Federal Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Gerry Ritz says Ottawa must be diligent in opening new markets, breaking down trade barriers, and continuing to work with industry to strengthen agricultural research and innovation....
Read MoreMajor commodity groups have joined forces to try to counter claims that farmers’ use of neonicotinoids is wreaking havoc on bees. The full-page “open letter to Ontarians†has been featured in daily newspapers. In their...
Read MoreMexico is a popular vacation destination for Canadian tourists. As more than 1.5 million Canadians step off the plane, more than 16,000 workers will step on (mainly from Mexico, as well as the Caribbean), bound for Canada as...
Read MoreThe federal government recently spent $870,000 to fund research for pulse crops, like peas and lentils. It’s a good investment — for farmers, for the nation, and even for the world. Pulses are local, high in fibre and...
Read MoreConsumer confidence was listed as a priority in the new national beef strategy, released in the beginning of January. The industry has very high expectations for this strategy and is making consumer interests prominent....
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Owen Roberts is an agricultural journalist and communications instructor based in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. He is a trustee on the Global Foundation for Agricultural Journalism and an associate editor (communications) for the Journal of Agromedicine. Previously, Owen was president of the International Forum for Agricultural Journalists, an agricultural communications faculty member at the University of Illinois, and research communications director at the University of Guelph. His programs and research papers have been recognized through awards from the Journal of Applied Communications, the National Agri-Marketing Association, the Association for Communications Excellence and the Canadian Farm Writers' Federation.