Where will YOUR Food come From?

This sad little article I noted recently, is a sign of the times. Just one in another long line of food processors leaving this province. It begs the question; just where ARE they going TO?

CanGro to close; Local peach growers to make tough decisions
Posted By BOB BOUGHNER
Posted 5 days ago

The imminent closure of a fruit processing plant in St. Davids will leave nearly a dozen Chatham-Kent farmers without a market for their peaches and pears.

"It will leave me with little choice but to rip out my 17 acres of processing peach trees," veteran Cedar Springs farmer John McGuigan said Friday.

The owner of McGuigan Orchards said growers were informed a few weeks ago that the CanGro Fruit Canning Plant in St. Davids, near St. Catharines, will close March 31.

Both the company's St. Davids facility and another in Exeter are scheduled for closure unless a buyer is found. "That's highly unlikely," said McGuigan. "It's cheaper for processors to import peaches from China and Greece than it is to grow them here."

McGuigan said the plant closure would remove any market for clingstone peaches or peaches grown specifically for the processing industry. (more...)

It amazes me that a company one would hope is looking towards its future growth, etc., would make such a stupid move. Have they not been listening to Ontario consumers? Even our mainstream media have noticed something may be wrong with the food system. In a time when consumers are clamoring for "local" products it is insane, that Ontario's only remaining peach processing plants should be closing!!!

I don't want to purchase canned peaches from some other country!!! If the big food retailers in Ontario can't supply me with Ontario canned peaches, I may have to dust off the canning jars. I can guaranty a lot of other people will be trying to do the same thing too.

Are our local food supplys secure? If all the major food chains go looking for a 'local' supply, I am convinced that many people will be shocked at the state of affairs out there.

Any sovereign state/county/province wanting to safeguard it's citizens, MUST look at these situations in a different way than in the past.

Maybe it is time our provincial government started to take a hard look at what is going on out there.