European farmers say they are encouraged to produce more organically even as consumer interest in the product wanes
CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Organic consumption is falling in Europe even as governments mandate more production using that farming system. The European Commission is not paying attention to what people want, said Lode Ceyssens, president of the Belgian Farmers Union in Flanders. “They are not following consumer trends,” he said during a session on market and […] Read moreTag Archives consumer trends
‘Homemade’ often means hot from microwave
Chicken continues to rule the roost in terms of popularity at the retail meat counter but a recent survey produced data on how consumers approach preparation of that chicken as well as other meats. It came as no surprise that cooking from scratch is becoming more rare. Half the 1,000 Albertans surveyed prepare raw, fresh […] Read more
Sales from U.S. organic farms hit $5.5 billion
Demand is steadily rising and the number of large farms certified organic increased by 15 percent over the last seven years
CHICAGO, Ill. (Reuters) — Sales from organic U.S. farms reached $5.5 billion last year, a 72 percent increase from 2008, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a report that highlighted the consumer trend toward such products. The USDA data, compiled through farmer surveys, showed that milk was the top organic commodity in 2014 with […] Read more
Growers benefit by getting fresh
Changing tastes create opportunities for fruit growers; fresh product demand on rise
Prairie fruit growers have the home court advantage when it comes to selling produce because Canadians spend twice as much on fresh fruit as their U.S. neighbours. Melissa Strom calls that an opportunity for Saskatchewan. “The trend is to be more healthy, and fruit sales are expected to go up,” she told the Saskatchewan Fruit […] Read more
Fish, chicken steal protein podium
Beef, pork lose market share | Consumers see fish and chicken as healthier choices, Alberta study finds
Gordon Cove was in for a surprise when he reviewed the 2012 Canadian Consumer Retail Meat Study. Cove, chief executive officer of the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency, found that certain types of meat continue to lose ground as the protein of choice. “I guess what surprises me is that trends are still going the […] Read more
