Image Credit: CFJC Today

By Amandalina Letterio

CLIMATE CHANGE

Kamloops needs more local food production, says Food Policy Council

Jan 14, 2022 | 3:46 PM

KAMLOOPS — At a Kamloops City Council meeting on Tuesday (Jan. 14), The Kamloops Food Policy Council delivered a presentation that outlines the region’s need for more local food production after the challenges 2021 brought.

The British Columbia food supply chain has been interrupted or delayed by the floods, wildfires and the pandemic — and with most food deliveries coming from the Lower Mainland, the Kamloops Food Policy Council says there is a major need for local food production.

“The more that we think about food security, both on an individual level at home but also throughout the community, the more self sufficient we’ll be, the more food secure we’ll be, the less panic there will be in times of emergency, and the more resilient we’ll be in climate change,” explained Bonnie Klohn, Kamloops Food Policy Lead.

Klohn told CFJC News that some solutions are starting backyard or community gardens and even ensuring no food goes to waste.

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“The Gleaning Abundance program that the Food Policy Council runs — you know, if you’re not going to eat all of your fruit, give us a call and we’ll come and take it and distribute it throughout the community,” she continued.

Another option is to encourage more farming in the Interior region.

“With careful planning, you could have locally grown food for pretty much the entire year,” said Greg Unger, Kamloops Farmer’s Market manager.

He pointed out that the growing season in Kamloops is from March to November, but from December to February it’s too cold for fresh crops. However, there are ways around it.

“There’s plenty that you could grow that cellars well, like that you can store in a cold cellar or are refrigerator. Like potatoes, squash, garlic — we grow plenty of that around here as well.” Said Unger.

Unger explained that there are plenty of eager local farmers that want to sell their food. But according to Klohn, food processing is often an obstacle.

“Putting infrastructure in place for food entrepreneurs and farmers to both have more stability in their livelihoods and also be able to supply local food to our community is absolutely vital at this time,” said Klohn.

The Kamloops Food Policy Council is developing a food hub on the North Shore called the stir. It’s a food processing facility for local farmers and food entrepreneurs to dehydrate, preserve and deliver food. The facility is set to open in the coming months and the goal is to encourage more local food production.