News release from Simcoe County July 13, 2011 

Midhurst - The Simcoe County Food and Agriculture Charter is starting to grow. 

On April 18, 2011 at the Food Matters — Growing our Strengths conference Mark Aitken, CAO 

for the County of Simcoe, was pleased to announce that County Council approved both staff 

and monetary support for the creation of a made-in-Simcoe County Food and Agriculture 

Charter. 

That announcement set in motion the creation of a partnership between the County of Simcoe 

and organizations such as the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, the Barrie Community 

Health Centre, the Simcoe County Federation of Agriculture, Simcoe County Farm Fresh, and 

the Food Partnership Alliance to form a steering committee to launch this exciting community 

initiative. 

On July 13, 2011 the steering committee met for the first time and adopted a work plan and 

sub-committees to move this initiative forward. Members of the committee were pleased to 

welcome Warden Cal Patterson (Mayor of Wasaga Beach) and Councillor Basil Clarke (DeputyMayor of Ramara Township) as co-chairs of the steering committee.

“Our goal is to create a truly made-in-Simcoe County Food and Agriculture Charter. It will be a 

Charter developed in all areas of our great County with input from as many stakeholders as 

possible,” said Warden Patterson.

Over the next 18 months, the Food and Agriculture Charter steering committee will engage in an 

extensive community and stakeholder consultation process.

“As a farmer born and raised in Ramara Township, and as Deputy-Mayor and County 

Councillor, I’m thrilled to co-chair this initiative. With the creation of a made-in-Simcoe County 

Food and Agriculture Charter we are embarking on an exciting community process. The goal in 

the end is to create a Charter that reflects all aspects of food in Simcoe County — from the 

producer to the consumer,” said Coun. Clarke.

Over the upcoming months, the Food and Agriculture Charter steering committee will endeavor 

to continually communicate and update the community as to what is happening and when 

regional stakeholder sessions will be taking place.We encourage everyone to visit our website www.fpa.simcoe.ca for updates. If you would like to 

be added to the email list for upcoming newsletters, please contact Erica Lowry at 705-726-

9300 ext. 1162.

We look forward to meeting and speaking with many of you throughout this important process. 

Food and Agriculture Steering Commmittee members

Warden Cal Patterson, Mayor of Wasaga Beach, Coun. Basil Clarke, Deputy-Mayor of Ramara 

Township, Gary Machan, Barrie Community Health Centre, Robert Lamb, County of Simcoe 

Economic Development, Terry Talon, County of Simcoe Social Services, John Hemsted, Food 

Partners Alliance, Lynda Van Casteren, Simcoe County Farm Fresh, Kristin Ego-MacPhail, 

Simcoe County Federation of Agriculture, and Dr. Charles Gardner, Simcoe Muskoka District 

Health Unit