Reading Time: 2 minutes Ottawa recently witnessed a dramatic scene, especially during the proceedings of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, where a few witnesses chose to prioritize their agendas over assisting our elected officials in comprehending the complexities of food prices and the necessary actions to be taken. One particular individual, an economist seemingly more interested in grabbing headlines […] Read more
Loblaw’s gaffe and apology
The grocers code of conduct is needed to offset political grandstanding
Opinion: Trade with the UK has issues — and opportunities
Rules-based trade can pay dividends for both nations but will need to be fair
Reading Time: 3 minutes Canada benefits from more trade agreements with more countries than virtually any other nation. That makes sense, since we are a big, well-endowed country with large productive capacity, a relatively small domestic market, and we need to export. So Canada has long been a keen advocate of a robust, rules-based multilateral trading system, including effective […] Read more
Opinion: Sticker shock on grocery profits hides truth
The total number doesn’t look at profit margins, which paint a clearer picture
Reading Time: 3 minutes When it comes to selecting the most significant non-scandal of 2023, the “greedflation” campaign is the absolute winner. Politicians, and even some knowledgeable economists, have convinced many that Canadian grocers have taken advantage of the recent inflationary cycle to profit unfairly. Despite compelling data and many reports pointing to the contrary, many Canadians remain convinced […] Read more
AI can be an agricultural solution
The technology can help farmers tackle the challenges of modern farming
Reading Time: 3 minutes Iowa State University – For all the attention on flashy new artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, the challenges of regulating AI and doomsday scenarios involving super-intelligent machines, AI is a useful tool in many fields. In fact, it has enormous potential to benefit humanity. In agriculture, farmers are increasingly using AI-powered tools to tackle challenges […] Read more
Opinion: Water for our world
Is this dry year going to seem like a wet one in our parched future?
Reading Time: 3 minutes As I flew over Alberta, the brown earth contrasted sharply with the blue sky. It’s an ideal picture in fall or even spring, but this was late November and not a snowflake or raindrop had quenched the open fields. I recalled past seasons, with both bitter cold and massive snow, as well as balmy days, […] Read more
Opinion: Let’s give the grocery theatrics a rest in 2024
Grocers made convenient punching bags, but that’s not how solutions are found
Reading Time: 2 minutes In an era when food inflation has become a contentious political issue, it’s tempting for politicians to target the grocery industry. Sadly, that’s exactly what transpired in our country this year, and it was both absurd and embarrassing. The government and Parliament relentlessly hounded grocers, drowning out the opportunity for Canadians to truly comprehend the […] Read more
Opinion: Setting research priorities a complex puzzle
Could the canola story happen today in an era of ‘research clusters’?
Reading Time: 3 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – It’s often observed that from tiny acorns, mighty oaks grow. Nowhere in the western Canadian agriculture scene is this truer than in the canola sector. When one pauses to reflect, one can only marvel at what has happened. A relatively obscure crop, grown largely as a machine lubricant, was transformed into one […] Read more
Opinion: I grew this food for you …
Limiting waste respects the efforts of farmers and helps limit food insecurity
Reading Time: 3 minutes As the sun set and the dust lingered over the freshly harvested fields, I gave thanks for the abundance. Walking through the orchard with the sweet smell of ripening fruit and the warmth deep on my back, I gave thanks for the diversity. Picking my way home, the sidewalk strewn with chestnuts and hazelnuts, I […] Read more
Opinion: Eliminating bird flu in chicken barns
Bird flu could be eradicated by editing the genes of chickens and one study shows how
Reading Time: 3 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – Recent advances in gene editing technology could potentially help create disease-resistant animals. In a recent study, my colleagues and I showcased the potential of gene editing to protect chickens from the threat of avian influenza. This disease is caused by an ever-evolving virus that gets around numerous biosecurity measures such as good […] Read more
Schoepp: From beyond meat to the return of meat
Climate-based policies frequently ignore consumer preference and economic reality
Reading Time: 3 minutes As I walk by a storefront that once housed the city’s largest ‘plant-based butcher’, the irony hits me. The new sign announces that this will soon open again – as a beef burger cafe. It brings to light the complexity of understanding Canadian consumers and their varying wants and needs. Protein in all sources is […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
