CCFI's 2019 research into gauging public attitudes about Canadian agriculture and food found Canadians are more concerned about the rising cost of food and keeping healthy food affordable than they are about health-care or energy cost increases. | Getty Images

Food affordability still top consumer concern: CCFI

The Canadian Centre for Food Integrity held a webinar to look at how to better earn public trust in food and farming. Ashley Bruner, research co-ordinator for CCFI, said the COVID-19 pandemic has increased consumers’ desire to know where their food comes from. Globally, there has been a record rise in general trust, with Canada […] Read more

In the current environment, agriculture is the gold standard of the economy due to panic buying and stockpiling of food products around the world.
 | File photo

Agriculture bright spot in Canadian economy

Canada’s agriculture exports will be down in 2020 but nowhere near as bad as other sectors of the economy, says Export Development Canada. Overall exports are forecast to fall 20 percent year-on-year as COVID-19 continues to decimate outbound shipments for every major sector of the economy. During the trough of the crisis, sales were down […] Read more

Mustard sales remain hot despite lack of stadium hotdogs

Mustard sales remain hot despite lack of stadium hotdogs

Mustard movement has been good despite a global pandemic, says an industry official. “COVID hasn’t really effected anything other than allowing some farmers to move their product a little bit quicker,” said Scott Cunningham, manager of Canadian operations for Schluter & Maack. Orders increased sharply during the first five to six weeks of the pandemic. […] Read more


Canada must keep its supply chains open and running hard in a post-pandemic world.  |  File photo

Road map needed to guide ag industry post COVID-19

Agriculture is a major economic driver in Canada. In these troubling times, there is an opportunity to reassess what we can do to strengthen this sector. While our Canadian economy is reeling from blow after blow, agriculture can play a major role in its rebuilding. Any chain is only as strong as its weakest link. […] Read more

Esther and Theo Slingerland demonstrate the proper way to hold goats for maximum relaxation on their farm near Lethbridge. Four groups of visitors at a time, in four separate pens, will be able to snuggle goats for one hour per session on a few days each week throughout July.  |  Barb Glen photo

Goat snuggling offers respite

If the restrictions and pressures of COVID-19 have finally gotten your goat, a Lethbridge-area farm has the solution: goat snuggles. Theo and Esther Slingerland, operators of the Lethbridge Cornmaze and Petting Zoo, have 49 baby goats that will be available for several days each week in July for visits, petting and snuggles. “Once you get […] Read more


The COVID-19 pandemic has caused people to embrace plant-based meat alternatives and to discover the sustainability aspects of pulses.  |  File photo

Pulse bump may stick around

COVID-19 has disrupted the production, handling and shipment of pulses but it has also had a major positive impact for the sector. “There has been a huge shift in demand for pulses,” said Randy Duckworth, executive director of the Global Pulse Confederation. Beans, chickpeas, lentils and peas have been flying off store shelves around the […] Read more

The widespread growth of anti-trade sentiment has been a concern, but there is hope that the global economy will soon get back to normal.  |  Reuters/Mario Anzuoni photo

Traders see bright future for globalization

Representatives from European, American and Chinese grain trade interests hope protectionist tendencies will ease

A cautious but optimistic world grain trade hopes to get back to “normal” business soon and back to globalization. There have been shocks to many countries’ food systems and a rising tide of protectionism, but members of a panel at the International Grains Council’s annual meeting sounded confident. “Through COVID-19 we should deeply realize the […] Read more

Canada’s municipalities are asking for emergency operating funding to help them deal with a near-term gap of $10 to $15 billion in revenue because of the COVID-19 pandemic.  |  File photo

Recovery needs rural communities

It’s been more than three months since the COVID-19 pandemic turned life upside down. From coast to coast to coast, municipal leaders are working flat-out to protect people and businesses, all while keeping essential services running. In communities big and small, local leaders are taking extraordinary steps to keep people safe —turning arenas into shelters, […] Read more


Equestrian Canada’s acting executive director, Richard Mongeau, said that while the agricultural sector was allowed to continue operating, most equine operations don’t fall under the definition of a farm due to a lack of farm income. | File photo

Equine industry requests gov’t aid

Equestrian sector representatives appeared before the House of Commons’ agriculture committee recently to request aid to help save horses producers can no longer afford to keep. Equestrian Canada’s acting executive director, Richard Mongeau, said that while the agricultural sector was allowed to continue operating, most equine operations don’t fall under the definition of a farm […] Read more

Although Ottawa has made a number of announcements in recent weeks aimed at supporting agriculture and addressing food security concerns, the Liberal government has failed to address fundamental economic issues facing the country’s farmers, says the report’s author Kerri Holland, who grew up on a mixed farm near Rocanville, Sask. | Screencap via policyschool.ca

More COVID support needed: study

A new report by the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy says the level of federal government support offered to Canada’s agriculture sector during the COVID-19 pandemic has been inadequate. Ottawa should take additional steps to reduce the financial burden on farmers by providing additional financial assistance, ensuring a more stable trade environment and […] Read more