India was the guest that was notable by its absence at the recent Pulse and Special Crops Convention at Regina. The country has pulled back substantially from the pulse market and, although there were few attendees from that area of world, India was mentioned often from the stage and in the corridors. Dale Leftwich had… Read more »
Category: Advocacy
Saskatchewan farmer invites politicians to ride in the buddy seat
Megz Reynolds, a grain farmer from near Kyle, Saskatchewan, took inspiration from her colleagues overseas and decided to open the combine door to politicians of every stripe and level of government. The standing invite is, she says, about having meaningful conversations about how food is grown and to build understanding about what it takes to… Read more »
Pulse School: Pulse Canada’s 25 by 2025 market development strategy
Pulse Canada is always looking for ways to diversify markets, helping to create price stability for the commodity. In this episode of the Pulse School, field editor Dale Leftwich talks to Jackie Tenuta, director of market development for Pulse Canada, about the 25 by 2025 strategy. Tenuta explains “Essentially what it comes down to is finding… Read more »
SaskFSA seeks to bring understanding to water management
Saskatchewan has an extreme climate: summers are hot, but sometimes not, some areas are too dry or too wet, and winters can be too cold and too long. In the eastern part of Saskatchewan, the trend has been that it’s often too wet, so in 2011 a group of farmers formed the Saskatchewan Farm Stewardship… Read more »
Folta talks dialogue, defending science, and the firing of David Zaruk
The Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) was created to “help deliver transformative innovation to agriculture in both the developed and the developing world.” Every second year, the Saskatoon-based organization hosts the Emerging Technologies for Global Food Security Conference, and this year I was on hand to take it all in. On the agenda was… Read more »
Foodsplaining celebrities fail on facts
Actress Natalie Portman was a guest last week on the “Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” talking about a new film that she narrates called “Eating Animals.” As you may expect by the title of the movie, it is a narrow view of today’s food production. Portman’s comments (see below) on Colbert’s show definitely initiated a… Read more »
SaskWheat meeting to feature information on discovery of GM wheat
Each June, SaskWheat holds its semi-annual meeting at Canada’s Farm Progress Show at Regina. It’s a chance for the board to meet with the farmers they represent and for all attendees to hear from interesting speakers on timely topics. Dallas Carpenter, communications manager for SaskWheat, says they had an interesting and informative meeting planned for this… Read more »
Getting involved in the conversation with Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan
Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan was launched in 2015 to foster conversations with people in Saskatchewan about food and farming. We recently had a chance to catch up with Clint Monchuk, Executive Director with Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan (FFCS). Farm and Food Care had its origins in the Food and Animal Council (FAC). When… Read more »
Food Truths From Farm to Table addresses food guilt, shares farmers’ stories
If the conversation around farming and food is really going to change for the better, we have to get past talking to each other and reach out to our customers. In writing her book, Food Truths From Farm to Table, author Michele Payn specifically chose consumers as her target audience to move beyond “preaching to the choir.”… Read more »
The small world of ag: U.S. ag secretary tweets t-shirt photo quoting Sask. dairy farmer
It’s funny how word travels in today’s social media world. Someone shares a photo or message on Twitter or Facebook and it can be instantly seen around the world. If shared publicly, you never know who’s going to see or react to what you posted. Take, for example, this tweet by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture… Read more »
Saskatchewan rancher challenges consumers with “What if?” in TEDx talk
“What does someone who raises cattle look like?” Adrienne Ivey, a Saskatchewan cattle rancher, stood in front of a TEDx audience in Regina recently and asked this question. Soon after, she openly admitted to some pretty shocking things — like running a corporate farm, using growth implants in cattle, and even using antibiotics. She also… Read more »
Farm & Food Care offers individual membership to bolster funding
It’s been 30 years since a fledgling organization called the Ontario Farm Animal Council began working to counter the efforts of activists opposed to animal agriculture in Ontario. After three decades, which included a name change and an amalgamation with AgCare, a like-minded farm organization concerned about resources and environmental stewardship, Farm & Food Care… Read more »
Farm & Food Care Ontario names new chair
Farm & Food Care Ontario recently named its board of directors for the coming year. Stepping into the chair’s position is Christine Schoonderwoerd, nominated to the board by Wallenstein Feed & Supply Ltd. Schoonderwoerd replaces Brian Gilroy, nominated by Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, who assumes the role of past chair for the organization…. Read more »
Does activism have to be a four-letter-word?
First: a disclaimer. I completely agree that the Health Canada front-of-package labeling regulations, as written, are not what I want, as a consumer and as a farmer. I also completely agree that if, as individuals and as groups, people share a view they should absolutely speak up and voice their concerns, especially during the comment… Read more »
Changing minds by changing yours: influencing consumers’ opinions on agriculture
Are you willing to change your mind when you discuss agriculture and food issues with people who don’t agree with your point of view? On some level, most people in agriculture engage in conversations with family, friends, and colleagues on a range of issues – everything from conventional versus organic agriculture, to the right to… Read more »