The Tensions of Food System Localization in Ontario's Buy-Local Procurement
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Buying local has become a recent trend within the food movement across the world. The purchasing of local foods is seen as a way to support local economies, and relationships while also promoting better environmental practices. Recently the push to buy local has extended past individual consumers to a focus on public institutions. Institutional procurement is seen to have opportunity to influence food system changes through the huge amounts of purchasing power institutions hold. At the same time, within academia there are growing critiques of the buying local trend, highlighting the limitations within food system localization. This research is an exploration of the tensions between local food procurement within public institutions and the food system localization literature. Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted of food service directors, and not-for-profit experts. Although this research is situated in Ontario, comparisons are made both out of province and out of country to demonstrate different procurement programs and thoughts towards buying local. A Marxist food justice lens is sued to analyse the potential of procurement, and its limitations for addressing food system change.