Assuming an average Canadian diet, the Okanagan can currently produce 88 per cent of its dairy needs, Mullinix and colleagues wrote in a report on the study. It can produce 60 per cent of its poultry needs, 34 per cent of its fruit needs (due to fruits eaten that can’t be grown in the region, or are eaten out of season), and small amounts of other food groups like grains, red meat, eggs and oils.
Local food system would reap big economic benefits researcher says
B.C. researchers found that the Okanagan could produce two thirds of its own food while maintaining exports
Schoepp: Farmers markets have become part of the community fabric
Regardless of farm size, there is an opportunity to connect with those who buy our food products
Reading Time: 3 minutes I recall the early days of the farmers market in our community as the leaders focused on untapped opportunities. It was the mid-1970s, and farmers markets were just beginning to revive. It was difficult to convince folks to go back to buying local produce and food. As the population shifted to buying in grocery stores, […] Read more
To be truly sustainable, local food must work on many levels
Reading Time: 4 minutes Austin Noirot, 13, of Caroline, is the junior winner of this year’s Alberta Young Speakers for Agriculture competition. In his speech, he addressed the question: Is local food sustainable? The topic of food sustainability has become increasingly popular lately, with many people putting their opinions out on social media and newspapers. There seems to be […] Read more
Sustainability is a challenge that continues to evolve
Reading Time: 4 minutes Jenaya Roseboom is the senior winner of this year’s Alberta Young Speakers for Agriculture competition. The 20-year-old lives on a dairy farm near Rimbey, and in her speech, she addressed the question: Is local food sustainable? There is no simple answer to this question. In agriculture, sustainability is a complex issue that has many parameters […] Read more
‘Let’s give this a whirl’ – a farmers’ market can be a rewarding sideline
Reading Time: 4 minutes A central Alberta grain and cattle producer is sharing what it takes to add a farmers market sideline to a busy commercial farming operation. Double J Crop and Cattle is a third-generation family cattle and grain farm near Rimbey. In addition to beef (they have 300 head of cattle), they sell pork, poultry and lamb […] Read more
County sows agri-tourism seeds by organizing tours of local farms
Reading Time: 4 minutes There’s strength in numbers. Farms from across Leduc County have proven that by banding together to create successful ag tours. “By having the farms close together, there’s a benefit to people being able to visit more than one farm,” said Sharon Faye, the county’s local food co-ordinator. The tours started as a pilot last year […] Read more
What’s the secret sauce for growing Alberta’s food sector?
The province says Made in Alberta labels can drive sales but business owners say that’s not enough
Reading Time: 4 minutes It’s not surprising that cookies and cupcakes were a hit for housebound Albertans during the pandemic. But it wasn’t just the real butter and chocolate chunks that fuelled both delivery orders and e-commerce sales for Confetti Sweets. It was also the fact that the company is located in Sherwood Park. “When they placed an order, […] Read more
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
Local, diverse veggie varieties part of food security, says seed group
SeedChange promoting wider use of local vegetable varieties, including in home gardens
Reading Time: 2 minutes SeedChange, a non-profit that works with farmers in Canada and around the world to save seeds and grow food sustainably, is launching a campaign for a more resilient post-pandemic food supply. “It’s no secret that the coronavirus is impacting Canada’s food supply,” said Jane Rabinowicz, executive director of SeedChange. “COVID-19 has revealed the importance of […] Read more
As we rethink globalization, we need to think about communities
In many parts of the world, the current system is broken and doesn’t serve consumers or farmers
Reading Time: 3 minutes The world was once a scattering of small communities that through hunting and gathering, and later farming, were often self-sufficient. As systems of trade were built, dependent largely on the sea, goods and services had value and started to leave or be exported from these community hubs. In many cases, this brought an infusion of […] Read more
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