John Streicker, Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources, is pleased to announce a “one-stop shop” online store connecting government services with local food producers. This new initiative allows Yukon Government departments to purchase food that is locally produced.
“We’re encouraging our government services to source more of their food requirements locally, and we’re increasing our market opportunities,” says Streicker. ”We’re improving our food security, we’re contributing to the economy. And we’re reducing, which is the one I love, how much food we need to ship into the territory.”
The Canadian Agricultural Partnership funded agricultural projects including the development of water sources, installation of electric fences and mentorship and training opportunities.
Managed by the Yukon Government’s agriculture brand, an approximately three-acre farm operated as an experimental farm for Yukon farmers to run tests and make the most out of their land.
Parts of the farm field were used to test the following:
- A new way of clearing land efficiently and effectively
A forestry mulcher hydraulically operated to push trees down, shred into mulch, and mix into the topsoil. This process produced more nutrient-rich topsoil and the mulch integrated into the soil adds nutrients and regulates temperature to protect plants’ roots from heat, without releasing smoke and greenhouse gases.
- Trial crops of potatoes, beans, and other crops
Bean crops were covered to protect from frost and insects and to test mulch’s biodegradable effects on the health and yield of plants.
- 18 varieties of potatoes were planted
The goal of planting different varieties is to find which potatoes grow to the right size, mature early and set durable skin for when stored.