You’ve probably heard about the Slow Food Movement in the same circles as regenerative agriculture. One could even say that Slow Food is an integral part of a regenerative lifestyle. But what is Slow Food exactly and how are we seeing this movement in Canada? Here is an introduction.
Principles of Slow Food
According to SlowFood.com, Slow Food envisions a world in which all people can access and enjoy food that is good for them, good for those who grow it and good for the planet. The Slow Food approach is based on a concept of food that is defined by three interconnected principles.
Good
A food’s flavor and aroma, recognizable to educated, welltrained senses, is the fruit of the competence of the producer and of choice of raw materials and production methods, which should in no way alter its naturalness.
Clean
The environment has to be respected and sustainable practices of farming, animal husbandry, processing, marketing and consumption should be taken into serious consideration. Every stage in the agro-industrial production chain, consumption included, should protect ecosystems and biodiversity, safeguarding the health of the consumer and the producer.
Fair
Social justice should be pursued through the creation of conditions of labor respectful of man and his rights and capable of generating adequate rewards; through the pursuit of balanced global economies; through the practice of sympathy and solidarity; through respect for cultural diversities and traditions.
These principles are where Slow Food and regenerative agriculture meet. It is at this intersection that consumers can synergize with good, clean and fair to make regenerative agriculture a viable solution for our local food ecosystems.
Slow Food in Canada
Here is an amazing video about Slow Food in Canada A video by Kevin Kossowan: “I was asked to aggregate stories from across Canada about what Slow Food in Canada ‘is’. This is what the camera saw.”
According to SlowFood.ca, Slow Food has been active in different regions in Canada for more than 10 years, with a particularly strong presence in Montreal, Ontario and British Columbia. During this time, Slow Food has become one of the most important bilingual food organizations in Canada.
Today, more than one thousand members belong to thirty convivia (local chapters) which span the country from Newfoundland and Cape Breton Island to Vancouver Island and even Whitehorse in the Yukon. Slow Food membership in Canada has been stable at around 1,300 members since 2008. Toronto has the largest convivium with roughly 200 members.
If you are interested in regenerative agriculture, you should definitely check out the Slow Food movement. Let us know if you have thoughts or questions by leaving a comment below.