Perspectives on good food and farming

February 11, 2010

Food author pushes for national food policy in Guelph speech

Canadians are aware of the country’s broken food system and need a national food policy. It was the message delivered by author Margaret Webb at the 2009 Organic Agricultural Conference’s keynote address Saturday. Her book Apples to Oysters won a silver at the 2009 Cuisine Canada/University of Guelph National Culinary Book Awards. Last fall, Webb also wrote an eight-part investigative series for The Toronto Star called Crisis on the Farm. Addressing a packed lecture hall at the University of Guelph, Webb presented the state of today’s food sector. The 29th annual organic conference drew at least 1,000 farmers, distributors, retailers and advocates between Friday and Sunday. Guelph Mercury story.

Home is where the hearty food is

Residents of 100 Mile House have turned local eating into a way of life, with an agricultural co-op and their own Cariboo potatoes.Globe and Mail story.

Quebec Slaughterhouse Gets Fed Loan

The federal government is lending a Quebec company that specialises in the slaugher and processing of milk-fed calves. Ecolait processes more than 1 hundred thousand head of veal a year. The animals come from it’s over 150 producer partners. 50 per cent of it’s products are exported. The 2 point 7 million dollar federal loan will help Ecolait improve it’s storage capacity and upgrade it’s slaughterhouse plant technology. CKNX Radio Wingham story.

Local Market Industry benefits from a Mentorship Program

In September 2009, the Camrose Regional Exhibition, Edmonton Regional Tourism Group, Peace Region Economic Development Alliance, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD), and the Learn Agri-Food (LAF) and Country Roads (CR) Networks partnered to bring Jane Eckert of Eckert AgriMarketing to Alberta.  Jane Eckert is an award winning leader in the farm direct/ag tourism industry, and is the founder and CEO of Eckert AgriMarketing. Local market businesses from the Peace, Edmonton and NE regions of Alberta benefited from Eckert’s experience and expertise.  One of the ten participants in the program was Heather Edwards of Pottery by Heather. Heather has been very successful at turning her passion for pottery into a thriving rural business in Bon Accord, Alberta. RTW This Week story.

Canada’s Master of Wild Edibles

The matsutake is just one of many hard-to-find products harvested from the Canadian wilderness and sold by Forbes Wild Foods. Founded by Jonathan Forbes, the business started back in the late 1990s when Forbes realized that no one knew what he was talking about when he told them of the chokecherries he’d picked or the beechnuts he was eating. “If you asked people what are Canadian wild foods, you’d be lucky to get more than wild rice, maple syrup, and blueberries,” he said. The Atlantic story.

First Nations School Gardening Program

The past school year has seen the beginning of a new and promising trend among some First Nations schools in Manitoba. A number of schools have begun planning for, or have already started implementing gardening programs. An integrated school/community gardening program offers potential benefits too numerous to list in a single brief article, such as this. However, some highlights will be explored herein. Development and implementation of a school/community gardening program can help to address a wide range of issues facing schools and communities. First Perspective National Aboriginal News story.

Growing Right

While 100-mile dieters provide a ray of hope, small-scale farmers the world over continue to face intense pressures, and many are still forced out of farming each year. In response, we need to think carefully about our aspirations for the 21st century food system.Peter Andrée essay in Alternatives Journal.

Meet Howard Soon, wine master of the Okanagan

If anyone embodies the quality revolution in B.C. wine that’s taken place since the sip-while-you-slalom era, it’s Mr. Soon. This month he will celebrate his 30th year in the business, overseeing the Western Canada operations of Grimsby, Ont.-based Andrew Peller, which owns the Calona, Sandhill and Red Rooster brands in British Columbia as well as the Peller, Hillebrand and Thirty Bench. And unlike athletes, who tend to peak early in life, Mr. Soon, 57, is at the top of his game. Last fall, Sandhill was named Canadian Winery of the Year by Wine Access magazine for scoring consistently high ratings in a blind tasting by experts from around the country. “It took us 30 years to get winery of the year,” Mr. Soon said. Globe and Mail story.

