July 2008
FT Achieves Local Food Plus Certification!
We are pleased to announce that we are now LFP (Local Food Plus) certified which means all our farms and the dairy have met requirements set out by LFP guidelines. These requirements include ensuring use of Non-GMO feed for farm animals and the provision of healthy, humane care for livestock. To learn more…
we enourage you to visit www.localfoodplus.ca.
In order for our dairy to become certfied, all our producers (congrats guys!) also had to become certified. Certification involves meeting a list of requirements in 5 main categories. These include:
1. Employ sustainable production systems
2. Ensure safe and fair working conditions for farm workers
3. Provide healthy and humane care for livestock
4. Protect and enhance wildlife habitat
5. Conserve energy and cut greenhouse gases.
How Does Certification Work?
First, we held a series of meetings with LFP and producers to discuss requirements and review what changes would be necessary. There was a lot of discussion on a variety of criteria including the use of Non-GMO feed. It is difficult to source non-GMO feed in The County from a nearby source. However, thanks to the efforts of the local feed companies and the farms themselves, the group was able to either source or grow their own feed to meet the requirements. And the feed companies were also looking to contract local Non-GMO corn or soybean growers.
After group meetings with FT, many of the producers also met with LFP personnel to discuss certification requirements for their particular farms. Depending on the outcome of those meetings or calls, an LFP inspector (incidently, the same inspectors that are used for organic certifcation) to assess each farm and make a recommendation.
We are all pleased with the final outcome!
We believe in what LFP stands for and are proud to be associated with them!