Last week's announcement of a new BSE case in Canada involving a cow born in 2009 has many in the beef industry nervously watching cattle prices and fearing border closures. This is a very natural reaction based on what transpired in May 2003 —the American border closure bankrupted many and financially crippled still more ranchers... Read More
Category: Food
One of the reasons agriculture is an exciting space to work in is that it offers solutions to problems that affect everybody, not the least of which is human illness. The intrinsic link between agriculture and health is not something that most people, including politicians, fully realize or value. Too often the story about modern... Read More
Remember seasoned sergeant Phil Esterhaus (actor Michael Conrad) in Hill St. Blues, who warmly but firmly reminded the squad “Let’s be careful out there!” as they filed out of his daily briefing? Well, the same applies to farming – it’s safer than police work, but it certainly has its hazards, not the least of which... Read More
Every year, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture calculates the date by when the average Canadian has earned enough income to pay for their annual grocery bill, and dubs the day “Food Freedom Day.” This year, Food Freedom Day occurs on Friday, February 6th — one day earlier than in 2014. With 2015 being the "International... Read More
Paul Hetherington, CEO of the Baking Association of Canada says we need a better understanding of the public acceptance of genetically engineered wheat. Hetherington spoke at the Western Association of Wheat Growers’ AGM in early January, with a presentation entitled The world as it is, not as we may want it to be. In the... Read More
If there’s one thing the agriculture industry knows how to do, it’s hold a conference. Agronomy updates, grower group meetings and local get-togethers aren’t just about learning, they’re also about catching up with friends and breaking bread together. Have you ever wondered what it takes to get all those meals ready to roll, hot and... Read More
Agriculture’s global profile got a boost last year thanks to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization deeming 2014 the International Year of Family Farming. Journalists wrote enlightening stories about the fact that nearly all Canadian farms are family owned. Politicians spoke in glowing terms about the economic, social and cultural contributions made by family... Read More
North Americans can and do choose to spend 30% or more on organic or market-differentiated food because we can. We're an incredibly wealthy society, by and large, and are only required to spend about 8% of our income on food. So does that give us the right to condemn those who can't afford to pay... Read More
Cigi’s (Canadian International Grains Institute) applied research work into optimizing the nutritional quality of pulse flours got a significant funding boost today with the Government of Canada committing nearly $1 million for a four-year project. Cigi’s Advancing Pulse Flour Processing and Applications project will receive $959,918 from the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP). The project... Read More
The ongoing quest — or battle — to feed the planet is not solely a foreign affair. Nor is it a product of war or natural disaster. Take Ontario, for example. In one of Canada’s most affluent provinces, more than 375,000 people use food banks every month. The underlying causes of Ontarians’ hunger are different... Read More