Ignatieff commits to national food policy during Guelph stop

Federal Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff appears not only willing to listen to the agricultural grassroots but to incorporate the priorities of rural Canada into the party’s rural policies and the national food policy it is crafting. “I pledge that a national food policy will be part of what we offer to the Canadian people at the next election,” Ignatieff told reporters Friday at the Ignatius Jesuit Centre’s Loyola House in Guelph, adding he is committed to enhancing rural health care and expanding broadband connectivity in rural Canada.Guelph Mercury story.

Call for Articles: Innovation in Environmental Education

Alternatives Journal is looking for articles for the next annual Education issue, and you are invited to submit story ideas that explore every angle of environmental education. How has environmental education changed in today’s increasingly accessible world? What should be a part of every person’s educational background, but currently isn’t? How do applied skills such as farming, gardening, and building complement more theoretical environmental learning methods? Story ideas for this issue could answer these questions, or they could involve a critique of the current education system in Canada, and propose ways to improve it. The deadline for submissions is February 15, 2010. Alternatives Journal for information.

AND if You Have Time

London Skyline Recreated With Fruit and Vegetables

Back in November, Carl Warner (responsible for many of the foodscape photographs you may have come across) was commissioned by the Good Food channel in the UK to make an edible version of the London skyline. The Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, the Tower Bridge, St Paul’s Cathedral, and the Gherkin all get the treatment. The making of video explains how he did it:

February 10, 2010

Tougher rules threaten local meat industry with extinction

The owner-operators of Mogk’s Custom Killing and Butcher Shop south of Tavistock are awaiting a crucial meeting Monday with a food safety inspector they fear could close them down. Ken Mogk, 73, who has been operating his small abattoir for 20 years, said if he is required to do all of the things a food inspector is demanding he will have no choice but to go out of business. Stratford Beacon Herald story.

OCA President Says Producers Need Strong Partnership with Consumers

The President of the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association says the future security of beef producers will come from forging a strong partnership with the province’s consumers. Gord Hardy made the remark in his speech to the recent Beef Industry Convention in London, hosted by the Ontario Cattle Feeders’ Association. To help the build the partnership, Hardy says Ontario beef is about to receive a promotional boost from a deal signed by Cattlemen’s Association and Foodland Ontario. CKNX Radio Wingham story

Brule Creek Farms – Locally-milled Flour

Brule Creek Farms is the only stone-milled flour producer in Northwestern Ontario.  It is owned and operated by Jeff Burke and Andrea Delarosbil.  We started farming in the spring of 2008 in the township of Conmee, just west of Kakabeka Falls. We mill both our own grains and grain purchased from other local farmers using heritage techniques with a modern spin:  our grain is ground between granite stones spun by an electric motor.  We mill flour on a weekly basis to ensure that our customers enjoy the freshest product possible.  Brule Creek Farms flour is unbleached and contains no additives. Farm website.

Markham’s bold proposal is suburbia’s salvation

The land-use rebellion now unfolding in Markham is another skirmish in the war against the development industry. At stake is who controls growth – government or industry? Christopher Hume writing in the Toronto Star.

Perth Beef Producer to Push Marketing Strategy At OCA

The former President of the Perth County Beef Producers is seeking a role at the Provincial level. Bill Jeffrey plans to put his name forward for a Director’s position at the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association annual meeting at the end of the month. He says he wants to see if producers are interested in a new marketing strategy. Jeffrey says immediate changes are necessary to save the industry. Jeffrey says he wants to see if producers are interested in moving forward with a “single desk selling mechanism” to make the beef industry profitable again in Ontario. He adds he hopes to be in the running for a Director’s position at the annual meeting of the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association later this month. CKNX Radio Wingham story.

