University of Guelph professor Evan Fraser, shown here in cartoon form discussing food security initiative “Feeding 9 Billion,” has been named co-chair of the new Canadian Food Policy Advisory Council. (Feeding9Billion.com video screengrab via YouTube)

Advisory council named to steer national Food Policy

Development of Canada’s Food Policy is taking a major step forward with the naming Friday of a new advisory council featuring industry, academic and government members tasked with guiding the policy. Public consultations on a “Food Policy for Canada” started in 2017, leading to the release of a 2018 report from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada […] Read more

Beth Bechdol, deputy director-general for the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), speaks on a video conference call marking World Pulses Day. (Photo courtesy FAO via Flickr, copyright FAO)

Pulse weekly outlook: World Pulses Day celebrated

MarketsFarm — The United Nations celebrated the annual World Pulses Day on Feb. 10, highlighting the contribution of pulse crops to world agriculture and nutrition. “Pulses are more than just nutritious seeds – they also contribute to achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda of Sustainable Development,” the UN said in a release. “They play […] Read more

A view of the “Bridge of No Return” from the South Korean side of the DMZ between North and South Korea. (Bob Hilscher/iStock/Getty Images)

North Korea faces food crisis after poor harvest, UN says

Geneva | Reuters — Four in 10 North Koreans are chronically short of food and further cuts to already minimal rations are expected after the worst harvest in a decade, the United Nations said on Friday. Official rations are down to 300 grams (10.6 ounces) per person per day, the lowest ever for this time […] Read more


(Giuseppe Carotenuto photo courtesy FAO)

Canada’s ag output seen likely rising under climate change

CNS Canada — A new United Nations report suggests just how climate change will reshape agriculture by 2050 — and that Canada’s production capacity stands to benefit. International trade will play an ever-larger role in helping to feed people in food-deficient regions, as warmer temperatures and less precipitation will damage yields in many tropical areas, […] Read more


U.S. alarmed by strike on ship delivering wheat to Yemen

Washington | Reuters — The United States said on Friday it was “alarmed” by a Houthi missile strike on a Turkish vessel carrying wheat to Yemen this month and urged the Shi’ite group to work with the United Nations to alleviate Yemenis’ suffering. The Turkish-flagged Ince Inebolu bulk carrier was damaged by an explosion on […] Read more


U.N. picks former U.S. governor to run World Food Programme

Reuters — United Nations chief Antonio Guterres has appointed former South Carolina Governor David Beasley to run the Rome-based World Food Programme (WFP), at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump has proposed slashing funding for the world body and its agencies. Beasley will replace another American, Etharin Cousin, who has been the WFP executive […] Read more


(Lentils.ca)

Lentils, chickpeas can help reverse soil erosion trend, U.N. says

Rome | Thomson Reuters Foundation — Planting more lentils, chickpeas and other pulses will improve the health of the world’s soils that have reached critical levels, threatening to worsen hunger and poverty levels, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Monday. About a third of the world’s soils are degraded because of soil […] Read more

The Paris Agreement seeks to phase out greenhouse gas emissions this century.  Photo: Thinkstock

Ignoring Trump, UN talks seek to turn climate pledges into action

Morocco/Reuters – Almost 200 nations began work on Monday to turn promises for fighting climate change into action at a UN conference that played down threats to a 2015 global agreement if Republican Donald Trump wins the U.S. presidency. At the start of two-week talks in Morocco, many delegates wore badges with a smiling picture […] Read more