Applying technological innovation to the most important and complex challenges of our time
VANCOUVER—Day after day, as newspapers and nightly newscasts alternate between coverage of the war and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and the related inflationary effects on fuel, fertilizer, and food across the globe, the realities of living in a deeply interconnected world become increasingly stark. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has made even the most basic of […]
Climate-resilient practices, nature-based solutions are vital to Canada’s next Agricultural Policy Framework
The world is hungry for more food, and no one is more capable than Canadian farmers to satisfy this growing appetite. But with global food demands expected to increase by 60 per cent by 2050, ensuring Canadian agriculture is positioned to continue meeting these future market demands in an environmentally sustainable fashion must be our […]
Dairy, agriculture hurdles need to be addressed for CETA to reach full potential, says new Spanish envoy
Spain’s new ambassador to Canada says more work needs to be done for the trade pact with the European Union to reach its full potential. Madrid was one of the early adopters of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), ratifying the deal weeks after Canada did in 2017. Alfredo Martínez Serrano, who presented his […]
Now is Canada’s chance to become the world’s agri-food powerhouse
When Russia’s army invaded Ukraine, it not only caused massive humanitarian and political tragedies, but also destabilized world food systems. Ukraine and Russia are usually in the world’s top five wheat exporters, accounting for about 25 per cent of global wheat trade. Additionally, Russia and Ukraine also contribute enormous amounts of fertilizer (especially phosphate) and […]
After the horrors of Ukraine, Canada should aim to be a major player in helping the world meet its future food needs
TORONTO—The Russian invasion of Ukraine is triggering many responses in Canada, including calls for more aid to Ukraine, tougher sanctions against Russia, accelerated welcoming of displaced Ukrainian families, dramatic new defence spending and ways for our oil industry to profit. Some of these responses make great humanitarian and pragmatic sense—such as speeding up the entry […]
Canada’s next agricultural policy framework must promote the uptake of agricultural natural climate solutions
Farmers are facing increasing drought, flooding, and depleted soils, but there are opportunities we can act on now to support their resilience. And as allies in the fight against climate change, their role in reducing emissions will be vital for meeting Canada’s 2030 goals, as well as fuelling a green economic transition. A peer-reviewed study […]
Stifling lack of competition in meat packing industries
Joe Biden’s State of the Union address this month didn’t get the attention in Canada that a SOTU by a POTUS usually receives, likely because it took place against the backdrop of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and in the wake of Ottawa’s convoy crisis. But the American president’s speech called out, in blunt terms, a […]
Guaranteeing Canada’s food sovereignty
For the last two years, the agriculture and agri-food sectors have been under a great deal of strain due to the COVID-19 pandemic: labour shortages, management difficulties, the scarcity and inflation of inputs, and the unavailability of efficient transportation to and from production sites. These major, complex challenges have far-reaching consequences. That is why the […]
Government needs to listen to itself to help agriculture
Long ago—2018 to be exact—the federal government initiated the Advisory Council on Economic Growth and Economic Strategy Tables, an initiative designed to foster greater collaboration between industry and government and establish growth targets for key economic sectors. Two of those sectors—agriculture and agri-food—was tasked with the ambitious objective of increasing its domestic sales to $140-billion […]
Farmers scramble for alternate fertilizer sources as world looks for Canada’s help in possible global food shortage
Canada cannot afford any further disruptions to its supply chain if the agriculture sector is to contend with a potential shortage of fertilizer as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to agriculture organizations. “We have a window of opportunity where farmers use fertilizer to maximize their crop production and their yields, and if […]
