Food and Farming Canada » University of Guelph

New cluster promotes Ontario food and farming

Lilian — Fri, 27 May 2011 12:53:51 +0000

Southwestern Ontario’s burgeoning agri-food sector received a boost earlier this month with the launch of the Ontario Food Cluster.

My alma mater, University of Guelph, along with the City of Guelph and others are partners in this new initiative designed to attract more foreign investment and creating more businesses in our agri-food sector.

In addition to being home [...]

Wait for local Ontario asparagus is over!

Lilian — Tue, 24 May 2011 12:55:24 +0000

It’s become almost like an unofficial kick off to summer, sort of like our Victoria Day long weekend – an early anticipated milestone that marks the start of warm, sunny days. For me, that’s asparagus season.

Asparagus is one of the first crops of the new growing year that hits the market for consumption. Here in Ontario, [...]

Unlocking the potential of soy proteins

Lilian — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 12:49:46 +0000

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.“Canada [...]

Students showcase Canadian food, farming

Lilian — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 20:58:13 +0000

The following is a guest post by University of Guelph student Rebecca Hannam, who recently participated in a student exchange with agricultural communications students at Oklahoma State University.

Members of CanACT, the Canadian Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow at the University of Guelph who visited Oklahoma State University (OSU) earlier this semester were featured in this blog a [...]

Oilseeds find industrial niches

Lilian — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 14:07:39 +0000

Grain and oilseed crops like soybeans and canola are increasingly starting to replace traditional petroleum-based product ingredients, lessening our dependence on non-renewable fossil fuels and creating new market opportunities for growers.

One market that is growing rapidly is that of bio-based lubricants and industrial fluids, which includes everything from hydraulic and transmission fluids to greases, motor oils [...]

Boots, buckles and excellent editing

Lilian — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:51:56 +0000

The following is a guest post by University of Guelph student Rebecca Hannam, who recently participated in a student exchange with ag communications students at Oklahoma State University. ****

Members of CanACT, the Canadian Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow at the University of Guelph visited Oklahoma State University (OSU) recently and learned that Oklahomans are proud of more than [...]

Soybeans in motor oils and lubricants

Lilian — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 14:47:33 +0000

As demand for “green” products increases, more and more technologies and opportunities for bio-based products are emerging alongside to meet those needs.

Crops like corn, wheat and soybeans are starting to replace traditional petroleum-based ingredients in these new bio-products, making them easier on the environment and lessening our dependence on non-renewable fossil fuels. They’re also creating new [...]

Alberta Pork’s H1N1 challenges, responses

Lilian — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:59:08 +0000

This post is a continuation from yesterday’s H1N1 topic that explored Alberta Pork’s experiences at the centre of the H1N1 media storm earlier this year. The information is based on a presentation I attended by Lee Funke of Torque Communications at the recently held Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation conference in Edmonton.

He outlined some of the challenges [...]

New corn to be better for environment

Lilian — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:09:07 +0000

Corn uses too much water and too much fertilizer to produce, its critics often charge, making it a bad environmental choice.

Yet millions of people around the world depend on corn as a staple of life - as food for themselves, as feed for their livestock and as a renewable fuel alternative. And that demand is only [...]

What’s in season? Asparagus of course!

Lilian — Thu, 28 May 2009 02:15:48 +0000

What’s in season? It’s May, which in Ontario means asparagus.

These days, asparagus is available pretty much year round in our supermarkets, but to me, nothing beats the freshness and flavour of homegrown Ontario product.

Harvest was in full swing at Birkbank Farms when I was there yesterday. Owned by Jeff and Sharon Wilson, the farm located near [...]