Farms for Change

It was an evening of good food and good music as hundreds gathered for the 16th annual Farms for Change fundraiser, but Nick Saul, CEO of Community Food Centres Canada (CFCC), says it was also a political demonstration.

CFCC is a national organization which advocates for policy changes aimed at eliminating food insecurity.

“We are making sure that the best food ever is getting onto the plates of people who need it. We are making sure that people who are struggling through no fault of their own get the help that they need,” Saul told the crowd, “We don’t get to a better kind of world without people like Brent and Gil.”

For nearly 20 years, Brent Preston and Gillian Flies have been growing organic vegetables at their farm outside Creemore.

The business has now been transformed into the New Farm Centre for Climate Action, a not- for-profit that develops and promotes regenerative farming practices, and supports science-based policy development to combat climate change. The majority of the food grown on the farm is donated to a network of good food organizations across southern Ontario. They provide thousands of pounds of fresh, premium- quality produce to low-income communities every week during the growing season. Farms for Change is their annual fundraiser in support of this work.

Over the past 16 years, Farms for Change has raised over $2 million to support food banks. The event features food offerings from top restaurants and ends with a rollicking party in the barn. This year’s headline entertainer was The 99’s with a repertoire described as 60’s psychedelic stylings with alternative overtones. At press time, results of this year’s Farms for Change were still being tabulated.

The New Farm Centre continues to grow top quality produce, but is now focused on making agriculture a part of the solution to climate change and food insecurity. They are devoted to spreading farming practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions while producing healthy, nutrient dense foods.