Wasted food can be affordably turned into a clean substitute for fossil fuels. New technology developed by researchers at Ontario’s University of Waterloo uses natural fermentation to produce a biodegradable chemical that can be refined as a source of energy. The chemical could also be used to replace petroleum-based chemicals in a host of products […] Read more
Tag Archives Other — page 107
Table scraps could be used to reduce fossil fuel use
Science Notes: Ontario technology could be more efficient than anaerobic digestion
Agriculture committee calls for more farmer mental health supports
Government needs to reduce stress and burden on farmers, support resources, research, report says
The House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food is calling for better access to mental health services from farmers and better treatment of them in stressful situations related to government. Why it matters: Mental health has long been a difficult subject to discuss in the agriculture community. That’s changing on many fronts, including […] Read more
Ag-exporters support Canada’s drive to revive the WTO
Rules-based trade is critical for agri-food sector: CAFTA
Canada’s agricultural exporters are praising the federal government for heading the drive to revive the World Trade Organization. “We are pleased to see (International Trade Diversification) Minister (Jim) Carr leading important discussions to maintain and modernize our multilateral trading system,” said Brian Innes, the president of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance, recognizing work happening during […] Read more
Survey finds support for agriculture
Canadian consumers are confident in safety of food produced in Canada, says a recent survey. Grassroots Public Affairs recently surveyed 1002 Canadians in an online survey and found that: Nine-in-10 Canadians from coast to coast are either very or somewhat confident in the safety of food grown or produced in Canada; less so 64 per cent […] Read more
Opinion: Delivering on delivery
Consumers want the convenience of grocery delivery, but environmental considerations affect their decision as well
Walmart just announced it will now offer a one-day delivery service to its customers in the United States. It’s a move that will help them compete with Amazon, and Walmart will begin offering its service in Phoenix, Las Vegas, and southern California. Why it matters: Grocery home delivery service is a growing phenomenon but convenience […] Read more
EFAO wins first Excellence in Agriculture Award
Other awards will be presented in the near future
The Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario (EFAO) has been named the first recipient of the inaugural Excellence in Agriculture Awards. Ernie Hardeman, Ontario’s minister of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs recently announced the award. The Excellence in Agriculture Awards recognize agri-food businesses, individuals and organizations that have raised the bar for agri-food excellence, demonstrated leadership […] Read more
Editorial: Markets, trade variables disrupt usual farm outlook
New layers of challenge keep being thrown over farmers trying to run their businesses in Ontario this spring. Wait, it actually started last fall, with a late and burdensome harvest, marked by unprecedented corn quality issues. High levels of DON in corn across the province, but concentrated in unlucky pockets, meant some farmers had to […] Read more
Sheep farmer tells her farm’s story using video
Sandi Brock is gaining a significant YouTube following for her video logs
There’s not a lot of filtering in the version of Sandi Brock’s sheep farm that she shows to the world. It’s real and it’s popular with viewers of her YouTube channel. On the channel she talks about what she does on her farm in great detail, from lambing processes to barn design to shipping to […] Read more
Agriculture Canada enlists indigenous elder
The indigenous elder had worked for the CFIA for most of his career
Agriculture Canada is the first federal department to employ a departmental elder to help the institution navigate relationships with indigenous peoples. In 2017, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada created the indigenous support and awareness office to increase the department’s ability to work with indigenous people, and hired elder Mervin Traverse to provide full-time elder support to […] Read more
Agricultural Adaptation Council loses funding role to OMAFRA
The Agricultural Adaptation Council has meted out government funding to organizations for years
The Ontario government is taking Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) funding for organizations and partnerships in house, a significant blow to the industry-led Agricultural Adaptation Council, which has administered such programs for 23 years. “We’re disappointed with the province’s decision,” said Terry Thompson, executive director of the AAC. “The decision to abandon industry-led delivery is a […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
