Reading Time: 3 minutes My grandfather used to say, “Once in your life you need a doctor, lawyer, policeman, or preacher but every day — three times a day — you need a farmer.” To some this may be a catchy phrase but to others it has a deeper meaning. We were working on a school project, Grandpa and […] Read more
‘Three times a day, you need a farmer’ — a phrase that says a lot
It’s not just the food we produce — farming is much deeper and more meaningful than that
Bridging the producer-consumer divide
There are pros, cons, and frustrations when trying to deal with consumers who want it all when it comes to food
Reading Time: 3 minutes Consumers are watching you like never before. But relax — you can only do so much. That was one key message from a recent panel discussion on how farmers can connect with consumers. The sudden fascination with how food is produced is a “profoundly good thing,” said Mike von Massow, an associate professor at the […] Read more
Consumers driving changes in the food sector
Transparency in food labelling and no GMOs are among the top consumer food trends
Reading Time: 2 minutes The relationship between consumers and their food is no longer ‘from field to fork,’ says the former VP of innovation for Loblaws. “It’s actually from fork to field,” said Paul Uys, who spoke at the Conference on Food Innovation in late May. “Consumers are increasingly driving the food supply chain. It’s all about connecting with […] Read more
Constant change is the only sure thing in the food business
The environment was once the big thing, but then came animal welfare, local, gluten free, additives, food safety and more
Reading Time: 4 minutes The ‘mobile global food table’ is a phrase I use to capture the constant shift in consumer trends and food demand. I picture it as a round table without edges that can be placed indoors or out. Sometimes there are chairs and sometimes there are chopsticks. Always there is change. I’ve taken notes over the […] Read more
The four fallacies of sustainable food production
Intensive, large-scale production employing the latest technology is key to feeding a hungry world
Reading Time: 4 minutes The view that we need to change how we produce food in the name of sustainability has become ubiquitous in Canada and other developed countries. Indeed, spurred on by the perceptions of some consumers, the food industry has become keenly interested in how farmers produce food. They want to know about their carbon footprint; animal […] Read more
Expert says productivity has trumped welfare in breeding programs
New breeding techniques could improve welfare-related traits in animals, creating a win-win for livestock industry
Reading Time: 3 minutes Animal welfare shouldn’t take a back seat to productivity, says an Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research scientist. “Health and welfare traits should take precedence over production traits,” said Karen Schwartzkopf-Genswein at the recent Livestock Genomics in Alberta conference. “Successful livestock production will only be accomplished through welfare-conscious management.” But that hasn’t been the case in […] Read more
Ethicist says consumers have a right to labelling of GM foods
Despite scientific consensus that genetically modified foods are safe, consumers are understandably concerned
Reading Time: 2 minutes Consumer concern about genetically modified food may not be science based, but it’s a natural reaction and farmers have to get used to it, says an agricultural ethicist. Andrew Kernohan pointed to an early (although never commercialized) example of GM food — a tomato modified with a flounder gene in order to give it increased […] Read more
Don’t get mad, give your critics something to think about
It’s easy to be offended by critics of modern farming, but there are ways to challenge their thinking and provide new perspectives
Reading Time: 3 minutes “Watch what you eat. Wherever possible, avoid food grown with pesticides, in feedlots, or by agribusiness. It’s an easy way to use your dollars to vote against the spread of toxins in our bodies, soil and water.” This is the fourth principle in the consumption manifesto issued by the World Watch Institute, an environmental research […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
