New food portal for regional growers

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By Nick Seebruch
New food portal for regional growers
A basket of fresh produce. Photo from WikiMedia Commons. Photo by Liz West.

CORNWALL, Ontario – The Eastern Ontario Agri-Food Network (EOAN) has launched a new e-commerce platform to connect its member food producers and farmers with local consumers.

The platform has been created with the Kitchener, Ontario based Local Line food sales distribution software.

“Close on the heels of three-way regional funding earlier this year, today’s program launch is a pivotal moment in the EOAN’s history. Our members produce quality local food and beverages but marketing them to a wide audience has always been a challenge,” said EOAN President Michel Villeneuve. “Now, they will benefit from a greatly enhanced product visibility as they embark in a collective marketing
strategy. Moreover, Local Line will offer technical support, all this at an affordable price. As for consumers, they will be able to see at a glance – whether on their computer screen or mobile device – the producers, the farmers markets, and what products and beverages they can buy.”

Earlier in 2021 EOAN received funding from the City of Cornwall, the United Counties of SD&G, and the United Counties of Prescott-Russell. The City of Cornwall and the United Counties of SD&G both chose to contribute $25,000 annually to EOAN, while the United Counties of Prescott-Russell will be contributing $40,000.

“The pandemic has forced people to turn to neighbours, to seek products, services, and activities that they enjoy locally. This also applies to their search for food. More than ever, ‘local food’ is becoming paramount in establishing meaningful relationships and sourcing healthy food. With the advent of Local Line and all the visibility it will offer to producers and farmers’ markets, now is a good time to become an EOAN member,” said EOAN Executive Director Tom Manley.

The new e-commerce platform will launch on May 1. To learn more, visit the EOAN website.

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