Premier Ford’s had a reasonable track record of supporting Ontario agriculture – particularly when it comes to research investments aimed at improving productivity. But his election promise of a new highway 413 makes it clear that transportation trumps food production, at least in the GTA. Which leads local farmers to ponder how much longer they can hold onto their land. Image: enviromentaldefense.ca

Canada’s ethnic make-up continues to change, and there are new market opportunities for non-traditional foods and agricultural products. The federal government has announced funding to five national industry organizations. It will help them encourage the growth of more diverse products and people in Canadian agriculture. Photo: gardenerspath.com

Many of us took up vegetable gardening during the pandemic, but learned we’d be hard pressed to grow enough to feed ourselves. By contrast, Ukrainians have always raised livestock and crops on plots large and small – knowing it could be a necessity, not a novelty, in times of conflict. Photo: Fao.org

Statistics Canada released its 2021 report on farm numbers last week. (The survey is done every five years.) The agency cautions against comparisons with past reports because it has redefined what constitutes a farm. Still, some of the trends since 2016 might surprise you. Image: census.gc.ca

It isn’t just the war in Ukraine that’s forecast to dampen grain supply on world markets. Farmers – and other businesses in rural Canada – continue to be limited by expensive and unreliable internet access that undermines their efficiency. Image: CENG.ca

The latest University of Guelph survey of farmers’ mental health in Canada reveals some worrisome results. And even more so for women. The good news is that it shines a light on the struggles of these very essential workers. Image: https://ontario.cmha.ca/intheknow

Farmers enjoy a high ranking in public trust polls, but they could be mistakenly blamed for rising food costs. It’s true that crop prices have been yielding better returns, but skyrocketing fertilizer costs take a big bite out of their profits – causing some farmers to think twice about which crops they can afford to plant.

In a rare piece of good news last Friday, the Ukrainian agriculture ministry bumped up its estimate of spring crop planting from 13.4 million to 14 million hectares.
But it’s still a drop in the food bucket for more than 800 million people around the world suffering chronic food insecurity, and forecast to worsen this year. Image: AFP, FAO, USDA.

A recent survey of Canadian consumers shows their overwhelming support for food grown or produced in this country. But the issue of food prices is growing, with eight in 10 saying that hunger and food insecurity is a serious problem for many Canadians.
Photo: ctvnews.ca

Food and Beverage Canada has called on Ottawa for an emergency foreign worker program to help fill dire labour shortages in those sectors. It’s is a chronic and critical issue, but it seems federal politicians may need a reminder from their constituents about just how significant the impact is – not only for agriculture, but for rebuilding the post-COVID Canadian economy. Photo: macleans.ca

When Ottawa committed to cut fertilizer use by 30 per cent as of 2030, farmers balked. As much as they want to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, fertilizer is essential for current crop production levels. Now Ottawa’s invited their suggestions on new technologies and practices that might just make that target more feasible. Photo: foodfromthought.ca