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Q. Why was FoodTrust established?
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Research shows there is increasing concern about the impacts of agricultural practices on the health of individuals, food sources and the environment. Today, the trend toward convenience and mass production is challenging many people to make the best food choices for themselves and their families-just as it is challenging the people who grow our foods to preserve farms and farmlands that are rapidly vanishing across North America. FoodTrust of Prince Edward Island Limited was established as a response to this challenge: to provide a link between consumers and Prince Edward Island growers and harvesters who produce safe, high-quality foods and who are committed to sustaining farms and farm lands in North America.
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Q. How does FoodTrust accomplish its goal?
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FoodTrust is a not-for-profit company that acts as the guiding body for the development and implementation of the FoodTrust brand. It is led by a Board of Directors made up of Prince Edward Island's agriculture, fisheries, processing and tourism sectors, and represents certified FoodTrust of Prince Edward Island growers. Our job is to create and promote the FoodTrust brand by establishing and monitoring sustainable growing standards, certifying growers who meet these standards and linking co-branding partners with distribution, retail, food service and tourism operators. We monitor outcomes to ensure that our commitments from growers and harvesters and our commitments to you are being met.
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Q. What is the FoodTrust program?
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Everyone involved in Ihe FoodTrust circle—from growers, to processors, retailers to you—plays an important role in ensuring a sustainable food source for the future. The FoodTrust program is strictly focused on all parties receiving fair value from producing and distributing high-quality food in an environmentally, socially and economically responsible manner. Until now. there has been no recognition, and consequently no incentive for 'doing the right thing' in the market place.
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Q. What are sustainable growing practices?
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We define sustainable systems as those that meet the needs of the present without affecting the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Put another way. sustainability means food produced and processed in an environmentally sound, economically viable and socially responsible manner. Growers who practice sustainable agriculture:
- use a range of natural pest controls, such as beneficial insects, careful weather monitoring and modern crop scouting practices
- use the least toxic pesticides when natural methods don't work
- maintain soil quality through natural methods, such as crop rotation and cover crops
- protect clean drinking water and fish and wildlife by providing buffer zones and riparian areas that provide corridors for movement of wildlife habitat
- take into consideration quality of life and safety issues for farm and fishery workers and their communities when making daily management decisions
- continually improve their farming and fishing practices to make them more environmentally sound, socially responsible and economically viable.
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Q. Are FoodTrust foods organic?
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Not necessarily. While organic growers and FoodTrust growers have many common interests and concerns, including minimizing environmental impact, FoodTrusl uses a broader set of criteria (or determining certification of FoodTrust growers and their products. Some FoodTrust growers do offer certified organic produce, which of course adheres to FoodTrust environmental criteria, but they must meet or exceed FoodTrust standards in other areas as welt.
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Q. What is Integrated Pest Management (IPM)?
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IPM is a practice that combines biological, cultural and chemical methods to suppress crop pests (insects, weeds, diseases and nematodes/roundworms) in the most effective, economical and environmentally sound manner possible.
An IPM program establishes practices that help farmers maintain healthy soil for growing crops that can effectively withstand pest pressure.
A cornerstone of the IPM program is the IPM Protocol. This is an assessment too! or checklist for farmers that examines a broad range of pest management related practices during the entire production cycte. These include: soil conservation, scouting of fields to determine pest populations and when pest control intervention is necessary, pest control decision guidelines (biological, cultural or chemical), pesticide handling, record keeping, sprayer calibration, harvest and storage practices, and grower education.
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Q. What is an Environmental Farm Plan (EFP)?
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Environmental Farm Plans are voluntarily programs that help farmers identify and act on areas of potential environmental risk on their farm. This helps them to continually improve the balance between fanning and protection of natural resources to ensure long- term environmental sustainability.
Environmental issues can arise from a variety of sources, including manure, petroleum, pesticide and fertilizer storage and use; farm waste; soil management practice; crop rotation; and pest management Potential risks relating to any of these sources can be identified through an EFP assessment.
The EFP assessment is a comprehensive process that is conducted by the farmer with a certified Agrologist. It identifies any potential risks to water (ground, surface, well), soil, sensitive ecological resources (wetlands, woodlands, watercourses) and energy conservation. Once the assessment is completed, the Agrologist works with the farmer to develop prioritized Action Plans to address any identified risks.
Click here to visit the EFP web site. |
Q. How can I learn more?
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For more information contact:
FoodTrust of Prince Edward Island
Toll Free: 1 866 569 7789
email: info@foodtrustpei.com
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 Download FAQ (text document)
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