The vision of Harvest Hastings is to nurture and support a vibrant community, sustainable agriculture and forestry based on ecological principles, healthy ecosystems and long–term food security for the people of Hastings County.
As part of the Eat Think Vote! campaign of Food Secure Canada, we have contacted all of our local candidates for the ridings of Hastings – Lennox & Addington and the Bay of Quinte and asked them the following questions:
- Currently, most subsidies and incentives are geared towards export-oriented industries and less in favor of those who focus on prioritizing sustainable production of healthy food for Canadian consumption. If elected, how would you support small scale producers such as family farmers and community supported agriculture initiatives?
- Farmers are retiring at record rates and the majority of them have no succession plan. How will you encourage the next generation to take up farming, while noting that the financial risks that farmers have always taken are now compounded by price pressures and massively unpredictable and unfavourable weather patterns?
- Given the link between poverty and food insecurity, what is your party’s perspective and approach to poverty reduction, including tax reform and a guaranteed annual income?
Harvest Hastings is a non-partisan organization and does not endorse any party. We will be sharing the candidates’ responses as we receive them on our social media pages. The federal election is on Monday, September 20.
