How often do you consider where and how the food you are eating has been grown or who the growers are you are supporting with your purchase? Whether you are keen on tracking you food from ‘Farm to Fork or ‘Produce to Platter’, eating healthy and nutritious local food supports economic growth, reduces food miles, minimises food waste and enables a higher return to local farmers.
The Geelong Food Hub Feasibility Study is currently underway and seeks to develop our regional understanding of current food production, distribution, processing and retail, as well as regional barriers and opportunities to local food production, distribution and farm viability. The link to “Geelong Food Hub Feasibility Study” survey is http://geelong-food-hub-survey.questionpro.com and closes December 14th.
The Geelong Food Hub Feasibility Study will identify key functions for a Geelong based food hub to assist with improving the distribution of regional nutritious food direct to local wholesale and consumer markets within the region, as well as support regional growers, inform future regional services and support food policy initiatives. The feasibility study is led by Deakin University with Future Proofing Geelong and Enterprise Geelong, City of Greater Geelong and consultant Innate Ecology.
A series of workshops will identify current local food production and practices, and explore how growers sell produce locally across premium grade and what is colloquially know as ‘natures grade’ produce. A stakeholder panel of regional industry personnel informs the feasibility study and includes representatives from G21 Agribusiness Forum, Future Proofing Geelong, Golden Plains Shire, Geelong Food Co-Products Cluster, Closed Loop, Committee for Geelong and the Food Purveyor.
The study is funded by Regional Development Victoria, Deakin University and the City of Greater Geelong, including Enterprise Geelong, Future Proofing Geelong and Planning Strategy. The Geelong Food Hub Feasibility Study will be published early 2015.
Innate Ecology 