In this day and age of electronic information sharing, www.buyfromthefarm.ca is a valuable web site that links urban consumers with rural producers.

Consumers looking to increase their participation and interaction with rural Canada can go to the web site to exchange farm products, search for new products, share ideas and buying experiences and express agricultural concerns.

The site is home to Canada’s only national database of farmers’ markets. Product lists, location maps and contact information are included to facilitate purchases directly from farms. There are plans to add sections for recipes, educational materials and links to other agriculture-related web sites.

This unique resource links producers, processors and consumers of all commodities, including vegetables, livestock, grains and specialty crops. The Internet provides a new opportunity for farmers to connect with customers and provide the information they require.

Urban Canadians inspired by the “buy local” movement now have a valuable resource to get in touch with rural Canada. The Internet has the potential to serve the valuable function of encouraging communication and product flow within Canada, minimizing the divide between urban and rural Canadians.

The site will benefit farmers in Saskatchewan by providing an expanded market to sell their crops. People in Saskatchewan can learn how to buy fresh Nova Scotia lobster, and citizens in Prince Edward Island will be able to feast on Saskatchewan beef.

Canadians across the country will be able to choose fresh agri-food from the farm over the processed products that line grocery store shelves. This innovative web site uses modern technology to reintroduce traditional agricultural values.

The www.buyfromthefarm.ca web site has been lit up for about a year and it’s developing a list of local growers, producers and retailers who carry local produce. Families from Newfoundland to British Columbia will now know exactly where to find the highest-quality, locally-produced vegetables, livestock and wheat, and farmers have a new venue for marketing their products.

Canada’s homegrown food is a valuable resource, and now more people will be able to meet and greet online than ever before.

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The audio version of Garry's September 28, 2009 op-ed column can be heard by clicking here