Home gardeners can now donate their extra veggies to Sudbury food banks

Public Health and Sudbury Districts has revised its interpretation of a provincial food regulation, which previously prevented home and community gardeners from donating their produce to places like food banks.

Back in August, in response to public health's understandingof theprovincial regulation, the Greater Sudbury Food Policy Council drafted a letter requesting an exemption for food banks.

Since then, a spokesperson with public health says a lawyer has been consulted to review the health unit's interpretation of the regulation. And now, following the consultation the health unit is confirming that home and community gardenersin Sudbury can donate vegetables and fruit from their gardens.

Helping the most vulnerable

Erica Lagios, the chair of the Greater Sudbury Food Council, says the news is good for the city's most vulnerable populations.

"When you think about donating food, you think about canned food and shelf-stable items. But, we want people to also be able to access fresh fruits and vegetables, that's so key especially if you're food insecure," Lagios said.

"We can go back to having programs like where we grow a row, you know, that's something that did take place in the past where community gardens were specifically growing additional food, home gardens were growing extra food specifically to be donated to people in need," she said.

Donating preserves

Lagios said the only unfortunate aspect of the news is that people have already packed up their gardens in anticipation of the winter months ahead.

For people who might be making preserves from their produce, the health unit is clarifying thatthose items are not included in the new interpretation.

"That would require with their local health inspector, and the preserve would have to be made within an inspected kitchen so unfortunately we can't allow for the donation of preserves from private and community gardens," the spokesperson said.

However, they did note that, "Dr. Sutcliffe is very supportive of programs that helpto promote food sustainability and food security within the community."

While Lagios said she agrees with the health unit's call on preserves, because of the public health risk, she said it would be great to one day have more food literacy programs that included workshops that could teach people how to can and safely preserve their homegrown food safely.