Our Food System

What is Our Food System?

From grow it to throw it and everything in between, the Windsor and Essex county food system includes all of the infrastructure and practices involved in feeding those living in our region.

What are the parts of a food system? 

Production is the process of growing and harvesting vegetables, fruit, and other produce, as well as raising animals and insects for food production or pollination.

Processing refers to how we turn fresh produce, meat, fish and other foods into a form that’s ready for sale.

Distribution is the process of transporting and delivering food to wholesale, institutional or other food access points.

Access deals with the activities, practices, and systems that affect people’s ability to get and consume healthy food (e.g., food deserts, food insecurity).

Consumption is simply how we make food to eat for non-commercial purposes.

Waste Management includes processes for food recovery and minimizing, composting, and recycling of food waste or surplus.

Windsor-Essex Food Policy Council 

What is a food policy council? 

A food policy council (FPC) brings together representatives from all sectors of the food system – from “grow it to throw it”. It aims to connect diverse people with interests in food to discuss, collaborate, and develop innovative projects and policies to address issues affecting the food system.

Why does Windsor-Essex need a food policy council? 

Every community is unique – each having different strengths and facing its own unique set of challenges. Increasingly we are seeing changes that show us just how vulnerable our local food system is. No one organization or community group can make a difference alone.  The Food Policy Council will allow all sectors and individual community members to communicate and work-together towards meaningful change. 

What can a Food Policy Council work toward?

Traditionally there have been many advocates working in silos on individuals issues.  A Food Policy Council will create a framework for coordinated and integrated action around issues that affect our local food system.

Some examples of what a Food Policy Council can do in Windsor-Essex are:

• Reduce barriers and improve access to local food
• Work with key partners to develop a food strategy for Windsor-Essex
• Provide expert advice to decision makers when food-system related decisions are mad

For more information on Food Systems and Policy, check out:

Food Secure Canada is an alliance of people and organizations working together to improve food security and food sovereignty.