For the last 20 years, Dr. Helen Thompson has worked on the research side of the agricultural industry with Britain’s Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA). She recently left FERA to start work with Syngenta, a move that has caused a bit of a stir in the agriculture industry there. But, controversy or not, Thompson… Read More
Category: Ag Policy
Federal agriculture minister Gerry Ritz was on hand at Agri-Trade at Red Deer, Alta., today to announce over $25 million in funding support for the the National Wheat Improvement Project (NWIP). The Government of Canada, along with the Alberta Wheat Commission (AWC), Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF) and the Canadian Field Crop Research Alliance (CFCRA)… Read More
The first-of-its-kind Local Food Act has passed third reading and will become Ontario law. Third time’s a charm for Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey, who has had a similar bill fail two times, once because of an election and the second time because of prorogation. Included in the bill are several points, but the focus is… Read More
In a continuing trend, consumers are saying no to the idea of making the labeling of GMO included foods mandatory. In Washington voters said no to the idea of mandatory GMO labeling. Detractors will spout off that this loss was due to biotech companies spending a state record 22 million dollars, but the reality is… Read More
By Michael Grant, Director, Research, Centre for Food in Canada This post first appeared here, and is re-posted here with permission. An upcoming report for The Conference Board of Canada’s Centre for Food in Canada argues that it is time for the Canadian dairy sector to transition from playing defence to playing offense. The notion… Read More
“There are no facts, only interpretations,” is a common quote I refer to from poet Friedrich Nietzsche. Modernizing the language, I take it as, “Facts don’t matter, only the perception.” The struggle for perception in food is at an all time high. I talked last month about A&W’s perception of what ‘Better Beef’ represents, despite… Read More
Farmers could play a big role in the movement to turn food waste from a habit into a villain. In some circles, food waste is now being called the number one issue in the food business. It’s described as a major stumbling block in the drive to feed the world. According to this line of… Read More
Modernizing Canada’s varietal registration system needed to happen — the removal of kernel visual distinguishability and the CWB’s monopoly in recent years has changed crop variety development in Canada. The registration system needs to evolve with it in order to stay current and competitive. Read More: Upov 91, Gerry Rits and Canada’s variety registration system… Read More
To say the hog industry in Canada has struggled in recent years would be kind. Consolidation, low to negative margins, labeling requirments from the U.S. and a moratorium in Manitoba have weighed heavily on the industry. So it’s not a surprise that Friday’s announcement of a signed Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with the… Read More
The former Ontario government, headed up by Dalton McGuinty, pulled the rug out from under the horseracing industry this past spring in what can only be called a very premature effort to move slot machines to a Toronto-area casino (or so the most reputable theory goes). Just how premature was the move? Well, there is,… Read More
After watching the throne speech yesterday I quickly remembered back to a conversation that I had with Gerry Ritz back in January at Farmtech regarding Canada implementing UPOV 91. (Canada’s plant breeder’s rights system is currently based on the 1978 convention). On several occasions Minister Ritz was very confident Canada would conform to the UPOV… Read More
Research is often seen as an investment in new technology development, in whirring instruments or the roar of equipment. That might make it easy to forget that new technology results from new knowledge. And knowledge is key to preserving and advancing modern family farms. That reminder comes courtesy of Mildmay, ON dairy farmer Ralph Dietrich. He’s the… Read More
The National Post is reporting that the comprehensive economic and trade agreement (CETA) negotiations with the European Union have moved forward following Canada’s commitment to double cheese imports to 30,000 tonnes per year in exchange for added access to Europe’s beef and pork markets. The deal is not done of course, but, if the quoted… Read More
Earlier this month, the Washington State Academy of Science published a white paper on Initiative 522 (I-522), a Washington State initiative aimed to institute mandatory labeling of food containing Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). On November 5th, the initiative will be taken to the public, and the state will vote on the proposal. The debate continues… Read More
For a province that can seem overrun with highways and hi-tech interests (at least in its most southern regions), it’s significant that its premier, Kathleen Wynne, chose to name herself agriculture and food minister when she took over the reins. She had every other option. You name the portfolio and it could have been hers…. Read More