<p style="text-indent:0px; line-height:12px;"><span style="font-weight:bold;line-height:130%">Ottawa, Ontario</span><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">By Jordan Okumura<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">04.30.13</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>The Canadian Produce Marketing Association, in collaboration with the Canadian Public Health Association, will be hosting a national health summit for Canadian health stakeholders and allied partners. The event provides the opportunity to create a forum for open dialogue and action towards increasing consumption of fruit and vegetables and encourage healthy eating.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">In Canada and around the world, there are a wide range of barriers to healthy eating. Even in light governments, health organizations and consumers recognizing and addressing the significance of fruit and vegetable consumption as an important contributor to overall health, Canadians still aren't eating the number of fruit and vegetable servings recommended by Canada’s Food Guide. There is work to be done and the industry can come together and face these challenges head on.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>The two-day event kicks off June 12th and will bring together public health and industry leaders to explore what is working and inspiring the health community and private sector in Canada with the goal to build a common path forward to increase produce consumption. The consumption of fruits and vegetables contributes to a healthy population which, in turn, places less demand on the publicly-funded health care system. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Participants will identify common issues and objectives, best practices, and emerging policies impacting the overall health of Canadians, throughout the course of the summit.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Participants will have the occasion to develop new partnerships, including non-traditional stakeholders; while discovering the best practices and steps to successfully implement and achieve tangible short-term success. An additional benefit is the identification of mechanisms for sharing information and programs in support of integrating fruit and vegetable consumption into overall healthy eating strategies.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">The free event is limited to 150 registrants on a first come first serve basis, with an emphasis on ensuring diversified participation. Health professionals, government, fresh produce and food service industry representatives are inviting to participate and can register online via www.cpma.ca.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href=" https://share.cpha.ca/ei/getdemo.ei?id=48&s=_0L80X9CXK " target="_new"> Canadian Health Summit</a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
