The Power of Choice

Local Pork

Today we are making a new connection with a local pork producer.  By partnering with this local, third generation family farm we are able to offer you pork that is ethically raised, quality pork, at an economical price.  As a result of a generation of instability in the pork industry there are not many family run operations left.  That makes it all the more exciting for me to be partnering with a family who has worked hard to stay together, producing pork they are proud of.  You can read more about our new Local Pork options here.

If you have been following the products offered by D&H Newman, then you will have noticed that we work with two types of beef producers and two types of pork producers.  It is important to me to offer you a full range of the bounty produced in the Huron-Kinloss and Kincardine area.  I believe there is power in choice and that power should belong to you.

There is a rule about management that has always stuck with me.  The responsibility for making decisions should be in the hands of those who will have to be responsible for the outcome of those decisions.  What would this look like if we applied it to our food supply?  Currently, decisions about how our food is produced have been made by those who are least affected by the consequences.  Years of building a food system that places the priority on lower cost of production, ease of transportation and efficiency has taken it’s toll.

A quick look at the list of concerns surrounding the food we eat can be over whelming.  Systematic problems in our food system include concerns around care for the environment, animal welfare, and even a loss of nutritional value in our food. The costs of these issues are not directly reflected in the cost of producing our food.  As we all become more educated,  some issues are being addressed with hard fought regulations, but change is slow.  By giving the decision making powers back to those who are most effected we can shift the priorities and we can begin to design a better food system together.

There are three main players who have been most keenly affected by the changes made to the way we produce and prepare food. The first and most obvious is anyone who eats.

You are directly affected by the quality of your food.  In the short and long term we all pay for the food we eat, with our dollars, with our health, with our taste buds, with our rural communities and our environment.  With access to alternative options we can weigh what is most important to us against what we can afford.  Having trusted, affordable choices can make food a joyful part of your day instead of a source of stress. Everyone should have the opportunity to choose food that is delicious, that makes you feel healthy, that is a joy to prepare.  Being able to trust that your food is exactly what it claims to be is critical.

When you choose local food you are also giving the power of choice to our farmers. This is a group of people who’s entire lives are affected by how food is produced.  Producing food is not only their job, it’s their lifestyle and passion.  When we provide a secure and fair income for the fruits of their labour then they can invest in what they feel is most important.  The family farm is invested in the community, the environment, producing products they are proud and the future of farming.  Anytime a family farm is empowered to take time to learn, improve and choose the methods they believe in, then our food is in good hands

The final group, we must not forget, is the next generation.  Obviously they can’t speak for themselves, so who decides for those who are yet to come.  We all do, of course, but not as individual. We decide as a community.  As parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, long standing members of the community and people looking to set down roots for the first time.  We all need make decisions that ask the questions, what will this look like in 50 years? In 100 years?  Will our communities still be here, will our water be healthy, will our food still be affordable.  Together rebuilding communities around food and environment we can make decisions that will serve us well now and for generations to come.

D&H Newman is just one of the ways to access food that gives you the power to choose. (I am excited to see a growing number of options for purchasing food more directly from producers. I will have more information about some of these in a future blog.)  We are proud to be able to connect you with a range of local products for you to choose from.   It is your choices that have the power to create a food system that is affordable,  healthy, environmentally friendly, respectful to animals and a joy to prepare and share with each other.

Whether you use the power of your choice; local pork, pastured pork,  organic grass fed beef, Lemoncroft beef or another trusted local source, know you are making a difference with every meal.  Supporting you local agricultural community produces food that tastes great and is good for you.  As a community we can grow a food system that has healthy priorities.

Take back your power to choose!