Training board wants local farmer input on industry

An employment training board wants area farmers and people working in agri-business to give their views in a survey about dramatic changes taking place in their industry. The Grand Erie Training and Adjustment Board is sending out surveys to people working in six agricultural sectors in area counties. Haldimand recipients are receiving their copies first because that county’s economic development department is supporting that component of an agricultural analysis project which GETAB intends to carry out across Brant, Norfolk, Oxford, Elgin and Middlesex counties. Simcoe Reformer story.

Virtual Farmers’ Market a Success

The Ottawa Valley Food Co-operative (OVFC) connects consumers with local area producers using the Internet. This local food system increases profits, improves distribution efficiency and reduces food miles. “The OVFC started in 2007 when a small group of like-minded people came together to look for ways to address the concern over decreasing numbers of local area farms and to find ways to reduce their food miles,” explains Christina Anderman, OVFC coordinator. “We were fortunate to connect with Robert Waldrop of the Oklahoma Food Co-operative, who pioneered the virtual marketplace concept. He also generously shared his software for free with other interested groups.” FarmCentre.com story.

Local Food Movement Growing In Owen Sound

The local food movement is gaining ground in Owen Sound. The ‘Around the Sound’ market was on 1st Avenue West.  But Owner/operator Anne Findlay-Stewart says she needed more space so she’s moved to 6th Street East. ‘Around the Sound’ sells locally produced fruits, vegetables, baked goods and some prepared foods. Findlay- Stewart says people can know they’re getting good wholesome food. Findlay-Stewart says she tries to be fair to producers so customers might pay a premium. Findlay-Stewart says with the extra space she now has in Owen Sound, she plans to put in a community kitchen for cooking classes and demonstrations. CKNX Radio Wingham story.

New Projects Supported By Ontario Market Investment Fund

Provincial support for marketing projects is feeding people’s appetite for local food and strengthening rural economies. To promote the local foods that support the people, communities and economies of rural Ontario, the Province is investing in eight new projects through the Ontario Market Investment Fund. Details in OMAFRA backgrounder.

Local Harvest

Foodlink Waterloo has posted a new issue of Local Harvest featuring BARLEY and a local farm profile on WINTERMAR FARMS, a grower and processor of seeds and grains. Newsletter.

January 28, 2010

Get Canucked: Canadian Cuisine from LA to London

What is Canadian Cuisine? Think about a melting pot of British, American, German, Ukrainian, etc. cuisines with a healthy dose of the locavore movement and a love for all things hot and filling. Best eaten on days when the weather outside is frightful, Canadian Cuisine is, like Canadians themselves, hearty, comforting, and underestimated. Here are some examples of Canadian dishes, and where you can find them around the world: poutine, Kraft Dinner, tourtiere pie, nanaimo bars and elk burgers. Tips from the T-List from NileGuide Travel Blog.

NSFA hears Buy Local is working, provincial beef kill line coming

Agriculture Minister John MacDonell believes “Buying Local” will extract more returns from the value chain for Nova Scotia farmers. MacDonell told the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture’s annual, after chairing a recent meeting with major retailers to secure more shelf space for local products, he felt they are feeling more pressure to buy local. “They really listen to their customers and their customers are telling them they want to see more high value local food in their establishments.” The minister hoped to continue meeting with retailers—Sobeys, Loblaws and Co-op Atlantic—to keep the lines of communication open to them. He also saw a need to build capacity for the beef industry and wants to increase access to a federally-inspected kill line for provincial beef. There will be a feasibility study to determine where it might be located and its initial capacity. Atlantic Farm Focus story.

Urban Barns grows green revolution

Mr. Fitzpatrick and his friend, an adept student of hydroponics science, began conducting some edible experiments which, after some time and nourishment, yielded a gold mine of an answer. “Anything that doesn’t grow inside the ground, we can probably grow it. We worked with some strawberries and these strawberries turned out to be the best-tasting, juiciest strawberries I’ve ever eaten in my life,” Mr. Fitzpatrick said. “We tried basil. It was like a weed. It was phenomenal. You couldn’t keep up with it.” In the mind of Mr. Fitzpatrick, a dogged pitchman whose professional life includes stints hawking TV remote controls door-to-door, anti-theft global positioning systems and estate-planning products, the concept for Urban Barns was born. Globe and Mail story.

