Serving up sustainability – local food for thought and students
May 26, 2011
"Students were asking us: where's the local food, where's the healthy food?" says Kathryn Le Gros, director of Camosun's Ancillary Services. "So, we listened to them."
Buying locally-produced food is good for our bodies, local economies, the earth, food security and a groundswell of media coverage is making sure we don't forget. Why, then, is ninety percent of the food eaten on Vancouver Island brought in from off-island?
For institutions to buy locally-grown food, it is not as easy as turning up at a farmer's gate. But Camosun has taken on the challenges.
The local food puzzle
The first step was a sustainability initiative by Camosun. “We added to the food services contract an obligation not only to follow but to annually increase sustainable initiatives. I believe there is only one other educational institatuion in Canada that has taken this second step,” say Le Gros.
The second step was finding a provider that could navigate the local food puzzle, a task taken on by Donna Burger, director of Food and Catering Services for Camosun's four ARAMARK food facilities—the Campus Cafeteria and the recently opened coffee shop, By the Books, at Lansdowne campus; and the Urban Café and the Java Express at Interurban campus.
"It's all about leaving a smaller footprint," says Burger. Eighteen to 20% of the produce purchased for the Camosun ARAMARK locations is grown on Vancouver Island and 72% of it is grown in BC. In addition, 90% of the bakery products are baked in Victoria, and all eggs are BC-raised cage free. Milk and cream are purchased from Island suppliers and the focus is on Canadian-raised protein.
"We are dealing with a double challenge," says Burger. "Local farmers find it hard to meet the needs of big buyers like ARAMARK, and ARAMARK finds it hard to find local farmers who can meet their industry standards." For instance, to protect the consumer, ARAMARK will only serve food from suppliers meeting Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) certification, a system that is used by the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture to ensure safe procedures and products. "In practical terms, this means I outsource through organisations in Victoria like Island West, where this quality rating is part of their service. Unfortunately, many small farms are not HACCP certified."
Contending with the Local Food Access Puzzle, a 2007 report for the BC Medical Services Foundation, focuses on institutional purchasing by publicly funded agencies where personnel expressed strong interest in working towards increasing the amount of local food in their menus. The report identifies the crux of the puzzle lies with the plight of the farmer: financing, access to labour, sufficient food handling and processing facilities on the islands, and legal problems when looking to serve institutional and government customers.
"My focus is to Vancouver Island producers first, basing the supplier decision on both quality and price," says Burger. "If a cucumber costs five times more in Courtenay than in Vancouver, we may have to go with the Vancouver supplier. And if Vancouver Island can't supply our needs, I look within BC."
Supporting all kinds of sustainable options.
"It's great to have a partner that can take a lead in sustainable options," says Le Gros.
ARAMARK's environmental stewardship program, The Green Thread, has five areas of responsibility: sustainable food, responsible procurement, waste management, energy and water conservation, and education and engagement. Although ARAMARK is an international company supplying food services to 400,000 students at a variety of post secondary schools, high schools and private schools across the country, there is still room for individualising service for each location.
"We are also looking at ways to track and challenge suppliers. For instance, food may be produced on Vancouver Island, yet processed elsewhere." One of the latest suppliers, Level Ground Trading, supplies coffee beans for By the Books. Procured through direct fair trade practices, the beans are locally processed, and the company supports zero waste, picking up and reusing the cello bags containing the coffee beans.
ARAMARK's on-campus sustainability initiatives reach beyond just the composting of organic material. Used fryer oil is turned into bio diesel and all to-go containers and cutlery have been chosen to be compostable. The compost contains paper plates, cutlery, soup bowls along with compostable garbage bags, napkins and paper towels. Waste reduction initiatives include preparation of foods in quantities that ensure freshness as well as minimal waste, the purchase of bulk food to minimise packaging and storing of food in reusable containers.
Jennis says:
09-Jan-2012 11:46am
I thought I'd have to read a book for a discvoery like this!