Canada’s agriculture industry is grappling with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. From all sides, the economic and human toll is far-reaching and still in a rapid state of flux. What the last few weeks have taught us, however, is that there are critical pinch points in our food supply chains that need to be… Read More
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says until further notice, it will not be placing a priority on compliance with new food safety regulations that are set to take effect this summer. New rules for manufactured foods under the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations are set to come into force on July 15, 2020. However, due… Read More
This is an updated story Maple Leaf Foods has closed its Brampton poultry processing plant after a total of three staff members have now tested positive for COVID-19. Initially, the company had announced no closures after individual staff members had tested positive at two plants: the Brampton plant and the Heritage plant at Hamilton, Ont…. Read More
There are some really great things happening during this COVID-19 pandemic. Families are eating dinner together and reconnecting over board games and puzzles; people are learning new hobbies and skills, such as cooking and baking; and, people of all walks of life are sewing and welding whatever they can to help the health industry fight… Read More
It doesn’t matter if you’re looking at cash prices, lean hog futures, weaners, or fat hogs — hog prices were down, down, down, across the board by the end of the first week of April. The crash echoed in the cattle markets, comes as the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic hits North America and… Read More
Dairy Farmers of Ontario has advised farmers that milk dumping, in rotation, will occur beginning this week, as the industry adjusts to the new demand curves during COVID-19 and the social distancing it requires. Several provinces, Ontario included, saw a large spike in demand at the onset of the virus-induced isolation period. However, the resulting… Read More
Canada’s domestic food and agriculture supply chains have been put to the test and (the hoarding of toilet paper, flour, and meat notwithstanding) held up exceptionally well under the sudden panic-buying ahead of the COVID-19 self-isolation directive. Al Mussell, research lead with Agri-Food Economic Systems, says that these supply chains have proven to have a… Read More
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says it’s prioritizing critical services to preserve the integrity of Canada’s food safety system during the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with that, the agency says it has temporarily suspended “low-risk activities that do not immediately impact the production of safe food for Canadians.” The list of critical activities includes the following:… Read More
Update, as of 11pm EDT Friday, March 20: The Canadian government confirmed late Friday that it will be exempting seasonal agricultural workers from the travel restrictions put in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. “The participation of temporary foreign workers on our farms and our food businesses is absolutely necessary,” says Minister of… Read More
While we are in the midst of a huge unknown as the world hunkers down to fight a common enemy in COVID-19, significant questions are being raised about food supply chains and economic resiliency. An event like this is known as a “black swan.” It’s an unpredictable, large-scale, huge impact event that fundamentally shifts how… Read More
If ever there was an example of how to alienate an entire portion of your customer base, A&W’s 2013 “Better Beef” campaign was it. Not only did the marketing ploy raise the ire of Canadian ranchers, but the claim of “no added hormones or steroids” also got the back up of just about every conventional… Read More
If the empty space on grocery store shelves that used to hold toilet paper and hand sanitizer are any indication, consumer panic has set in regarding the potential impact of coronavirus. While stocking up on essentials may be a predictable response, the effect this disease may have on domestic and international food supply chains is… Read More
Yield stability and income stability — that’s what farmers earn when they invest in regenerative agriculture. That message was heard often throughout the recent Innovative Farmers Association of Ontario (IFAO) annual conference in London, Ont. It’s a tune that more and more farmers are singing as they increase efforts to enhance soil health on their… Read More
It can be easy to think about Canadian grain, canola, soybeans, or meat as just commodities — a product bought and sold, traded, and shipped. And that’s true, of course, but those commodities are also eventual meals for Canadian customers, even if those customers live in places such as Sri Lanka, Indonesia, or the Philippines…. Read More
Imagine representing the entirety of retailers that do business in Canada. That’s the role of the Retail Council of Canada (RCC), led by president and chief executive officer Diane Brisebois. RCC represents 45,000 retail businesses and online merchants, and food is no doubt a big part of that. “Food, on its own, represents more than… Read More