“Soil is still at risk in Canada and around the world,” the report says. “The committee heard that while soil management has improved and crop yield has increased with enhanced plant genetics and cultural practices, these gains have also masked the effect of continued soil degradation and loss of agricultural land in every region of Canada.
Tag Archives Opinion
Soil report highlights shifting focus on core issues
Opinion: Turn and burn is the name of the game before sunny days turn wet again
Editorial: Local counts during election campaigns
An uninspiring election could be an opportunity for agriculture inroads
The federal election has been a bit of a snoozer so far, with no defining issues and little widespread attachment to any of the parties and leaders. Movement in the polls started in late August with a hint that in the absence of any defining reason to call an election, the electorate questioned the prime […] Read more
Opinion: Big solutions recommended for Canada’s food system
The Canadian Agri-food Policy Institute (CAPI) recently hosted the Big Solutions Forum, an event where private industry, producers and government officials discuss Canada’s food system. A theme throughout the dialogue was that a systemic approach will be necessary to achieve any meaningful impact. This prompted me to try to further understand the purpose of a […] Read more
Opinion: Following science, not ideology, critical in carbon debate
The march to some sort of agricultural carbon economy is on and it’s integral that we get it right if we go down this road. Policy can’t be driven by politics and ideology. Unfortunately, the science of carbon sequestration continues to be fuzzy, which leaves open the opportunity for opinion to guide the policy. There […] Read more
Opinion: Growing Canada’s domestic market a vital strategy
Focusing less on exports and more on people could help Canada become a global super power
A street scene photographed back in Britain’s horse-and-buggy days is symbolic of how the world has traditionally looked upon Canada as a food exporter. “Canada: Britain’s granary” is boldly splayed across a decorative archway on a busy avenue. And it was a granary of sorts, just as it is today. As much as Canadians see […] Read more
Opinion: Food banks continue to report rising usage
Capital Letters with Kelsey Johnson of iPolitics
As the holiday season nears, the annual pleas for charity donations ring loud amid the merriment of the season. It’s the season of giving. A time to lend an extra helping hand to those who need it most. A new report from the Ontario Association of Food Banks shows the need for assistance is not […] Read more
Opinion: Creating a base for trust isn’t easy
Capital Letters with Kelsey Johnson of iPolitics
Last week agriculture leaders, experts, government officials, farmers and academics gathered in Gatineau, Que., for a two-day conference to talk about public trust. It’s a hot topic, a reality quickly confirmed by the full house it attracted. But what does public trust actually mean? In broad terms, public trust is the idea that a person […] Read more
Opinion: Tractors on the road – a debate around the world
Capital Letters with Kelsey Johnson of iPolitics
While driving through parts of rural Scotland last month, a farm-related debate came on the BBC radio program my friend and I were listening to. Since I was suffering from agriculture-news related withdrawal (it was only day four of my vacation), I immediately cranked the volume. The question up for debate: should tractors be banned […] Read more
Opinion: What’s for dinner? Re-imagining leftovers
Now we can all help the world’s second largest meat processor fight food waste
Sometimes deciding what to feed the family after a long, arduous day juggling daycare, jobs and traffic seems overwhelmingly complicated. If the May 31 news release from the U.S.-based Tyson Innovation Lab is any indication, deciding what we’re going to put into our mouths next is about to get more cluttered with new products, new […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
