‘The knowledge-based economy is upon us’: minister of state for science Goodyear
Minister of State for Science and Technology Gary Goodyear may have one of the most important low-profile jobs in Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Cabinet. While other members of the government must often defend their decisions, and sometimes their jobs, before Parliament, Mr. Goodyear has spent the past four years shaping how the federal government […]
Agriculture Policy Briefing
Food and food safety top-of-mind
Food and food safety are top-of-mind issues for Canadians. The deaths caused by listeriosis contamination at the Maple Leaf plant remains a serious warning of the perils of losing food inspectors. Meanwhile, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has a credibility problem. CFIA has an inherent conflict of interest, mandated to regulate for food safety, […]
Turning a blind eye to a world of opportunity
Population growth, economic expansion, and changing diets across the developing world are fuelling an unrelenting rise in the demand for food and creating a tremendous opportunity for agricultural powers like Canada. According to the UN the world’s population will reach eight billion in 2028, up from six billion in 1999. The FAO predicts the average […]
Agriculture Canada suffered some of most significant cuts in latest budget
Canadians are now more keenly aware that their food comes from the farm gate and not the grocery store cooler and that the Canadian farmer puts it there. Food is among our most important natural resource and its production, processing, safety and sale is an invaluable and thriving industry. Support from Agriculture and Agri-food Canada […]
Reforming regulatory approval process on agricultural innovations key to industry’s competitiveness, say stakeholders
Stakeholders in Canada’s agriculture sector say reforming the regulatory approval process on agricultural innovations is key to the industry’s competitiveness, but restrictions on genetically-modified produce continue to keep the sector from tapping into European markets. “The innovation work is there, and it continues,” said Patty Townsend, CEO of the Canadian Seed Trade Association told the […]
Agri-food think tank calls for national food strategy to coordinate innovation in Canadian agriculture
If Canada’s agriculture industry is going to innovate, the federal government needs to create a national food strategy, says David McInnes, president and CEO of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI). Mr. McInnes told The Hill Times that a multi-government strategy would help close the gaps between scientists, producers, retailers and consumers and bring more […]
Canada lacks a long-term vision for food
Canada has long been one of the top agriculture producers in the world. Our natural abundance of arable land and successful agricultural practices have made the industry an important element of Canada’s economy and part of who we are as Canadians. The problem is, we lack a long-term vision for food and many people are […]
Removal of CWB single desk for wheat and barley just killed a venerable icon
“No civilized world country, no matter how strongly attached to the doctrine of free enterprise, will or can let domestic agriculture be nakedly subjected to the ups and downs of the world market.”—Dwight D. Eisenhower, quoted in From Prairie Roots by Garry Fairbairn. The Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) was one of our best Canadian institutions; […]
Agriculture sector banging on all cylinders, making record profits
Thanks to The Hill Times for the opportunity to comment and be a part of the in-depth look at the future of agriculture and food production in Canada. In recent years, there seems to be a concern (in some corners) with the sustainability of food production. From my perspective, the overall sustainability of domestic food […]
