Reading Time: 3 minutes Our food system was certainly stretched during the pandemic. There were gaps and delays, but food was delivered. Fast forward to now, when we are experiencing massive inflation and the same gaps still appear, but with additional production challenges. Affordability is the new barrier to food in a system that experts describe as volatile and […] Read more
Schoepp: The risks to our food system are many and must be addressed
Supply chain issues and inflation have both revealed serious fractures that won’t fix themselves
Schoepp: Having a will doesn’t guarantee a smooth succession process
This important document should provide a path forward, but sometimes it can sink the farm
Reading Time: 3 minutes What could possibly go wrong? There is a farm, a will and the future. Listening to the legal experts at a recent conference, it was a bit of a shocker to hear the situations in which farm families find themselves. It is always best to have a will. This important document should eliminate confusion and […] Read more
Schoepp: It was both an ordinary day and an extraordinary one, too
Sometimes when the load seems too heavy, little moments can lift you up
Reading Time: 3 minutes What started as a downer of a day turned into one of fulfilment and meaning. The person cutting my hair always surprises me with the depth of her compassion and her understanding of the world. Everything about her is beautiful and regardless of where I am that day, I feel uplifted when I go to […] Read more
Schoepp: The business of carbon credits is murky and risky
The payments are small and the agreements are often complex and ill-defined
Reading Time: 3 minutes In overall climate discussion, there is constant reference to trade in terms of carbon sequestration known as carbon credits. This is a global movement in carbon offsets under an assumption that the land, sea, and forests will absorb all carbon from total greenhouse gases. Does this benefit Canadian farmers and consumers? It’s a complex matter […] Read more
Schoepp: Climate-focused diet misses the mark in targeting meat
Advocates of ‘climatarian’ diet need to look at entire picture when it comes to livestock
Reading Time: 3 minutes The ‘climatarian’ diet promotes the elimination of beef and lamb. The original movement is based on the premise that elimination of these ruminants reduces carbon emissions. Beef and lamb, the founders claim, leave the largest carbon footprint. Being climate conscious involves more than choosing one main point, such as carbon, and one culprit, such as […] Read more
Schoepp: What produces more waste — a feedlot or a cruise ship?
Feedlot waste gets a lot of scrutiny by consumers while shipping gets a free pass
Reading Time: 3 minutes During a recent agricultural discussion, the chat centred around the public’s perception of animal agriculture and waste. As I had recently been at sea, our conversation shifted to the ocean being used as a dumping ground for human sewage and other waste. I became curious. What produces more waste — a feedlot or a ship, […] Read more
Schoepp: Take a ‘man overboard’ approach to make your farm safer
Sailors don’t leave harbour without going over the safety plan for that day. It’s an approach farmers should also take
Reading Time: 3 minutes I learned a lot about farm safety while sailing this summer. We set off for a week of fair skies, light winds and glorious sunsets, which were delivered in breathtaking beauty. On our first day out, a Minke whale graced our port side, followed during the week by porpoises and four humpback whales. Eagles soared, […] Read more
Schoepp: Times have changed, and so must the way you treat employees
A living wage is important but there are other things that today’s workers expect from employers
Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s crunch time as the harvest begins and farmers scramble for the help they need. A lot has changed on farms in the last decade as the baby boomers retire and are replaced by millennials and Gen Z. These generations have nurtured a different set of values and ethics. There has never been such a […] Read more
Schoepp: Farmers are innovative and resilient — our food system should be, too
The globalized commodity model is needed, but so are regional and local alternatives
Reading Time: 3 minutes Today’s farmers show resiliency, whether they are highly technical mass producers or deliver fresh to the farm gate. In agriculture, technology continues to rapidly advance in areas such as robotics and precision farming. Nutrient attributes can now be added or taken away in plants through genomics. Machinery can do the work of humans in picking […] Read more
Schoepp: Don’t be brought down by the constant drumbeat of bad news
Yes, the world faces a lot of troubles right now but we remain fortunate in Canada
Reading Time: 3 minutes Each day we are bombarded with negativity — often regarding food, fuel and housing, those core foundational building blocks in our hierarchy of needs. Without them we start to lose our sense of belonging and of control in our lives and begin to fear for our future. Added to inflation and declining markets is the […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
