What has a bigger impact on the environment: a car or a cow? That was just one of the 20 questions professional home economist Mairlyn Smith asked people on the streets of Toronto last fall, in a film project called “Beef on the Street.” The project, initiated by the Alberta Beef Producers and Alberta Cattle… Read More
It’s not often farms get a chance to host top executives from a huge company; so when the opportunity knocks, you open the door — or in this case, the barn door. For Creekside Dairy’s Julaine Treur and her husband Johannes, a sixth generation dairy farmer, their moment came when they got the chance to… Read More
While many farmers get frustrated by the average consumer’s lack of knowledge about how food gets grown, many farmers aren’t super keen to start a YouTube channel and take on all the editing, uploading, fielding of trolls, and more. That isn’t entirely necessary, says Zach Johnson (@FarmMillennial on social media), though he is one of… Read More
While eastern Ontario is expected up to 50 cm of snow over the next few days, other parts of the province are starting to tap maple trees and get the frost-seeding equipment ready. It may be the last week of February, but there’s some serious spring fever happening all over the country! In the west,… Read More
Podcasts have been around a very long time, but their mainstream adoption — and open-arm welcome from farmers and ranchers — is a recent phenomenon. Will Evans, a farmer from the UK, hosts the Rock and Roll Farming podcasts from his farm in Wales, and as he approaches his third year of doing so, he… Read More
The Canola Council of Canada is taking heat over participating in a research project where Ducks Unlimited Canada is also a supporter. While I adore social media for all its advantages, at times it can be an absolute cesspool of nastiness, knee-jerk reactions, and blowing something way out of proportion before getting even a few… Read More
If 2019 was the year of plant-based protein, perhaps 2020 can be the year of celebrating choice. Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, with Dalhousie University, recently spoke at the CropSphere conference at Saskatoon, Sask., about food choices, plant-based protein, and consumer trends. Overall, he says, plant protein made a huge splash in 2019 as evidenced by several… Read More
How is agriculture and food production impacting the planet? Many naysayers believe our farming and food system is taking its toll, linking agriculture to 10 to 15 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, while painting it as a resource hog that gobbles up 40 percent of the earth’s land base and 70 percent of its… Read More
When you are the executive director of an organization that emphasizes the importance of having a conversation, presentations are inevitable. Adelle Stewart, executive director of the Do More Ag Foundation, says that whether she speaks in front of an audience of five or 500, she’s just happy to have people to have the conversation with…. Read More
An Alberta rancher has been chosen as McDonald’s Canada first-ever Canadian representative of its global breeders and model farmers program. Stephen Hughes of Chinook Ranch, will join 33 other producers, breeders, farmers, and growers from 17 different countries as part of the company’s global program. According to a news release, the members represent eight different… Read More
Ontario has introduced its draft legislation to increase security on farms — the Security From Trespass and Protecting Food Safety Act, 2019. The focus, certainly, is on the biosecurity and food risk associated with non-authorized people traipsing through farms and interfering with animals on their way to slaughter. The act, likely to be passed in… Read More
Collaboration is one thing that many agriculture groups already do, but can you imagine the work that could be done if everyone — yes, everyone — was working together to reach one goal? That’s the message astronaut, author, and public speaker Dr. Dave Williams gave while speaking at this year’s Public Trust Summit. “There’s always… Read More
If you’ve ever been approached by media to talk about food and farming, your first thought may have been, “Oh no, what if I screw up?” But Cherilyn Jolly-Nagel, Saskatchewan farmer and active farm politics member, says that if she let every mistake she had made with an interview or with media stop her, she’d… Read More
AgScape, Ontario’s branch of Agriculture in the Classroom-Canada, is hoping other farmers will be like Jim McMillan and consider its organization when it comes to their next charitable donation. Launched this week is this Fill the Shoes of Tomorrow’s Agriculture Leaders campaign aimed to raise money for the development and delivery of hands-on programs to help kids… Read More
Six leaders in agriculture have been inducted to the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame at a special ceremony in Quebec City. “The success and sustainability of our industry depends on the vision, dedication and drive of outstanding agricultural ambassadors like this year’s inductees,” says Trish Jordan, president of the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame Association…. Read More