Reading Time: 3 minutes I watched in horror a video on social media in which a farmer wrapped his preteen son in bale wrap. The child was in the machine! Later that week I coaxed an elderly man holding his electric saw down off a 25-foot extension ladder. At a lavender farm, I encouraged the owner to stop giving […] Read more
This harvest, take a bit of time to do things differently
Instead of the usual go-go-go approach, think about how we can all learn to use time more wisely
Schoepp: Pandemic an opportunity to rethink food distribution
A highly centralized food system isn't the only option; there's a place for local, too
Reading Time: 3 minutes First- and second-fiscal-quarter earnings for those selling groceries exceeded expectations as consumers stocked up during the pandemic. From small specialty stores to supermarkets, all have reported excellent profits. The idea of centralized retail grocery is relatively recent and yet most societies, regardless of global address, can now relate to shopping at a supermarket. In North […] Read more
We can put food at the centre of our national economy
We have a new appreciation for food systems, and a chance to capitalize on our strengths
Reading Time: 3 minutes Nature is the great equalizer. In just three months she took the world from assured continuance along the path of globalization and commercialism to world recognition of one simple fact — we all need to eat. For many years, there have been calls to recognize the importance of agriculture. I have been in that camp, […] Read more
Artificial intelligence is everywhere, and it’s just getting started
The invisible tracking of our buying habits should challenge us so we are not defined by a database
Reading Time: 3 minutes I have been thinking about artificial intelligence (AI) and the impact it has on consumerism. AI is used to track your buying habits and predetermine your buying needs. It is also the robotics that clean fields or make cars, do complex surgery or make a digital diagnosis. It is the smart fridge that knows what […] Read more
Creating food security requires innovative approaches
It’s not a matter of providing food but finding long-lasting solutions that fit the needs of communities
Reading Time: 3 minutes The fear environment that we live in at this time now goes beyond disease and disaster. For many it is simply a question of finding enough food to eat or drink. As persons of privilege in a First World country, how can we engage in solutions that are transformative and transferable? This past winter I […] Read more
Our animals give us such a precious gift
We have something very special when we share our lives with companion and food animals
Reading Time: 3 minutes I was visiting with a friend who has had a rough life. His mother and dad worked hard to provide, but they did not know how to love each other or their children. Babies were not rocked or held, and little ones were on their own. There was never a goodnight kiss, a story, a […] Read more
China needs what we can supply — but it’s a challenging customer
When markets get back to normal, expect China to continue its protein buying spree
Reading Time: 3 minutes China has been unfortunate in the past few years in experiencing both animal and human disease that has been costly in terms of life and the economy. Often, China is thought of as an exporter of almost anything, but the table has turned when it comes to food and to protein supplies. Until the coronavirus […] Read more
The all-too-common pitfall of successful businesses
Growth brings rewards but also stretches the founder — especially if he or she hasn’t developed their team
Reading Time: 3 minutes What does success look like to you? For many, success is measured in terms of net profit, wealth or an accumulation of assets. For others, it is the ability to put children through school, travel or to own a cabin. However measured, success is often tied to money and people. In my Nuffield travels and […] Read more
In business, starting small doesn’t mean thinking small
As in any other enterprise, a farm’s success is the cumulation of a multitude of small acts
Reading Time: 3 minutes One cannot look at a vast ocean without realizing that it just does not come into being. It takes a thousand raindrops, so goes the saying, to start the flow of water to make the sea just as it takes millions of microbes to build soil. And so it is with a farm or farm […] Read more
We’re often afraid to ask questions, but it’s a key skill
Being curious and asking lots of questions is a good thing but for some reason, we tend to hold back
Reading Time: 3 minutes The little boy was curious and always asking questions. Over and over again he would ask his increasingly impatient mother why, how come, how far, how long, when, where and what. But his grandfather would gently smile and say, ‘That is a wise boy; for you are only one question away from being a better […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
