The Community Carrot and FarmWorks are pleased to announce a collaboration that will help Nova Scotia farmers grow more of the fresh, local, healthy produce Haligonians are increasingly demanding in their grocery carts and on their kitchen tables.
FarmWorks Investment Co-operative Limited promotes increased food production and distribution in Nova Scotia by raising Community Economic Development Investment Funds (CEDIF) that are invested strategically in agricultural and food enterprises. Briefly, a CEDIF is a pool of capital formed from the sale of shares within a defined community (Nova Scotia), which is then invested in local businesses.
On January 31st FarmWorks is meeting with interested Haligonians as it launches its second CEDIF process, with a goal of raising $250,000 in capital. Nova Scotian farmers and food producers can then apply for loans from FarmWorks directly or using its innovative Gentle Dragons application process. Recipients of last year’s CEDIF include: Pie r Squared, Stewart's Organic Farm, Big Spruce Brewing, Kingsville Farm, Valley Flaxflour, Oakview Farm, Meander River Farm, Meadowbrook Meat Market and Fenol Farm.
FarmWorks is committed to increasing the capacity of Nova Scotian farmers and food producers to provide food for its citizens. It is essential to nourish the ‘green shoots’ of food production for economic development, health, security, and to satisfy growing consumer demand for eating local. And we know that it is time for Nova Scotians to ‘stop eating other people’s lunch’ and to provide our own. We don’t need to buy lettuce, cucumbers & tomatoes from halfway around the world when wonderful food is being grown on great farms in our own backyard.
2010 estimates indicate 10,575 NS jobs in primary agriculture, non-fishery food & beverage manufacturing. Add in food wholesalers/distributors, grocery, food and beverage stores and restaurants and the agri-food industry (less fisheries) employed 58,323: over 13% of provincial employment. Nova Scotia saw a 3% increase in the number of farms from 2006 to 2011.
We invite you to join us from 7-9 p.m. on January 31st at Room #303, Dalhousie Students Union Building to learn about FarmWorks, investing in the CEDIF, the Gentle Dragons and to meet some of our amazing farmers and food producers.
The Community Carrot is pleased to support this FarmWorks CEDIF initiative because we know the more farm fresh produce that Nova Scotia creates the easier and more cost effectively we can provide Gottingen St. residents with the healthy groceries they seek.
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