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102, 115 Portage Close |
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NEWS & MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
February 12, 2014 |
Food Freedom Day is February 14th
For the love of good food
Coinciding with Valentine's Day this year is Food Freedom Day, the calendar date representing when the average Canadian has earned enough income to cover the cost of groceries for the entire year."It's rather appropriate that these two dates are occurring simultaneously," said Lynn Jacobson, president of Wild Rose Agricultural Producers (WRAP).
"Canadians love good food and we are fortunate to enjoy one of the most abundant, safe, and secure food supplies in the world."
"In conjunction with the efforts that Canadian farmers invest to assure our food supply, there are things that we, as consumers, can also do to secure our food system," Jacobson continued. "Making choices at the grocery store that support the Canadian agriculture and agri-food industry and reducing food loss at the consumption level will make a noticeable difference. There are still people who are unable to acquire safe and nutritionally adequate foods at all times. Wasting food makes no sense — ethically, economically, or environmentally. As individuals, we need to do what we can to minimize wasteful practices."
In 2009, total Canadian food waste amounted to $27 billion or $774.07 in food dollars wasted per person, according to a study done by the George Morris Centre. Without food waste along the food value chain, Food Freedom Day would have occurred on February 5 this year.
Food Freedom Day was first designated by the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, of which WRAP is a member, in 2007. While Food Freedom Day occurred on February 12 in the previous four years, a Statistics Canada change to the methodology used to report expenditure and income statistics resulted in this year's date shift. Under the new calculation, last year's date would have been February 14 as well.
Attachment: Food Freedom Day Facts
For More information, please contact:
Lynn Jacobson, WRAP President at: 403-894-5208
Sheryl Rae, Executive Director at: 403-505-4625
Wild Rose Agricultural Producers is Alberta's largest producer funded
general farm organization. Whenever decisions are being made that
affect the province's agricultural industry, we're there, providing an
effective voice for Alberta's farmers. For more information on WRAP,
please visit our website at: www.wrap.ab.ca.
