Changes south of the border offer both challenges and opportunities for sustainable agriculture in Canada
A number of obstacles presently stand in the way of efforts to make Canada’s agricultural system more sustainable. A heavy reliance on chemical inputs, industrial processing, and long distances between farm and plate have contributed to high rates of greenhouse gas emissions, degradation of water and soil quality, and threats to biodiversity. These ecological challenges […]
The time is now to position Canada as a global leader in Agri-Food
February 16 is Canada’s Agriculture Day; a day to celebrate the food we love and where it comes from, focusing not only on farmers and producers but also on Canada’s food processing sector, our retailers large and small and, of course, consumers. Although Canada’s Agriculture Day is a new addition to the calendar, it is […]
Growing the agriculture sector means growing the conversation about food
Food drives many of our conversations at home, on social media, and just about everywhere else. When we gather together, food is often the most anticipated guest of honour. And yet, despite how often most of us are thinking or speaking about food, those discussions don’t always spill over into our country’s vital political and […]
How farmers can fight climate change and hunger
Can improved agricultural practices help fight both climate change and hunger? Yes, according to one the world’s most esteemed climate scientists. In fact, when meting out money for mitigating climate change, Canada should prioritize supporting small family farming. James Hansen, who is the retired head of the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, has warned […]
Trump presidency puts Canada’s food producers on alert
The new U.S. administration’s stated desire to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is leaving those in the agricultural sector wondering what this will mean for food producers in Canada, and many are looking to other continents to fill any potential trade void. Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland (University-Rosedale, Ont.) signalled last week […]
Liberals’ expanding priorities: a challenge for agriculture
The House of Commons Agriculture Committee has been hearing from Canadian agriculture on the next Agricultural Policy Framework (APF) agreement. Primary producers, food processors, transportation, exporters, specialty sectors—each has a set of priorities for taxpayers’ money assigned to agriculture. The massive and healthy diversity that makes up Canadian agriculture creates a multiplicity of claims and […]
Provinces would benefit from national tool to evaluate policy outcomes by tracking farmland usage
Manitoba has a large landmass, with a diverse production base and agricultural sector that generates six billion in cash receipts. That information is critical when we discuss how Manitoba addresses the acquisition of farmland. Manitoba regulates the acquisition of farmland through two acts. The first one, the Farm Lands Ownership Act, has been in effect since […]
Canada’s supply-management system ‘evolving’
While new U.S. President Donald Trump may be getting pressure from American dairy producers to pry open Canada’s supply-management system, many say it’s unlikely this protectionist leader will be looking seriously at the issue, though the system is likely to change any way. “Canada’s existing and soon-to-be-expanded protectionist policies are intentionally designed to block imports […]
‘My job is to put more money in the farmers’ pockets,’ says agriculture minister
Canada’s agriculture industry, especially sectors captured by the insulating supply management scheme, looked to see significant changes under the terms of the multinational Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact negotiated by the former Conservative government. The 12-nation agreement paved the way for a small increase in the amount of dairy, poultry, and eggs imports, while supporters hoped the pact […]
Science applied to organic agriculture helps all farmers
GUELPH, ONT.—Organic agriculture has far more in common than it has differences with non-organic agriculture. It is based on similar traditions and information flows both ways. Science applies to organic agriculture as much as it does to agriculture at large. Research conducted in unmasked biological systems, under organic methods, reveals relationships and interactions sometimes not […]
