Archives

Categories

Local food movement needs local processing

Ontario’s farmers and food processors suffered another setback recently when the J.M. Smucker Company announced it was moving its Bick’s pickling operations from the Ontario towns of Dunnville and Delhi to south of the border.

This is just the latest in a seemingly ongoing string of food processing plant closures in recent years. Not only do these cost our economy manufacturing jobs – more than 200 full-time and part-time jobs in this case — but they also mean a Continue reading Local food movement needs local processing

Print Friendly
Share

Sexy calendar puts new face on farmers

A gorgeous new calendar showcasing the photos and stories of 12 Ontario farmers has been released just in time for Christmas.

The popular “Faces of Farming” calendar, now in its sixth year, puts a different and real face on today’s farmers who produce food in Ontario. Continue reading Sexy calendar puts new face on farmers

Print Friendly
Share

Unlocking the potential of soy proteins

Soybean varieties developed for specific food and health applications represent a key future growth opportunity for the Canadian soybean industry. Different types of soybean protein can be ideally suited to specific food applications, which can lead to new food products and processes, says a University of Guelph scientist who is involved in research in this field.
Continue reading Unlocking the potential of soy proteins

Print Friendly
Share

Solving the peanut-free school lunch problem

Over the last week or so of everyone’s back to school preparations, I’ve been noticing a lot of coverage about school lunches and the dilemna of what to send with your kids. I didn’t realize this was such a problem – I’ve been out of school myself for quite some time and don’t have any kids in the system, so I didn’t realize how complicated a task making a lunch could be.

The biggest problem seems to be nut allergies, specifically to peanuts. So many kids are allergic – in some cases deathly so – that many schools have banned all peanut products from their premises. This includes peanut butter, a great, low cost protein source that together with jelly has been an iconic staple of school lunches for generations of Canadians. Continue reading Solving the peanut-free school lunch problem

Print Friendly
Share

Our shocking, food wasting habits

We have a curious relationship with food in this part of the world. On one hand, we worry about it – wondering whether we’re eating healthy and fighting feelings of guilt associated with the calorie, fat or carb content when we suspect we might not be. And on the other hand, we take its abundance and relatively affordable price for granted, so much so that we’re throwing it out by the truckload. Literally.

Experts estimate that between 40 and 50 per cent of all food produced in North America is wasted. A report by the Waste & Resources Action Programme in the United Kingdom paints a similar picture, with about one-third of all food bought never being consumed. Continue reading Our shocking, food wasting habits

Print Friendly
Share

Retailer supports sustainable farming

Cows grazing on hillside pastures are a stereotypical – if often true – image of Switzerland. The Swiss are proud of their mountains and their pristine Alpine countryside. They’re also pretty serious about promoting homegrown food products.

One of the country’s leading supermarket chains, Co-op, sells a line of branded Swiss food products – milk, yogurts, meats, cheeses and more – that promotes sustainable mountain farming. Continue reading Retailer supports sustainable farming

Print Friendly
Share

A visit to Springridge Farm

It’s been almost a week since I had the chance to visit an Ontario berry farm at the height of strawberry season…and since I’ve been travelling, it’s been hard to find time to get this blog post put together. But better late than never…and certainly before the end of strawberry season! Continue reading A visit to Springridge Farm

Print Friendly
Share