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A plan has taken root which proponents say would provide food for the hungry, open new markets for local producers and cement Bendigo a position on the foodie map.
This week City of Greater Bendigo councillors endorsed plans to find a home for a proposed food hub, seek funding to build it and set up an organisation to run it.
Farmer and councillor James Williams said the hub would draw tourists to Bendigo by providing a diversity of shopping and products.
“This is a phenomenon that is sweeping the world,” Cr Williams said.
“Markets in Asia just attract people hand-over-foot… but this is also about our health and well-being, about eating fresh and eating better.”
City community projects coordinator Matthew Kerlin said the hub would provide warehouse space, freezers and cool rooms in a central location for Bendigo’s growing community-food sector, as well as producers across the region.
“In the early stages it would be more about storing and logistical support,” Mr Kerlin said.
“That would provide economies of scale to smaller producers – instead of, say, one producer from Harcourt paying to truck one pallet of apples, this would allow six small producers to pay one truck to move six pallets of apples.”
A feasibility study found the food hub could return a surplus of $336,000 and create more than 30 jobs after five years.
Article continues below feasibility study.
Cr Williams said timing for the hub was ripe – with farmers markets, community gardens and restaurants flourishing in Bendigo.
However not all councillors endorsed plans for city officers to sow the seeds for the project. Councillor Helen Leach said she wished it well, but “could not endorse” further council involvement.
“Time is money,” Cr Leach said.
“This whole concept is going to need a lot of committed people and organisations – and I don’t want that to include council because of the risk that ratepayers are called upon to fund it.”