Two years after the closure of its Medicine Hat distribution facility, PepsiCo has announced it will close the Spitz International Inc facility at Bow Island. PepsiCo first acquired the Alberta-based company ten years ago. The food and beverage giant sent this statement to RealAgriculture, February 16: "Yesterday we announced our difficult decision to close our... Read More
Category: Food
For decades, the average Canadian was of British, western European, or even American descent. Over time, most people's idea of "average" has stayed the same, but the actual demographics have shifted, and in some ways, the change is quite dramatic. Canadians are much older, more suburban, and more multicultural than ever. Instead of European influence,... Read More
February 13 marks the second annual Canada's Agriculture Day, a day to "celebrate the food we love." Everyone involved in the agriculture and food industry is encouraged to celebrate in their own way — from hosting an event, to posting their agriculture pride online and through social media channels, or by engaging with customers and... Read More
The federal government has launched consultations on regulations for new "front-of-package" food labels designed to communicate if a food is high in sodium, sugars, or saturated fat. "The consultations launched today are geared towards helping Canadians make healthier food choices. Identifying foods that are high in sodium, sugars, or saturated fat is not always easy,... Read More
Health Canada is in the process of revamping the Canada Food Guide, with an emphasis on encouraging Canadians to eat more vegetables and plant-based protein, potentially at the expense of dairy and meat consumption. The government has come under criticism for not seeking input from the agriculture and agri-food sector, as no witnesses from the... Read More
If you've been attending agricultural and food conferences over the last decade you've likely heard countless references to "feed the 9 billion" or to double production by 2050 to meet the appetite of a growing global population. Is it time we revisited this oft-cited food prediction? Penn State University's Mitch Hunter thinks so. Hunter and... Read More
Nominations are closing this week for two unique global food innovation awards — and there’s every reason to believe Canadian agriculture could produce a winner. The awards are the first Arrell Global Food Innovation Awards, from the Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph. The institute was created from a $20-million donation from the... Read More
The Canadian organic production industry received confirmation today that the federal government will provide financial support for updating organic standards. Today in Guelph federal agriculture minister Lawrence MacAulay annouced the Government of Canada's commitment to provide the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) the "necessary funds to cover costs associated with the 2020 Canadian Organic Standards... Read More
Eight farmers, 10 ingredients, one plate — that's the premise behind Before the Plate, a coming documentary looking to connect everyday people in a transparent, open-barn-door way with the food they eat. Before the Plate follows John Horne, head chef of the downtown Toronto restaurant Canoe, on a journey sourcing 10 ingredients featured at his... Read More
Interested in growing camelina for Three Farmers? Get ready to intercrop. Three Farmers, a Saskatchewan-based snack food company, is offering, for the first time, production contracts for camelina, an oilseed crop. A stipulation of the contract is that camelina be grown in tandem with either pea or lentil. Likely the first-of-its-kind stipulation in a crop... Read More