com/articles/chitem.aspx?aid=2252
WEIGHT STUDY RESULTS BAFFLE HEALTH RESEARCHERS
Being 25 pounds overweight doesn't appear to raise your risk of dying from cancer or
heart disease, says a new government study that seems to vindicate Grandma's claim
that a few extra pounds won't kill you.
http://www.thestar.com/living/Health/article/274118
FOOD SAFETY
EXPANDED HEALTH HAZARD ALERT - CERTAIN BEEF PRODUCTS MAY CONTAIN E. coli O157:H7
BACTERIA
OTTAWA, November 13, 2007 - The public warning issued on November 6, 2007 has been
expanded to include additional stores and products. The Canadian Food Inspection
Agency (CFIA) is warning the public not to consume the various beef products
described below because these products may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7
bacteria. The affected products are described on the site and are being recalled as
a result of the CFIA's investigation and traceback conducted on contaminated beef
involving Ranchers Beef Ltd.(Establishment 630), Balzac, Alberta. See the list of
products -
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2007/20071113e.sht.... The
affected products described above are likely no longer available for sale. Consumers
who may have previously purchased these products and still have them in their
freezers, are advised not to consume these products. For more information,
consumers and industry can call the CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735
(8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday). For information on E. coli
O157:H7, visit the Food Facts web page at
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/cause/ecolie.shtml.
BOVINE TB FORCES CATTLE CULL IN BC, AB
About 470 cattle in British Columbia and Alberta will have to be destroyed after a
random test showed a bull that had lived in both provinces had bovine tuberculosis.
As many as 30 farms in the two provinces have been quarantined, although no
additional infected animals have been found, according to the Canadian Food
Inspection Agency. The CFIA found a bull with the disease at a slaughterhouse in
Quebec in August, veterinarian Maria Koller-Jones said.
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2007/11/11/bovine-tb.html
School Food
SCHOOL GARDENS CURRICULUM DOWNLOADS
CHANGE (Cultivating Health and Nutrition through Gardening Education) is a 40-lesson
curriculum for primary and intermediate grades. Thanks to King County Extension in
Washington, the entire curriculum is available for download at
http://king.wsu.edu/nutrition/CHANGEpdfs.htm.
Good Food
GET LOCAL IS NEW, METRO VANCOUVER ENTRY INTO LOCAVORE SCENE
[Thanks to Abra Brynne] Get Local is a community of BC food producers, businesses,
and groups working together to promote eating locally in the Metro Vancouver area.
Get Local offers education about the benefits of eating locally, a growing list of
businesses that are producing and selling local food, and a wealth of other
resources to help you "Get Local. Think "LOCAL" and "BC" first. Enjoy the bounty our
province offers. Your consumer dollar can help create a healthy food system for
British Columbia - now and for the future. While you're on the Web site, check out
the trailer for the new film on local foods, Tableland, which features many BC
producers. http://www.getlocalbc.org/en/what.php
INDIGENOUS FOOD SOVEREIGNTY
Closing the Gap (BC Almanac archives)
[Thanks to Dawn Morrison, Working Group on Indigenous Food Sovereignty] CBC's Mark
Forsyth interviewed people around the province, asking about the health gap between
Aboriginal people and other British Columbians. The week-long program included
discussions about diabetes, traditional diets, the impacts of colonization, and how
the gap can be closed. http://www.cbc.ca/bcalmanac/feature-closing.html
DISAPPEARING, DISPLACED, AND UNDERVALUED: A CALL TO ACTION FOR INDIGENOUS HEALTH
WORLDWIDE
[When this report appeared in The Lancet in 2006, the following quote jumped out for
me. It is from a series of reports on indigenous health, all of which are worth
reading.] "Our final call to action is for all health professionals to respect
Indigenous peoples for their wisdom, not argue for them as though they are
problematic victims. As Reading notes 'in the past and in the present, research
studies and media reports have focused on pathology and dysfunction in aboriginal
communities.' Yet Indigenous peoples are the guardians of the natural world,
protecting many of the plants that form the basis of our most important medicines.
Indigenous peoples have sophisticated ideas of health and wellbeing, notions that
are closer than most western views to the aspirational definition of the World Heath
Organisation. Health for many Indigenous peoples is not merely absence of ill
health, but also a state of spiritual, communal, and ecosystem equilibrium and
wellbeing."
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140673606688922/fu...
Social Determinant
RAVEN AND JASON, LIFE & LOVE ON VANCOUVER'S MEAN STREETS
Globe & Mail video follows Raven and Jason, two people whose relationship is a note
of grace in their struggle to live with addictions, HIV, and lack of health and
social services.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/ravenandjason
WHEN HANDOUTS KEEP COMING, THE FOOD LINE NEVER ENDS
America's far-flung network of emergency food programs -- from Second Harvest to
tens of thousands of neighborhood food pantries -- constitutes one of the largest
charitable institutions in the nation. Its vast base of volunteers and donors and
its ever-expanding distribution infrastructure have made it a powerful force in
shaping popular perceptions of domestic hunger and other forms of need. But in the
end, one of its most lasting effects has been to sidetrack efforts to eradicate
hunger and its root cause, poverty.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/16/AR200711...
Eroding Tax fairness: TAX INCIDENCE IN CANADA, 1990 TO 2005
[Thanks to SDOH listserv] This study from the Canadian Centre for Policy
Alternatives is the first comprehensive review of tax changes at all levels of
government in Canada within the past 15 years. The study finds the top 1 percent of
families in 2005 paid a lower total tax rate than the bottom 10 percent of families.
Cost of Eating in BC 2007
Dietitians of Canada, BC Region in partnership with the Community Nutritionists
Council of BC produced this 2007 report to demonstrate that some groups within our
population are denied the right to safe and nutritious food due to limited financial
resources. In the repot, BC dietitians call for practical and achievable solutions
to poverty - to establish its reduction as an important policy goal, to base income
assistance rates on actual costs of shelter, food and other necessities, to increase
minimum wage and to adequately support social housing and food security initiatives.
http://www.dietitians.ca/resources/resourcesearch.asp?fn=view
http://www.dietitians.ca/resources/resourcesearch.asp?fn=view&contentid=...
&contentid=1944
___________________________________________________________________________________
Food action e-briefs are an information service bringing news of food and activity
initiatives and research. The news items are for information only and do not reflect
any official viewpoint of Interior Health.
Thanks to Mechelle Danker for her help in collating and formatting the e-brief.
Please forward freely, and send your food action news to Cathryn Wellner,
cathryn.wellner@interiorhealth.ca.
