Food forum notes-Feb-24-2007

From Common Energy UVic

These pages are part of the Food Working Group (click this link to go back to the Food main pages)

These are just my notes (and impressions) from the round table discussion featuring:

• Facilitator: Megan Thom
  
• Ramona Scott: The Land Conservancy/Agricultural Lands Advocate
  
• Robin Tunnicliffe: Saanich Organics/Local Farmer
  
• Richard Aspden: Islands West Produce (produce distributor for UVic)
  
• Ken Babich: Head of UVic Purchasing
  
• Rick Silver: Islands West Produce
  

These notes are general and each comment is not attributed to it's speaker. If you were there and feel I got a detail wrong, please attach a correction. It was a productive exchange so I am posting my notes for our group. - Joe

[edit]

Q: Why should an institution be interested in local food?

• Quality verification. Simple due to a closer proximity, less 'middlemen' and handling prior to delivery. Quality control is easy, can inspect produce prior to shipment and even inspect the farm practices in situ.
• Community Development. Sends a positive corporate message, good for image. Also shows a commitment to the local community
• Can order specific items, i.e. ask a farmer to grow x amount of spinach.
• A University should inform and be an example to students of best practices.
• Tie in with community development is keeping the local economy stimulated.
• A secure supply, not as vulnerable to the fuel price fluctuations or political climate elsewheres.

[edit]

Presently at UVic, 3 methods for purchasing.

1. Large contracts. These have huge volumes, daily delivery. UVic does not have a warehouse so deliveries are frequent. The requirements are annualized and then put out for bidding
2. Spot buying. This is for specific events and is not done through purchasing
3. Specialized Contracts. This is for longer term contracts for specific items.

[edit]

• Demand really drives what is bought. Evaluation of the potential supplier is based upon the suppliers ability to honour contracts and provide value. Presently UVic has several contracts out, so we are not one contract-whole university system.
• Contract awarding is on 'best value' basis. This is not strictly monetary value, but includes quality, reliability, delivery, and other criteria UVic can set.
• We are presently 2-3 months from the next tender process. This is the only window for bidding for the next few years, because most food contracts are 3 or more years.
• Contractors are required to 'supply as much from local as possible'. This is written into the RFPs (Request for Proposals) that are sent to distributors listing the requirements of the contract and inviting them to bid. This local specification is a preference, but it is not a requirement.
• UVic also has an emergency clause where the university (primarily for rez) requires up to 10 days of emergency food. This means that the uni has preference over other suppliers in an emergency.
• Islands West buys local when possible.
• Rising fuel costs and the rising Cdn dollar are evening out cost competition between local foods and places like California.
• Important for farmers to accurately predict demand. Eg from Washington: Potato farmers have formed a collective to ensure amount of potatoes under cultivation is moderated to ensure the price remains high. This ensure the price does not collapse and potatoes are not wasted.
• At UVic the menus drive food buying
• Presently rez students are fed at $8.50/3 meals/day for Cadboro Commons. These prices are kept constant throughout the campus to ensure fairness. It was commented that this further propogates the problems because this small an amount does not allow for proper wages for farmers, proper land stewardship etc. Attributed to need for education and ignorance on the part of the consumer.
• University Club, Grad lounge, and Dunsmuir are able to be fairly independent in purchasing. They also serve higher end customers and the food they buy can reflect that they are working with much more than $8.50 per day.
• 2,500 students in rez, 25,000 students in general, and total university community of about 42,000
• University is adaptable and open to different menu choices. Student acceptance is the major hurdle.

[edit]

• Presently Vancouver Island does not have enough production.
• Land value appears to be a barrier. Land here is very $$.
• Comment: UVic's purchasing protocol of "local where possible" is too flimsy, needs stronger language.
• Distributors job is to 'fill our customers demand', thus if they require local then the distributor will work to fill that demand.
• Locally farm labour can be a problem. Products need to be picked, mostly by hand. Farming is not given it's due respect and it is financially difficult, so youth do not see it as a viable career option. This is a hurdle.

[edit]

• NAFTA and TILMA pose HUGE barriers for any kind of policy for buying local (discrimination on this basis is not allowed, regardless of how nobel the cause. This was previously only for contracts of $25,000 but wit the introduction of TILMA this will lowered to $10,000. However, this will not apply to UVic until 2009.
• Joe Note: How can we respond to something like NAFTA and TILMA? Are there ways around? Or do we simple need to start dialogue on these agreements?
• Purchasing is responding by (not approved as of yet) asking for the 'chef purchasing limit' for direct purchases be raised from $500 to $2500 as of April 1, 2007.

• In general, local food should be marketed on the higher quality

[edit]

• UVic purchasing is open to the idea of a Quarterly forum and focus groups to discuss ideas. Can talk with chefs and managers on campus about purchasing solutions

• The end user (chef) is the most able (presently) to buy locally as smaller orders. A listing of farms etc. would help them here. (Joe Note: they should check this out: Island Farm Fresh)
• Purchasing would like to support more local farmers but it needs to be a stronger policy issue
• Food safety can also be an issue. (This was a contentious issue as most cases of food safety problems are from industrial scale suppliers.)

• Policy can lead to stability for farmers. It is not easy to plant a field without a secure market. A secure market will put more crops under cultivation.

• May 2nd and 3rd, Ken travels to Kelowna for a meeting with all the colleges and universities in B.C., is open to raising the 'local' foods issue there

[edit]

Joe Note: I found from this an interesting theme. Farmers need to know that a market exists and therefore need policies in place with institutions for them to plant fields. The distributors need customer demand to move in the local direction. The university needs the consumers to demand local. I found from this then that the onus is really on the consumers to primarily demand change then the University will enact policies, which will align distributors and allow farmers to plant fields. Using the tools of policy, on the university end, and education to promote that demand are important. Very interesting session and good of the panellists to take the time to come in on Saturday.