Reading Time: 3 minutes Who will win the plate on the battlefield of food animal versus plant- or cell-based meats? I have often wondered about the outcome of this raging war for the shelf, especially after I first noticed food animal companies investing in plant-based technologies. There is mounting evidence for the use of food animal over alternate meats […] Read more
Schoepp: Who will win the battle for the plates of consumers?
The rise of meat created from plants or in a lab is a fascinating, and multi-faceted, affair
Schoepp: The plight of the banana has implications for all of agriculture
Overreliance on chemical control has brought this hugely important global crop to a crisis point
Reading Time: 3 minutes Regardless of the season there are some foods that are always available and one of them is the banana. It’s an interesting fruit because of the dominance it has in terms of trade and its unique characteristic of being a non-seed-bearing clone. Most bananas come from Ecuador, Philippines, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Colombia and another 125 […] Read more
Schoepp: A tedious task offers up some lessons on life
Those who came before us have given us a gift and we must preserve it for future generations
Reading Time: 3 minutes Surrounding my new rural house is a rock garden that stretches 30 metres long and is 10 metres deep. It’s steep and rugged and has not been tended to for several years. The task of pulling established grasses, invasive ground cover and weeds from this huge space seemed a monumental task. I began the process […] Read more
Does the wall need to be repaired before being repainted?
There’s a case for fixing mistakes but also one for brightening things up to give us a fresh start
Reading Time: 3 minutes The person I was walking with on a soft and warm island night was speaking of her career as a commercial painter. From a previous conversation, I knew that in her work she was a victim of harassment, exposure to extreme language, lack of privacy and the frustrating absence of washroom facilities. She was small […] Read more
In many Canadian homes, there’s not enough food
As farmers we tend to take abundance for granted but food insecurity affects one in seven people
Reading Time: 3 minutes I saw her as rich and sophisticated. She saw me as well fed and wildly free. I was visiting with my cousin who had lived her childhood and most of her adult life in the city. We were talking about food and she mentioned how poor they were — with so many limits on their […] Read more
The interconnections between species are deep and interwoven
COVID-19 has put bats into the spotlight, and research shows how deeply everything is connected
Reading Time: 3 minutes In the last column I introduced the concept of systems change for the benefit of human and animal health. Fortunately, there is an avenue to work with human and animal doctors, scientists and experts towards a healthy world and it is called One Health. One Health is defined as a “collaborative, multi-sectoral and transdisciplinary approach […] Read more
How did we get to this place at this time in history?
The spread of disease from animals to humans isn’t new, but reducing it will take a new approach
Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s a bewildering year and you may have wondered: Just how did we get to this place at this time in history? There are many theories that are specific to the origin and spread of the coronavirus, but few look at global history and the role of food and population change within the context of […] Read more
Reflections from a long and sorrowful drive
Those who came before us have given us a gift and we must preserve it for future generations
Reading Time: 3 minutes It was a long and sorrowful drive home in September as I travelled to say the final goodbye to my dad. He was a man of honour, integrity and faith — and will remain forever our farmer and gentleman. It is men like him who along with their partners carved out a living strictly from […] Read more
Is curiosity something that has taken root on your farm?
There are hidden opportunities on every farm that can bring both financial and personal rewards
Reading Time: 3 minutes I was recently asked by a reader to “get back to the farm” in my column. Now there is a journey worth taking, for the farm is both my roots and my wings. The question I asked myself was: What is new in Canada on the farm? The answer was an hour away as I […] Read more
Opinion: We need to open the farm gate wide
Consumers want to see in, and farmers need to know what is happening beyond their operation
Reading Time: 3 minutes The first half of 2020 was amazing for agriculture as Canadians were focused on food quality and security. Consumers were interested in being part of the solution and, at the very least, wanted more information about where their food came from. Local became in vogue and instead of standing in line at the checkout, many […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
