Coinciding with the “International Year of Pulses” in 2016, Pulse Canada will be launching a consumer marketing campaign across North America with $3.5 million in support from the federal government. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz announced the funding through Western Economic Diversification Canada at AGT Food and Ingredients in Saskatoon on Friday morning. “This will help… 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
McDonald’s Corporation is offering up to $20,000 in funding for organizations and members of the Canadian beef community for projects that help prepare ranches and feedlots to successfully participate in the McDonald’s Verified Sustainable Beef Pilot Project (VSB Pilot). Qualifying applicants may be veterinarians, genetics providers, feed companies, associations and more. The funding, up to… Read More
Ontario Corn Fed Beef, a beef brand owned and operated by Ontario beef farmers, is expanding into international markets in Japan. Following the May 1st launch of Ontario Corn Fed Beef at 33 Kinsho Stores throughout the Osaka Japan market, a delegation of guests, including retail and distribution partners from Japan, are touring Ontario beef… Read More
Canada has officially notified the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) that British Columbia is now considered free of avian influenza. On June 3, B.C. successfully completed three months of surveillance following eradication of the disease. Related: Third Oxford County Farm Presumed Infected with H5 Avian Influenza; Within 2nd Quarantine Zone Avian Influenza Threat Forces… Read More
Earlier this week, on World Milk Day, Saputo announced the implementation of its animal welfare policy, along with new programs offered to support the policy through the University of Guelph and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. According to the company’s recent press release, the policy was created through collaborative efforts with customers, dairy producers, veterinarians, governmental authorities,… 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
Next week, June 1 to 7, 2015, marks the second annual local food week here in Ontario. What’s local food week? Announced as part of the “Local Food Act” passed in 2013, the first week of June is a time to shine the light on all things locally grown for Ontario. While this might bring… 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
North America’s largest food retailer, Walmart, unveiled its positions on animal welfare and the use of antibiotics in farm animals on Friday. Strangely enough, farm groups and animal rights organizations alike applauded the company’s animal care guidelines. While both sides are welcoming Walmart’s positions, if you dig a bit deeper, there are conflicting views on what the implications… 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
In the last couple of weeks, there have been many impassioned pleas from producers asking consumers to avoid McDonald’s for no reason other than an alleged change of source for their 100% Canadian beef patties. The pleas suggest the company will be moving to products sourced from South America, not now, but in the near future…. Read More
“It’s what the consumer demands.” Whether it be new products on store shelves, changes to government regulation, or new on-farm protocols, this has become the trumping selling point for whatever it is that needs selling. “The Consumer” is demanding oversight. “The Consumer” wants a more sustainable product. “The customer (read: consumer)” is always right. But… Read More
In the last few years, we have seen incredible innovations in food and agriculture, often inspired by environmental improvements, the push for more local food and increased global food security. Urban agriculture is cropping up in cities, insect farms are crawling out of the wood work, and cafes are repurposing would-be waste. In an effort to… Read More
The announcement by U.S. restaurant chain Chipotle that it has eliminated all GMOs from its menu (with some exceptions, of course) is drawing major criticism from not only the agriculture and science communities, but the mainstream media. The Washington Post, Bloomberg and TIME were among the outlets that published articles last week denouncing the GMO-free claim. Bloomberg’s… Read More
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