Small Farm Canada readers, farmers, producers, and food system participants across Atlantic Canada are being called upon to share their experiences in a new regional survey aimed at strengthening local food systems and shaping future policy direction.
The Centre for Local Prosperity (a registered charity) has launched the initiative to better understand what is working across the region, where pressures are mounting, and what changes are necessary to support resilient, community-focused food systems. The survey spans the Atlantic provinces and territories and is designed to gather practical, on-the-ground insight from those most closely connected to local food production and distribution.
Taking approximately 20 minutes to complete, the survey is intentionally flexible in its approach. Participants can provide brief responses or offer more detailed feedback depending on their availability and interest. Most questions can be answered quickly, and optional sections can be skipped, making it accessible for busy producers and small-scale farmers balancing demanding workloads.
The Centre for Local Prosperity says the results will play a critical role in shaping future policy work, informing community-led initiatives, and strengthening regional coordination efforts. By collecting input directly from farmers and food system stakeholders, the organisation hopes to ensure that future decisions reflect real conditions faced across Atlantic Canada’s diverse agricultural landscape.
“Local food systems are essential to the health and resilience of our communities,” the Centre notes. “Understanding both the strengths and the pressures within these systems is a necessary step toward building sustainable solutions.”
All responses will be aggregated and reported as group data, ensuring individual participants remain anonymous. Postal codes are required to help identify regional patterns and differences, but the sharing of names and email addresses is entirely optional. Participants who choose to provide contact information will receive updates on the project and access to the final results.
As an added incentive, respondents who submit both their name and email address will be entered into a draw for a complimentary ticket to the Local Prosperity Festival, scheduled to take place in Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia, in August 2026.
The survey is part of a broader effort by the Centre to promote re-localisation and community wealth building as strategies to address major challenges, including climate change, economic inequality, and pressures on local governance structures. By encouraging stronger local economies and shorter supply chains, the organisation believes communities can become more adaptable and resilient in the face of uncertainty.
The survey presents an opportunity to contribute directly to conversations that will shape the future of agriculture in the region. With increasing pressures from climate variability, rising input costs, and shifting market conditions, the need for informed, locally grounded policy and support systems has never been greater.
Participants are encouraged to take part and ensure their voices are included in the process. As Atlantic Canada continues to navigate both longstanding and emerging challenges, initiatives like this survey aim to bridge the gap between policy development and the real-world experiences of those who feed their communities.