Over the Thanksgiving weekend, one our freelance writers, Rebecca Hannam, brought to my attention an interesting press release from the University of Guelph on how its on-campus child care centre has reduced its carbon footprint by switching to only feeding a plant-based diet. She asked in her email to me “why is no one talking […] Read more
Tag Archives Environment — page 10
Editorial: Sustainability shouldn’t be an optical illusion
Dairy sustainability lead has high hopes for 2050 emission goals
New DFC recruit previously worked with Canadian Cattle Association
Fawn Jackson recalls a message she heard from forestry and fishery stakeholders when she moved into her previous role as executive director of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef. “Get ahead of it, or else you’ll end up struggling to catch up from behind.” Why it matters: On-farm practices developed to meet DFC’s goals may […] Read more
U.N.-backed investors set fresh targets in sustainable food shift
Reuters – A U.N.-backed group of global financial institutions including Dutch lender Rabobank on Thursday set out a series of company specific environmental and social targets aimed at helping drive a shift to a more sustainable food system. Set by a group of 11 firms in the Good Food Finance Network, including Nuveen Natural Capital […] Read more
Farmers at the forefront of reducing GHG emissions
Sequestering carbon the best way to reduce emissions, according to new report
Adjustments to agriculture practices can play a significant role in attaining Canada’s lower carbon emissions commitment, according to a recently released report from Value Change Management International (VCMI). The report, entitled Low Carbon Food Production, suggests commercial benefits and opportunities are possible if businesses are willing to adapt to and profit from environmental initiatives. “Because […] Read more
Editorial: A carrot with a consequence
In response to the backlash it has been receiving from farmers and industry over its nitrous oxide (NO2) emissions target, the federal government was quick to reiterate that it is a goal, not a mandate. However, whether this is an achievable goal is still up for debate. By setting a goal, the federal government has […] Read more
‘Sticks’ needed to improve soil health, Senate told
Committee begins hearings as it launches first soil study since senator Herb Sparrow released Soil at Risk report in 1984
Glacier FarmMedia – If the federal government and Canada’s agriculture industry want to get serious about soil preservation and soil health, rules and regulations may be necessary, said two speakers who addressed the Senate committee for agriculture and forestry Sept. 22. Cedric MacLeod, executive director of the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association, along with Don […] Read more
Opinion: Farmers and the ‘prove it’ generation
Be real about modern agriculture because there’s much to be proud of
Glacier FarmMedia – What is a farmer’s relationship with environmental and animal welfare certification programs? Would it be right to say that it’s complicated? On one hand, farmers feel targeted by those in the activist community who reject the realities of modern agriculture. No genetically modified anything. No fertilizer. No pesticides. Small holdings with a […] Read more
Drought, high costs bring U.S. berry giants to Canada
A warming globe is pushing production into new regions as firms hedge their bets
A swath of Canada better known for maple syrup is being tested to mass produce berries normally grown in warmer locales. That makes the area an unexpected beneficiary of extreme weather, local demand and rising costs in traditional growing areas like California. Driscoll’s and grower-owned Naturipe Farms LLC, two of North America’s largest fruit sellers, […] Read more
New technology uses radio waves to dry grain
Eliminating heat gets rid of the need for propane or natural gas
Glacier FarmMedia – Few farmers can likely envision using radio waves to dry grain one decade into the future. But Kevin Eichhorn not only envisions such radical radio frequency drying technology, he’s building it. The Eden Prairie, Minnesota, inventor connects an off-the-shelf radio frequency wave generator to his dryer using a coaxial cable. He calls […] Read more
Soil moisture more critical than rainfall to estimate climate impact
Science Notes: Evaporation, infiltration and runoff can result in dramatic differences
You don’t need a PhD in agriculture to know that water is critical to crop production. But for years, people like Jonathan Proctor, who has a PhD in Agriculture and Resource Economics from the University of California Berkeley, have been trying to explain why the importance of water isn’t showing up in statistical models of […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
