I always get a kick out of stories about the aging farm population, stories that begin something like “Canadian farmers are getting older…” It makes you wonder if, in some other occupations, people are actually getting younger. Of course they’re not. It’s all about average age. And further, it’s not a measure of quality, which… Read More
Category: Real Talk Real Action
To its peril, Canada’s agri-food industry – and indeed, all of Canada — has chugged along for more than a century without a comprehensive agri-food strategy. You’d think whoever is running Ottawa would have made it a priority, given we are active internationally exporting food and so dependent on imports. Consider the consequences if the… Read More
Ontario politicians should prepare for a little heartburn as they embark on this summer’s farm BBQ circuit. The circuit is a staple in constituencies with rural components. It provides photo opportunities and lets politicians see first hand what a farm looks like. On the business end of things, it gives farmers a chance to air… Read More
Not that I’m getting old (!), but back in the 1980s I was long into adulthood when the craft beer movement started, at least as far as I see it now. That’s when the spirit of the West led an entrepreneur outside of Calgary to create Big Rock beer, which remains one of my favourites…. Read More
If you’re keeping tabs on Ontario’s beef industry this Local Food Week, you’ve seen how a company’s profile can grow when it markets its brand effectively, promotes itself tirelessly, and stands on values instead of gimmicks. A prime example is VG Meats, which seems to be popping up everywhere. VG stands for Van Gronigen, a… Read More
Proclaiming dairy, or any sector for that matter, “today’s greatest business opportunity,” is bold indeed. But that was the way dairy was positioned at a huge animal feed symposium that concluded last week at Alltech’s world headquarters in Lexington, Kentucky. Using milk as an example, participants at various sessions at the symposium heard how dairy… Read More
Research is supposed to give decision makers information from which they can make sound policy. Without research-based information, what evidence would decisions be based on? Hearsay? Emotions? Gut feel? Some intuition must be part of any decision, sure, but at the core, at least when it comes to public policy, there must be something more… Read More
When it comes to supply management, it looks like the showdown between Canada and the rest of the world is reaching another tipping point. But those strange bedfellows, Ontario and Quebec, aren’t going to take it lying down. Late last week the U.S., with its insatiable appetite for accessing Canadian supply-managed markets, said Canada won’t… Read More
Food is growing in importance, but rural Canada is losing its influence. How can that be? Former Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Joe Clark has a few ideas. They came to the fore last month for 700-plus participants at the Grain Farmers of Ontario popular March Classic, in London, ON. The organization made a good choice… Read More
In universities in Ontario, the semester has ended and students are off to travel, work at a summer job or just recharge their batteries. Experience has taught me as an instructor to not pack too much into the very end of the semester. Nerves are frayed and agendas are overwhelmed. That’s especially true in the… Read More