An agricultural economist says Canada’s supply chain would be at greater risk if it reduced its reliance on food imports
COVID-19 has been a godsend for Skip the Dishes, Uber Eats and other food delivery companies. It’s also been a blessing for critics of the global food system. Dozens of academics and reps from environmental groups have used COVID-19 as an opportunity to slam “industrial farms” and “corporate control” of food distribution and take shots […] Read moreTag Archives COVID-19 virus
Partners forge unique farm-restaurant relationship
Even in the middle of a pandemic that’s crippled the Canadian restaurant industry, farmer and entrepreneur Arlie Laroche says 2019 might have been the best possible time to open a restaurant — at least a restaurant that’s focused on sourcing local food. In 2019, Laroche and her business partners — husband Brett Laroche, general manager […] Read more
Extra debt caused by rent payments finds restaurants in dire straits
Canada’s restaurant industry is bracing for tough times ahead, says a top official with Restaurants Canada, and a full recovery to pre-COVID sales levels may not be in the cards for a long time. “It’s pretty dire out there,” said Mark von Schellwitz, the organization’s vice-president for Western Canada. It’s safe to say that the […] Read more
Nations urged to stay the course on foreign aid
World Food Program recently doubled its estimate of the number of people at risk of imminent starvation to 265 million from 135 million
Open borders and funding for overseas food aid are essential in preventing starvation for hundreds of millions of people, says the head of the United Nations World Food Program as well as the head of Canada’s International Development Research Centre. The COVID-19 pandemic is a problem everywhere, but poor countries risk being hit much harder […] Read more
Survey finds producers feeling more stress
COVID-19 has piled more stress upon already stress-filled farmers, says the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. That’s why it’s important for the federal government to find more support for producers hit by complications from the crisis. “These are stressful and uncertain times for farmers,” said Marilyn Braun-Pollon, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business’s agriculture specialist. […] Read more
Alta. launches $40 million funding opportunity for ag
The Alberta government will be providing funds to agriculture ventures that demonstrate they can help boost the economy and lower carbon emissions through innovation. The $40 million in new funds, announced in early June, will be funnelled through Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA). The provincial corporation is requesting industry members to submit applications. The forestry industry […] Read more
Seeding a welcome distraction from pandemic worries
Distraction can be a terrible thing, such as when operating machinery or driving. But there are times when distraction can be a blessing, especially if the distraction is away from woes and hardship and toward a happy, productive task. That’s what a lot of farm families are experiencing now, I think, as the busyness of […] Read more
Bid system to ease feeder backlog
The Alberta government will launch a bid system to identify which cattle should be processed, helping address massive bottlenecks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. There are no timelines yet on when the system will be in place, but it’s part of the government’s staged approach in helping producers weather impacts caused by the crisis, said […] Read more
Restaurateur sees life for beef after COVID pandemic
A restaurant chain that stakes part of its reputation on serving Canadian beef sees opportunities for the beef industry despite the ravages COVID-19 has wreaked on the food service sector. Marcel Blais is president of Chop Steakhouse and Bar, a chain that sources 100 percent Canadian beef and was the first restaurant chain to use […] Read more
Processors called weak link
The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted both the importance and vulnerability of the domestic food system, say American agriculture and food industry leaders. While farm production is more than adequate, sudden processing chokepoints can strangle supplies available to anxious consumers. “Now we see what an important link that is in our food chain,” said Zippy Duvall, […] Read more
