Dartmouth, N.S., snack company calls for more support for Canadian farmers

Sheena Russell, founder of Made with Local in Dartmouth, N.S., talks about food production.

Sheena Russell, the CEO and founder of a Dartmouth, N.S., snack food company, is calling for more support for Canadian farmers and food producers.

Russell started Made with Local in 2012 and has expanded the business to offer a variety of protein snacks. In an interview with CTV News Atlantic’s Todd Battis, she said her business uses ingredients from farmers across the country.

“Our story has always been about championing farmers and food producers in our region,” Russell said. “Buying and supporting Canadian farmers and food producers is really important.”

Russell noted Nova Scotia could provide more food for itself that is grown in the province.

“In Nova Scotia, there’s really not a super significant percentage of our food that’s grown and produced in Nova Scotia,” she said. “We have the ability to feed Nova Scotians in a much more significant way.”

Russell said her company, which offered direct-to-consumer sales in the United States, recently refocused on Canada due to trade changes at the border.

“Too much paperwork, too much cost, extremely long shipping times,” she said. “We couldn’t do it at a cost that was feasible to the customer.”

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