The Quebec Produce Marketing Association has received a grant of $400,000 from the Quebec government for deployment of the I Love Fruits & Veggies Movement. This financial support is based on the Politique gouvernementale de prévention en santé, the government’s preventive health policy; one of its aims is to have more than half of Quebec’s population consuming five servings of fruits and vegetables a day by 2025.

Government support for the I Love Fruits and Veggies Movement will help develop and implement a host of activities to promote fruit and vegetable consumption in Quebec, including communications strategies to reach vulnerable population groups.

The QPMA has played an active role in promoting healthy lifestyles for over 15 years. In August 2018, the association launched the I Love Fruits and Veggies Movement to rally healthcare professionals, nutritionists, educators, and other partners around a shared message: the pleasure and benefits of eating more fruits and vegetables. The alliance seeks to gain broad public support for the new movement.

Fruits and vegetables: the best investment in health, the economy and the environment
The work in raising awareness of the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables is far from over. A little more than half of Quebecers still consume less than the equivalent of five servings a day, according to an economic impact study on Quebec’s fruit and vegetable industry released by the QPMA last year. The study also shows that an increase in fruit and vegetable consumption would lead to a reduction in chronic disease and to considerable savings in healthcare costs.

If half of Quebecers consumed the minimum number of servings recommended by the Public Health Agency of Canada, approximately 100,000 cases of illness would be prevented and the healthcare system would save nearly $720 million between now and 2035. Besides being an investment in public health and the economy, eating more vegetables is also a way of contributing to sustainable development and supporting the shared hope for a healthier planet.

The QPMA – An essential partner in promoting healthy lifestyles for all Quebecers
The QPMA said it is proud to be recognized as a major public health partner, playing a leadership role in helping Quebecers adopt healthy lifestyles by integrating more plant-based food into their daily diet, and by providing a wide variety of tools, advices and resources for this purpose.

“For quite some time now, QPMA members have been actively involved in promoting fruit and vegetable consumption in Quebec," said Sophie Perreault, QPMA president and chief executive officer. "We’d like to thank the Quebec government for recognizing our expertise and encouraging our efforts which have been ongoing for many years. We know that for many consumers enjoying fruits and vegetables on a daily basis is still a challenge. We want to continue our educational efforts and contribute to a healthier Quebec.”