Agvocacy, agvocate, advocating for agriculture… As a farmer or rancher, do you like these words? Do you embrace these terms? Whether you embrace “agvocacy” or avoid it, what would the implications be in five years if the entire sector adopted your position? Producers tend to have strong positive and negative reactions to the activity of… Read more »
Category: Advocacy
Fight for GMOs hits the big screen in ‘Food Evolution’
It’s easier to scare people than reassure them. That’s how environmental activist Mark Lynas frames the debate around the safety of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). GMOs have their supporters and their detractors, all fighting for or against the technology, and in the middle is a very confused and distrusting public. That’s the narrative director Scott… Read more »
Should politicians talk agriculture on the urban campaign trail?
City dwellers may not have much connection to the farm these days but there’s growing evidence that they value the agri-food industry’s ability to produce high-quality, safe food and create jobs. That’s the conclusion of an opinion poll commissioned by Grassroots Public Affairs. The survey of 676 residents in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) indicates… Read more »
Career opportunities are agriculture’s ticket back into the classroom
Consumers need to know where their food comes from. Why don’t we have more agriculture in the classroom? Those are recurring conversation themes and questions AgScape executive director Colleen Smith encounters every day. They’re challenges the Ontario agriculture industry has been grappling with since the Ag In The Classroom program was launched 25 years ago…. Read more »
Alberta Wheat Commission launches consumer marketing campaign
The Alberta Wheat Commission (AWC) has launched a new consumer-focused marketing strategy, titled “Life’s Simple Ingredients.” The main goal of this project is to help consumers understand where their food comes from, and to shed a positive light on wheat so they can feel good about what they are eating. Victoria Russell, interim communications manager for… Read more »
The push to end supply management signals waning public support of farming
Over the last few months, the Conservative leadership contest has thrust a highly emotional issue for rural Canada into the spotlight— is supply management worth keeping or not? If you aren’t aware of the issue, one candidate, Maxime Bernier, is looking to eliminate the system. The rest of the field of candidates have said they… Read more »
Domino’s Pizza says it won’t be pushed around by animal activists
Farmers have gotten used to food companies bowing to the desires and demands of animal activists. It seems rare for a mainstream food company to stand behind the methods and practices of farmers and ranchers across the United States and Canada. Outside of McDonald’s Canada, the list seems quite short at times (and, yes, they’re moving… Read more »
Putting the squeeze on celebrity influence
How powerful is popular culture? It has tremendous influence on much of our daily lives, impacting everything from food choices and diets, to exercise, and what products we buy. Many of these choices our those we make to help our families lead healthy lives. Dr. Timothy Caulfield would like to like to see governments, regulators,… Read more »
Is Glyphosate the Next Honeybee?
When I’m knee-deep (ankle, for most of you) in discussions about challenges in agriculture, I often ask, “What’s the next bee?” I’m used to the funny looks I get, but what I mean, once I clarify, is what is the next issue in agriculture that will be debated and perhaps regulated not necessarily on the… Read more »
Overcoming Skewed Perceptions of Risk In What We Eat and Drink — Kevin Folta
88,000 people die from alcohol-related causes every year in the United States. Nobody has ever died because an ingredient in the food or drink they consumed was genetically modified. Call it ironic, distracting, or deceptive, marketers are all too aware we have a skewed perception of risk, especially when it comes to the stuff we… Read more »
Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan Seeks its Next Champion
Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan (FFC SK) has opened nominations for its Food & Farming Champion Award. This award, now in its second year, was designed to “shine a light on the people who work hard to promote Saskatchewan agriculture and help farmers build public trust in our food industry.” “We had tremendous success with the… Read more »
Did You Really Just Say That? Trish Jordan Talks Consumer Connections
Bridging the gap between the farm gate and the dinner plate is a goal agriculture industry members continue to chase and attempt to close. One of the challenges in establishing real communication is that our consumers are a diverse bunch and the there are many players in the value chain all relaying their own message with… Read more »
McDonald’s Canada Celebrates Women in Farming to Raise Money for Young Farmers
Today marks International Women’s Day, and McDonald’s Canada is marking the occasion with a new commercial celebrating the farm women who play a role in bringing home the beef in Canadian agriculture. In the commercial, you’ll likely recognize Alberta’s Jill Harvie (@BrightPasture) from a previous McDonald’s commercial, and also featured for this Old MacDonald-themed sing-a-long is… Read more »
Toronto Star Looking for Farming and Food Stories
It almost sounds too good to be true, with farmers often feeling the general public is uninformed and uninterested in agriculture, but urban media outlets are realizing stories about farming and food resonate with their audiences. Whether it’s the ‘wow’ factor, interesting personal stories, great visuals, or top-of-mind topics related to our own health or the environment, agriculture has plenty… Read more »
Ag Literacy Week Expands to Full Month of March
A week just wasn’t long enough… Six years after the launch of Canadian Agriculture Literacy Week, the program has been expanded to Canadian Agriculture Literacy Month for the month of March 2017. Agriculture in the Classroom – Canada (AITC) and its partners will be delivering agriculture programming to over 800 classrooms and 30,000 students across… Read more »