Study looks at agriculture’s job creation and economic activity

Agricultural production gives government and taxpayers the biggest bang for their buck, suggests a new study on the economic impacts of public spending across Quebec.”The evidence is clear,” says Maurice Doyon, an agro-economics professor at Laval University and co-author of the study, funded by the province’s agriculture producers’ organization. “In terms of job creation and economic activity, farming is the best sector.  Even better, that activity occurs in rural regions that need it most.” Mark Cardwell writing for Farm Credit Canada Express.

Americans light years ahead of us on ‘local first’ economics

In their zeal against so-called “protectionism”, business leaders who have been pushing Stephen Harper to reach a new free trade agreement on local procurement, as a response to “Buy American” laws in the U.S., have missed the point. They don’t realize that municipal authority over local procurement policy actually works because it increases a community’s wealth. Nor do they seem to have noticed that our neighbours to the south have long been setting the bar when it comes to local procurement. In fact, the U.S. has had so-called “Buy America” federal laws in some form since 1933. But after 76 years with nary a complaint from Canada, Mr. Harper and his supporters suddenly see it as a problem. B.C. Cupe commentary.

The other side of Vancouver Island

The Island’s oft-neglected east coast offers locavore cooking, calm winter fishing and close encounters with sea life. Visitors roaring off the boat for a fast look at Victoria and a $60 cuppa tea at the Fairmont Empress have missed the boat. The pauses include a modest aquarium that delivers immodest results, Canada’s most dedicated locavore restaurant, the casual acquisition of 80-million-year-old souvenirs and a magnificent and calm archipelago for winter fishing. Globe and Mail story.

Food council setting its groundwork

Volunteers helping with the formation of a food policy council are asking interested Nova Scotians to get involved. Linda Best of the Friends of N.S. Agriculture says they are seeking nominations before Feb. 22 for interim members of a Nova Scotia Food Policy Council. “Many of the solutions have been identified yet, at the Food Summit, we heard over and over that ‘new alliances’ were needed across the food spectrum to increase awareness and inspire action,” she says. The interim council is expected to come together at the end of March and will start working on a structure, based on information about existing councils. Nova News Now story.

N.S. backs agribusiness incubator centre

A new centre aimed at developing businesses in Atlantic Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sectors has picked up phased-in funding from the Nova Scotia and federal governments. The planned Atlantic Centre for Agricultural Innovation will get $500,000 from the province and $2 million from Ottawa toward the first two phases of its 20,000-square-foot facility. The province on Sunday also pledged $4.5 million for the third phase of the project, being developed at AgriTech Park at Bible Hill, near Nova Scotia Agricultural College (NSAC) at Truro. Country Guide story.

Economic Action Plan to Help Quebec Livestock Sector

While in Terrebonne, the Honourable Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Minister of State (Agriculture), was pleased to announce that as part of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the Government of Canada will be investing in Canada’s red meat sector through a loan of up to $2.7 million to assist Écolait, a Quebec firm specialized in the slaughter and processing of milk-fed veal calves. The federal support will help Écolait improve its storage capacity and upgrade its slaughterhouse plant technology. Écolait processes more than 100,000 head of veal in its facilities annually, raised by over 150 of its producer partners. With 50 per cent of its products exported, the company plays a major role in expanding market access for Canada’s producers. This federal investment will help the company achieve major savings which will help to increase the profitability of its plant and that of its partners. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada news release.

Top 10 stories to chew on from the food world

Our week-long recap of stories from 2009: From locavore myth-busting to backyard chicken boosting, food politics arrived on the national table. Globe and Mail story.