FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 3, 2025
Goulds, NL – Today, Premier John Hogan, KC, leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador, joined by Liberal Candidate for Ferryland, Cheryl O’Brien, announced new measures to increase availability of affordable, nutritious and local food in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are no strangers to the challenges of producing and importing our own food. As we saw during “Snowmageddon” in 2020, and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and recent wildfires, disruptions to supply chains challenged the availability and cost of fresh food. At the same time, we know that Newfoundland and Labrador is home to thriving agriculture and fishing industries that have the capacity to provide some of our needs right here at home.
Through the Agriculture Sector Work Plan, the Liberal Government worked with farmers and fish harvesters to increase food security to 20 percent since 2015. A re-elected Liberal government will establish a cross-sectoral working group with industry and other community partners with the goal to further increase food security.
Our Liberal team will also work closely with agricultural producers to ensure a secure supply of animal feed is available in this Province. This will decrease our reliance on outside supply chains and better insulate our farmers from the effects of climate change, such as this summer’s drought which hampered normal hay production.
A re-elected Hogan government will also create a Food Waste Diversion Strategy with the goal of diverting 90% or more of grocery food waste from landfills by ensuring that it is either donated to food banks and those in need, repurposed as animal feed, or composted depending on the specific product.
In order to encourage healthy eating, reduce produce costs and improve food self-sufficiency, our government introduced the Community Garden Support Program, which provides grants up to a maximum of $750 to build or enhance existing community gardens. This program has been a resounding success, with more than 860 gardens
producing nutritious locally grown produce, and connecting community members in the shared stewardship of these gardens.
A re-elected Hogan government will further expand the Community Garden Support Program to help communities and families build basic enclosed greenhouses or indoor hydroponic vegetable projects. Under this program, community gardens will be able to apply for grants of up to $1500, and individuals will be able to apply for non-repayable grants of up to $750 to purchase or build a family greenhouse and hydroponic growing materials.
A re-elected Liberal government will also reduce all hunting licence fees to encourage the consumption and availability of more local game.
Together, these measures will increase the availability of fresh food and produce across our province, reducing our dependence on long supply chains, and ultimately lower grocery bills.
Under our Liberal Government’s Poverty Reduction Plan, more than $41 million has already been directed to improving well-being and food security for our Province’s most vulnerable. This includes more than $1 million to Food First NL and other charities and organizations to support community food projects that improve food access for lower-income Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. Our government will increase funding to these organizations by $250,000.
This is in addition to our $900,000 partnership with the Maple Leaf Centre for Food Security to support Family Resource Centres across the province to address food insecurity by providing eligible families with access to nutritious food.
With real momentum, energy and leadership, the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is embracing our province’s tremendous opportunities to deliver a stronger future for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
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Media Contact:
Ben Murphy
Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
E-mail: [email protected]