Minister Participates in the Eat Atlantic Challenge

Agriculture

Published Friday, September 4, 2009

Agriculture Minister John MacDonell is enjoying a day of eating locally produced food as part of his pledge to Eat Atlantic.

The minister started his day with a Nova Scotian breakfast of scrambled eggs from his daughter's 4H chicken, locally made toasted bread and a cup of fair trade coffee, along with wild blueberries and a peach. He then visited a farmers' market at the QEII Health Sciences Centre, VG site this morning to pick up some fresh produce for supper.

Quote

“I am impressed with the selection and benefits of food produced here in Atlantic Canada. Health applies to everything when eating local — health of our communities, our environment, our economy and our people.” Agriculture Minister John MacDonell

Quick Facts

  • Mr. MacDonell has joined Atlantic ministers Ronald Ouellette of New Brunswick, George Webster of Prince Edward Island and Kathy Dunderdale of Newfoundland and Labrador, who have also made the pledge to eat only Atlantic-produced food today.
  • Nova Scotia has been competing for first place since the start of the competition. More than 2,000 Nova Scotians have made the pledge to Eat Atlantic, more than any other Atlantic province.
  • Nova Scotians who wish to join the challenge can visit eatatlantic.ca to make the pledge.
  • The website features a provincial leaderboard which keeps a running tally of pledges, broken down by province. Participants will qualify to win a prize, and children can also have a chance to win a bicycle.
  • Prizes are donated by the region's Co-op food stores, which launched the first Eat Atlantic Challenge in 2008.

Learn More

Media Contacts

Tim Conrad
Agriculture
902-424-8258
E-mail:

Images

Agriculture Minister John MacDonell buys some flowers from Penny Taylor during a trip to the farmers' market at the QEII Health Sciences Centre.
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Agriculture Minister John MacDonell looks over some vegetables at the farmers' market at the QEII Health Sciences Centre during the Eat Atlantic challenge.
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Agriculture Minister John MacDonell buys a snack from Spencer Fowlie at a farmers' market during the Eat Atlantic challenge.
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A customer smells some soap held by a vender the farmers' market at the QEII Health Sciences Centre.
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Customers line up to buy apples at the farmers' market at the QEII Health Sciences Centre.
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Videos

Eat Atlantic Challenge

Audio

Agriculture Minister John MacDonell speaks about the good quality of local food and the benefits of buying local to the province.
Agriculture Minister John MacDonell says that supporting local agriculture impacts our province's economic and social growth, as well as the environment.
Minister MacDonell encourages his colleagues in other Atlantic provinces to encourage their citizens to Eat Atlantic and congratulates Co-op Atlantic for their initiative