‘WE’RE IN A CRISIS’

FOOD INSECURITY A GROWING PROBLEM: UNITED WAY

A new company coming to town is putting the spotlight on beauty standards ... of produce.

Eat Impact, a produce distribution company built on the premise that our food system has grown to prioritize perfection over taste, is expanding its operation into Innisfil, Bradford and Barrie. The company works with local farmers to find out what's available and at risk of going to waste.

"Typically, about 1.4 billion pounds (of food) every year in Canada does not get eaten; it just gets thrown out. And it's a huge problem," said Anna Stegink, founder of Eat Impact.

Stegink said the company was created to address cosmetic standards for produce, noting consumers have been conditioned to

expect food to look a certain way.

"There's nothing wrong with it. It just looks a bit different," she said.

Gurneet Dhami is health associate at the Town of Innisfil and co-ordinator of its Troy Scott Community Fridge (TSCF) program. She said they won't turn their noses up at the donation of any fresh produce, no matter its appearance.

"The TSCFs gladly accept imperfect produce. The growing season is already upon us. We expect to get donations from residents' gardens, and kindly ask for herbs, vegetables and fruits to be pest- and dirt-free upon delivery," she said.

Dhami went on to recognize the value of any measures that prevent food from going to waste.

"Organizations that continue to keep produce in our local food system and reduce food waste (are) a positive step in promoting food access," she added.

Brian Shelley, chief executive and philanthropy officer at the United Way of Simcoe Muskoka, said this program may be a good stopgap when it comes to food security in the region, but it isn't a solution.

"There's not enough thrown-away fruit that'll solve the food security issue. It's now estimated that one in five Canadians are food insecure — that's 20 per cent of Canadians. So I think that this idea of imperfect fruit, yes, it's a good use of product. But the solution is people need to afford to live," he said.

Shelley suggested more

could be done at the legislative level to improve access to food, and employers can also play a role.

"There's an onus on both private employers and the government to come together and recognize that we're in a crisis. Coming out of this pandemic, there are one in 14 people in Canada living below the poverty line," he said.

"I wish that the government was doing more. I wish there were more regulations surrounding food waste. There absolutely should be, and I hope that more organizations follow suit," said Stegink. "It's something that needs to be addressed on every single level."

Meanwhile, the Troy Scott Community Fridges continue to accept produce

donations from individuals and organizations alike, with details found at the Town of Innisfil website at Innisfil.ca.

"The TSCF is a neighbours-helping-neighbours initiative to increase access to nutritious food for all Innisfil residents. Everyone is welcome to take food from the fridges and pantries at any time, in any quantity, as often as they need," concluded Dhami.

STORY BEHIND THE STORY: After Eat Impact contacted Simcoe.com to announce its expansion into Innisfil, Bradford and Barrie, our newsroom decided to take a closer look at whether this service could help address the issue of food security in the region.