One of the reasons agriculture is an exciting space to work in is that it offers solutions to problems that affect everybody, not the least of which is human illness. The intrinsic link between agriculture and health is not something that most people, including politicians, fully realize or value. Too often the story about modern ag and… Read More
Category: Food
Remember seasoned sergeant Phil Esterhaus (actor Michael Conrad) in Hill St. Blues, who warmly but firmly reminded the squad “Let’s be careful out there!” as they filed out of his daily briefing? Well, the same applies to farming – it’s safer than police work, but it certainly has its hazards, not the least of which… Read More
Every year, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture calculates the date by when the average Canadian has earned enough income to pay for their annual grocery bill, and dubs the day “Food Freedom Day.” This year, Food Freedom Day occurs on Friday, February 6th — one day earlier than in 2014. With 2015 being the “International Year of the Soils,” the… Read More
Paul Hetherington, CEO of the Baking Association of Canada says we need a better understanding of the public acceptance of genetically engineered wheat. Hetherington spoke at the Western Association of Wheat Growers’ AGM in early January, with a presentation entitled The world as it is, not as we may want it to be. In the presentation, he identified… Read More
If there’s one thing the agriculture industry knows how to do, it’s hold a conference. Agronomy updates, grower group meetings and local get-togethers aren’t just about learning, they’re also about catching up with friends and breaking bread together. Have you ever wondered what it takes to get all those meals ready to roll, hot and… Read More
Agriculture’s global profile got a boost last year thanks to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization deeming 2014 the International Year of Family Farming. Journalists wrote enlightening stories about the fact that nearly all Canadian farms are family owned. Politicians spoke in glowing terms about the economic, social and cultural contributions made by family… Read More
North Americans can and do choose to spend 30% or more on organic or market-differentiated food because we can. We’re an incredibly wealthy society, by and large, and are only required to spend about 8% of our income on food. So does that give us the right to condemn those who can’t afford to pay… Read More
Cigi’s (Canadian International Grains Institute) applied research work into optimizing the nutritional quality of pulse flours got a significant funding boost today with the Government of Canada committing nearly $1 million for a four-year project. Cigi’s Advancing Pulse Flour Processing and Applications project will receive $959,918 from the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP). The project… Read More
The ongoing quest — or battle — to feed the planet is not solely a foreign affair. Nor is it a product of war or natural disaster. Take Ontario, for example. In one of Canada’s most affluent provinces, more than 375,000 people use food banks every month. The underlying causes of Ontarians’ hunger are different… Read More
Barley water, anyone? While most Canadians associate eating barley as beef and barley soup, this ancient grain is actually much more flexible than that. In some countries, barley is already considered a premium ingredient, thanks to verified health claims, and is consumed as a drink or in noodles and baking, says Linda Whitworth, market development… Read More
Guest Post By Dave McEachren (also known as @DeereDave on Twitter) On a recent trip to the mid-western United States, I had the joy of a Chicago O’Hare-connecting flight. Is that sarcasm, you ask? Not at all. Can you imagine over 180,000 passengers travelling through that one airport everyday…yes, everyday! During my time in the… Read More
A spokesperson for Canada’s baking industry suggests grain farmers will face increased scrutiny unless further mitigation practices to prevent the presence of mycotoxins and allergens in grain are implemented. “There are issues about mycotoxins and adventious presence (of allergens) that producers need to become engaged on,” said Paul Hetherington, CEO of the Baking Association of Canada,… Read More
While wheat breeders have traditionally focused on improving agronomic and milling characteristics of the crop, there’s value to be gained by the wheat industry in focusing on nutrition as well, says a cereal research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. The nutritional characteristics of wheat have generally remained unchanged while yield potential, disease resistance and bread-making attributes have improved… Read More
In 2012, Aspire Food Group began its journey to address food security in urban areas through insect farming and one year later, their hard work paid off. In 2013, Aspire won the Hult Prize. The Hult’s $1M USD contribution to the enterprise enabled the group to establish businesses in the United States, Ghana and Mexico…. Read More
I’m a big proponent of farmers speaking out, of advocacy and of standing up to activists. It’s encouraging that Don McCabe, recently elected president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, said in his 2015 outlook address Friday that the federation’s advocacy role has never been more important. The same goes for beef producers. Their new… Read More