The very word “sustainability” can be a bit of a lightning rod within agriculture. What is it? What does it really mean? What value does it have? Carlo Dade, with the Canada West Foundation, says that there is real value in the term and the practices to achieve sustainable production, but that Canadian agriculture is… Read More
The Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) has launched a social media, radio, and television campaign to bring awareness to the plight of grain farmers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ad calls out Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Canadian government for not doing enough for farmers, in comparison to what U.S. President Donald Trump has… Read More
The last two months have been a roller coaster of shifting food demand, tanking farm-level prices, and closed processing plants as a result of COVID-19. As ranchers, feedlot operators, processors, and food retailers navigate the pandemic, tensions are high as some points in the value chain receive top prices while ranchers are hurting. Jayson Lusk,… Read More
As the COVID-19 outbreak disrupts processing in Canada and the U.S., more consumers are looking to buy beef direct from ranchers. In response, the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (SSGA) is creating a directory of members offering direct sales of beef. “We know there’s absolutely no shortage of beef cattle,” says Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association president… Read More
We are a long way from getting through the COVID-19 pandemic. Even as provinces and states begin to relax restrictions, we know that a return to “normal” is possibly months away, and that’s not even accounting for the unknown of whether or not this re-opening of the economy will lead to a second wave of… Read More
First quarter financial reports are starting to paint a clearer picture of the impact the COVID-19 pandemic, and the subsequent government restrictions, have had on food demand. Restaurant sales — no surprise — have plummeted, and been replaced to a lesser extent by higher staple grocery sales. Tim Hortons, A&W, and McDonalds have all reported… Read More
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s become abundantly clear to many that Canada’s livestock processing industry is incredibly concentrated to a handful of federal plants. Now, as these plants face partial or short-term closures, many farmers and consumers alike are lamenting the lack of small, local abattoirs. The trouble is, it’s not easy… Read More
As beef processing plants adapt to shutdowns and partial closures or processing reductions, the calls of “Will we run out of beef?” have begun. Michael Young, president of Canada Beef, says that in the current scenario consumers will likely see out of stock coolers, which could encourage some panic buying, which makes the issue of… Read More
Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) will make an additional donation of $100,000 and up to 200,000 litres of incremental milk, the producer group has announced. This is in addition to the over 1 million litres donated to food banks annually in partnership with the Ontario Dairy Council (ODC) and the Ontario Milk Transport Association (OMTA)… Read More
The Government of Ontario, in partnership with the federal government, has launched a $2.5 million initiative to expand the agri-food sector online during the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding, through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) is earmarked for food producers, farmers markets, retailers, garden centres, greenhouses, nurseries, and agricultural associations to develop an online business, providing… Read More
The far east of eastern Ontario is set to host a brand-new federally inspected livestock and food processing facility as of 2022. The United Counties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR) has announced the creation of a food hub, in partnership with the private sector. The UCPR will build a federally-inspected slaughterhouse, for both red meat… Read More
As we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, people are trying to compare this situation to what’s happened in the past. From a health perspective, there are parallels to the 1918 Spanish Flu; but from an economic standpoint, many are bringing up the early eighties and even the Great Depression of the ’30s. My grandfathers lived through… Read More
U.S. President Donald Trump has unveiled his three-step plan to re-open the economy, entitled “Opening up America Again.” Along with the announcement, the president has started encouraging political allies to “liberate” certain states that have shelter-in-place (social distancing) measures currently in effect. There’s no question, the economic impact of social distancing is very evident in… Read More
Chicken Farmers of Canada’s board of directors has adjusted the May to July chicken allocation by 12.6 per cent nationally, to reduce production in an effort to address lower demand for chicken from restaurants and food service providers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The decrease in production will be highest in Ontario, Quebec,… Read More
The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) is asking the federal government for “immediate, meaningful help” for Canada’s food and farming industry. During a press conference, Mary Robinson, president of the CFA, warned that without immediate assistance from the federal government, the Canadian agriculture sector cannot ensure our domestic food supply will remain secure for the… Read More