Reading Time: 3 minutes Canola meal could soon give soymeal a run for its money in international feed markets, thanks to a new high-protein canola variety coming down the pipe. “This is a positive for the whole industry,” said Ward Toma, general manager of Alberta Canola. “It increases the value of the secondary product — the meal — and […] Read more
They haven’t struck oil — and that’s a good thing for canola growers
A new high-protein canola aimed at the feed market could increase farmer returns
‘What’s in the field?’ program adds new component
Reading Time: < 1 minute Agriculture for Life is enhancing its ‘What’s in the field?’ program to give consumers more information on what they see when driving by fields and pastures. The program, which is entering its third year, provides signs (at no cost to producers) that identify the crop being grown in a field or the breed of livestock […] Read more
Spitz sunflower seed processing heads south
In the latest food-processing closure, PepsiCo is closing the Bow Island plant and moving the work to the U.S.
Reading Time: 3 minutes The parent company for sunflower seed processor Spitz is poised to close the plant in the brand’s hometown, but says it’s still “committed” to Canadian-grown seeds. However, the company’s founder says the closing of the Bow Island processing plant is another sign that President Donald Trump’s bid to bring jobs back to the U.S. is […] Read more
Steady harvest progression, but yields, crop quality suffers
Alberta crop conditions as of August 22
Reading Time: < 1 minute A week of warm and relatively dry weather throughout the province benefited crop development in the northern regions and allowed harvest to progress rapidly in the South. Crop Conditions have stabilized at 54 per cent rated good or excellent, down less than 2 points on the week. Provincial harvest progress has advanced to 6 per […] Read more
Where’s the beef? New food guide puts focus on ‘proteins’
Meat is being ‘merged’ with plant-based sources of protein in the revamp of Canada’s Food Guide
Reading Time: 3 minutes Canada’s Food Guide is getting revamped for the first time in 10 years — and there’s lots of speculation, especially on social media, about whether meat is being given a thumbs down. “It’s not as harsh as that, really,” said Joyce Parslow, director of consumer relations with Canada Beef. One of the guiding principles of […] Read more
In the quest for ever-more production, have we lost our way?
Farmers in the developing world are impoverished while producers here are taking on ever-higher levels of debt
Reading Time: 3 minutes I strongly believe that our focus in the future should be on the nutrient density of plants and biodiversity. Pushing our soils to produce more is terminal because there is burnout of the soil and the plant, along with financial harm to the farmer. Instead, we should look at soil health, seed health with nutrient […] Read more
Will agriculture and food processing finally take centre stage?
A new report says these two sectors are key to Canada’s future prosperity — and that recognition is a welcome development
Reading Time: 3 minutes A recent report from the Advisory Council on Economic Growth highlighted agriculture and food processing as keys to economic growth in Canada. The advisory council called on Ottawa to create a growth strategy for what it calls “agfood,” which it defines as everything from “field to fork.” Its report says that could generate another US$30 […] Read more
‘Start with your heart’ in order to win the trust of consumers
People want the facts on how their food is produced, but they want them from sources they know and trust, says expert
Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s better to talk about the shared values that you have with a consumer than to start spouting facts. “We are not going to advertise our way to public trust,” Crystal Mackay of Guelph-based Farm and Food Care told an audience of ranchers, food executives and beef industry officials at the Global Conference on Sustainable […] Read more
Low dollar won’t necessarily make 2016 a banner year for local produce
Cash-strapped produce consumers may go for ‘most bang for their buck’ in beleaguered Albertan economy
Reading Time: 3 minutes Some might think the low Canadian dollar might make 2016 a good year for local produce growers. Not necessarily, say two experts in the field. “The talk I’ve heard is that high food costs will normalize farmers’ markets or direct-market sales. These might have cost a little bit more before. Our cost of production is […] Read more
Tech companies charting a new food trend
Amazon, Uber, and Google are hoping to make billions by becoming middlemen in the food business
Reading Time: 3 minutes Uber Eats is not a giant meal that you serve your teenager. It is a service to deliver food to urban dwellers in a hurry through the Uber system of loosely collected, non-taxi drivers. It is just one of the companies, along with Amazon and Google, that are in the food business. Google in food? […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
