Minister Participates in the Eat Atlantic Challenge

NOTE: A social media version of this release, with photographs, audio and video clips, will be available later today, Sept. 4, at www.gov.ns.ca/news/smr/2009-09-04-eat-atlantic-challenge.asp .

Agriculture Minister John MacDonell is enjoying a day of eating locally produced food as part of his pledge to Eat Atlantic today, Sept. 4.

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

"I am impressed with the selection and benefits of food produced here in Atlantic Canada," said Mr. MacDonell. "Health applies to everything when eating local -- health of our communities, our environment, our economy and our people."

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 www.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.