Exchange allows similar-sized communities to recognize their strengths, opportunities
Adam Bramburger
Beaver Staff
There’s an old kernel of wisdom about the value of eating where the locals eat — but for a visitor driving off the highway for a first time, that might be easier said than done.
Ontario’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs realized this and created a program called the First Impressions Community Exchange (FICE) to help municipalities learn about that perception. This year, Greater Napanee and Port Hope took part, hoping to give one another insight on how they’re doing to promote local food and serve visitors seeking it.
“We had a team that went to Port Hope and we were basically secret shopping to see how they supported local food — in restaurants, in marketing materials, health food stores, you name it,” said Greater Napanee economic development co-ordinator Annie Manion. “Port Hope also sent a group to Napanee. We are going to get the results from what their volunteers had to say Jan. 21 in the council chambers.”
Manion, who presented her team’s findings in Port Hope last week, said economic development officers weren’t able to give hints about what their cohorts should try. The whole exercise was meant to allow visitors to stumble onto local food experiences using only web and print promotions, signage, and word of mouth.
“All the locals know the farm gates but it was an interesting program to see what people don’t know the area what they can find,” Manion said. “We’ll be getting feedback on what they thought of our Hometown Market, the farm gates they were able to find, and about what they weren’t able to find.”
Manion said she and her volunteers found their presentation in Port Hope was well received, but it lead to a discussion about how one defines local foods. She said there was discussion whether it’s a found in a certain geographic radius or boundary, what percentage of ingredients need to be local, and whether sourcing a food from the closest producer, even if they’re hundreds of kilometres away is close enough.
“We both were trying to figure out what we deem local,” she said.
The local contingent spoke with Port Hope representatives about that community’s concern it loses people to Cobourg and Toronto due to proximity. Volunteers also shared ideas that impressed them, like Port Hope’s ability to have a farmer’s market two days a week.
She believes the Port Hope team will have similarly constructive comments about Greater Napanee’s presentation, including some suggestions and some applause for some neat initiatives.
Overall, Manion said there are many benefits to the community in promotion of local food. It may have fewer toxins than prepackaged food and it also has economic development and tourism benefits.
“When you support local, it goes back into our local economy and feeds jobs. It keeps Napanee going,” she said, adding: “Agri-tourism is on the rise. People are extremely into good food, local food, and pretty food that’s Instagram-able. There’s a new trend where people will go and spend that extra money to know that cheese was from a farm 20 km away. We need to jump on board, that’s a huge tourism attraction.”
With Hwy 401 frontage and people travelling to Kingston or Prince Edward County, Manion said there’s benefit in attracting people to take a slight detour and the cost of maps or signage may be well worth it.
“It’s a two-minute detour to find a hidden gem and that’s helps out a farmer and our tourism. They might spend an extra 10 minutes, but all around it helps the entire community.”
Monday’s meeting is at 10 a.m. The public is welcome. Mayor Marg Isbester, several councillors, local food producers and other dignitaries will be in attendance.