Last last week Amazon made a 13.7 billion USD bid for organic upscale retailer Whole Foods. The announcement sent competing grocer stocks reeling with the potential that Amazon-type competition could create major struggles for Kroger, Walmart and Costco in the long term. Financial market commentator Jim Cramer, stated on CNBC that "this is a game... Read More
Category: Food
The Ontario Liberal government’s plan to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2019 is drawing fire from the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA). In late May, the provincial government announced intentions to increase the minimum wage from the current $11.40 per hour rate. That’s a significant blow for an industry... Read More
It’s easier to scare people than reassure them. That’s how environmental activist Mark Lynas frames the debate around the safety of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). GMOs have their supporters and their detractors, all fighting for or against the technology, and in the middle is a very confused and distrusting public. That’s the narrative director Scott... Read More
Producers need to make their voices heard now, as Ottawa proceeds with public consultations about the first-of-its-kind national food policy. Ottawa says a food policy is a way to address issues related to the production, processing, distribution, and consumption of food. It says such a policy “will set a long-term vision for the health, environmental,... Read More
Ontario’s minimum wage is set to climb to $15 per hour by 2019 and that could have a significant impact on agriculture in the province. Ontario Federation of Agriculture president Keith Currie says labour intensive sectors such as horticulture and greenhouse operations will likely suffer the greatest impact from the Liberal government’s announcement this week... Read More
The federal government is moving toward establishing a national food policy that will revolve around four "pillars," but details on what it will look like beyond that have yet to be determined, according to Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay. The minister launched consultations, including an online survey, on establishing a national food policy in a speech... Read More
City dwellers may not have much connection to the farm these days but there’s growing evidence that they value the agri-food industry’s ability to produce high-quality, safe food and create jobs. That’s the conclusion of an opinion poll commissioned by Grassroots Public Affairs. The survey of 676 residents in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) indicates... Read More
Consumers need to know where their food comes from. Why don’t we have more agriculture in the classroom? Those are recurring conversation themes and questions AgScape executive director Colleen Smith encounters every day. They’re challenges the Ontario agriculture industry has been grappling with since the Ag In The Classroom program was launched 25 years ago.... Read More
After years of discussion about the idea, the federal government has launched consultations on creating a national food policy. “Developing this food policy is an exciting opportunity for Canadians to have their say about how government can help address those opportunities and challenges that exist in our food system," said Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay, announcing... Read More
In a recent Fast Company magazine article there was a feature on the benefits of using technology to produce food. The article praised the efficiency gains made by implementing the latest in what technology could provide. The farm in the article is located in San Francisco. That's right, it's a vertical farm. The company's name... Read More