Agriculture suffers from a shortage of skilled labour, so it’s good to see investments into initiatives such as Conestoga’s College’s 16-week Agricultural Equipment Operator pilot program, the Olds College Smart Agriculture Applied Research Program and Assiniboine College’s agricultural training program. Worker shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic underlined how much we need to step up efforts to create a reliable, accessible agri-food workforce.

Planting, pruning, irrigating and harvesting doesn’t come cheap, as the farmers who depend on temporary foreign workers know too well. They incurred huge expenses last summer, trying to make their operations more pandemic-proof.
Photo: viacampesina.com

If you were fortunate enough to be able to sit down with family at Thanksgiving, it was likely with mixed emotions: grateful for the food we have and the company we share, but concern for those who don’t – here and elsewhere in the world.

As COVID-19 cases increase, food banks are worried they won’t have adequate stocks for workers laid-off for a second time. Even keeping supermarket shelves stocked at reasonable prices is complicated business in Canada’s multifaceted agri-food industry. But’s there’s one thing we can all agree on. Nothing trumps access to safe, quality food for our families.

Canada’s three-year-old trade agreement with the EU really hasn’t turned out as planned. Hopes had been high for Canadian agricultural products to have access to new markets in Europe. But barriers haven’t come down and much of the industry is now pressing Ottawa to take a stronger stance on their behalf.

Canadian pork producers are worried. For the past three years, African Swine Fever has been sweeping across Asia and Europe, wiping out swine herds in its path. Now it’s knocking on Canada’s door.
Photo: Tom Hickmore, Adsdean.

As COVID-19 resurges, it’s a great time of year to boost your immunity with Ontario’s bounty of healthy foods. But government and industry need to do better when it comes to processing that harvest into everyday food products. Less sugar, salt and fat in the products would go a long way to make them more nutritious.

Climate change is transforming the geography of agriculture in Ontario. Increasing temperatures mean farming may be feasible further north than ever before. Farmers across the province may have differing views on that, but a united voice will be more helpful for all of us. Photo: OMAFRA

Bonfire on Queen is a cool new pizzeria in beautiful downtown Paisley. Businesses like that help to keep our towns and villages on the map, and their owners work 24/7 to make sure they succeed. ‘Buy local’ isn’t just a slogan, but a vote of confidence for our rural centres and their future.

Trump’s massive buy-off of U.S. farmers has not helped the American farm economy, and it’s done even more damage in Canada. But U.S. Black farmers still report difficulty in gaining access to capital, though they may have found a sympathetic ear in Joe Biden. Photo: CNN.com

A national agricultural policy developed just over a year ago no longer supports Canada’s agri-food industry, say a group of agricultural analysts. They cite COVID-19 and recent geopolitical conflicts as having such profound implications that the policy status quo isn’t acceptable.The onus is on Canada’s agri-food industry and government to ensure policies are current and adaptable, as market changes continue to evolve.