In a society where less than two percent of the population farms, there’s a real knowledge gap when it comes to food. It exists on many levels – nutrition and preparation come to mind – but especially on the production and origins end.
So it’s no surprise that one of the main missions of many [...]

Here’s a great blog post about modern agriculture and bridging the gap between farmers and consumers.
It’s written by Australian journalist Pip Courtney of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (the Aussie equivalent of the CBC here in Canada), whom I had the opportunity to meet while attending the International Federation of Agriculture Journalists (IFAJ) congress in [...]

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 [...]

It’s hard to imagine what it’s like to be at the centre of a media firestorm unless you’ve actually experienced it. For the staff at Alberta Pork and the communications professionals working with them, the spring of 2009 provided more first-hand experience than they could have ever wished for.

I think I could be newly addicted.
This year, more than ever before, I’ve been focused on local foods and making a conscious effort to buy and consume more of them, especially Ontario fruits and vegetables. Not only are they good for me, but I believe it’s important to support our own, in this case Ontario’s [...]

Growing numbers of farmers are turning to alternative agriculture and agri-tourism initiatives to help them earn a living. That message was illustrated by several speakers at the recent Canadian Farm Writers Federation annual meeting in Edmonton, Alberta earlier this month.
Ron Hamilton, Mary Ellen Grueneberg and Doug Livingstone have each found a different niche for [...]

The relationship many of us have with food is a lot like one we would have with a spouse, family member or friend. It can make us feel joy and inspire great passions – but can also evoke feelings of sadness, disappointment or guilt. We interact with it every day of our lives on [...]