
Tag Archives energy use

Save the planet: Eat more bacon, less lettuce
Vegetables use more resources and produce more greenhouse gases per calorie
Contrary to recent headlines — and a talk by actor Arnold Schwarzenegger at the United Nations Paris Climate Change Conference — eating a vegetarian diet could contribute to climate change. In fact, according to new research from Carnegie Mellon University, following the USDA recommendations to consume more fruits, vegetables, dairy and seafood is more harmful
Innovation report raises potential of traditional industries
Traditional industries are a major economic driver yet they are largely ignored in public policy making
The agri-food sector should consider joining forces with the fisheries, mining, forestry and energy industries to remind Canadians how important the country’s original economic building blocks remain. The forestry, mining and energy sectors generate about 11 per cent of the national Gross Domestic Product, says a new report from the Public Policy Forum. Add inEuropean lab promises world’s first in vitro hamburger
Get ready for the first taste from the “Petri dish platter.” A group of researchers in the Netherlands has announced that the first lab-grown hamburger will be on the grill in October 2012 — at a cost of roughly $300,000. That may not sound hard for beef producers to compete with, but researcher Dr. Mark
Supplementary rearing worth a second look
Genetic advances in litter size over the last 15 years have provided hog producers with the potential for 14 or more piglets born alive per litter and the ability to boost herd output to 30 pigs weaned per sow. But as I have pointed out in previous articles, this presents a number of challenges and
A Fresh Look At Our Organic Roots
Janine Gibson isn t surprised when she hears about studies that find organic farming to be as productive as conventional production methods. To think that it couldn t be, well that s just garbage, said the organic inspector and cofounder of the Organic Food Council of Manitoba. According to an American study released this year,
Properly Rebuild, Insulate Flooded Homes
If your home was flooded, make sure it is rebuilt and insulated properly. The desire to get flooded homes rebuilt before winter is understandable, but homeowners need to ensure they rebuild right so they do not create long-term problems, says Carl Pedersen, energy educator with the North Dakota State University Extension Service. Flooded homes will
Food Processors Look To Farm Practices
Canadian farms have sustainability advantages from the climate they produce food in, progressive soil management practices and low water usage, Pulse Canada says. Two new reports have attempted to measure sustainability within agricultural supply chains and how food companies view and value it as a measure of food product quality. The reports, commissioned by Pulse
Identifying Opportunities For Energy Cost Savings
It’s easy to waste money if you don’t understand how hog barn heating and ventilation systems work, or most common causes of energy wastage. “To be able to run the entire system at optimum performance without wasting energy, the operator has to know each component very well, in addition to understanding the related factors that
Will Farmers’ Actions Improve The Ethanol Energy Balance?
Several years ago, there was substantial debate on whether corn ethanol produced more net energy relative to the amount of fossil energy required to manufacture it. This ratio, the amount of energy produced divided by fossil energy input needed, often is referred to as ethanol’s energy balance. For years, scientists argued whether the ratio exceeded
OECD Agree To Reinvest In Food Chain
“Some fluctuations are normal (but) these wild swings are unacceptable.” – NIKOLAUS BERLAKOVICH Farm ministers from the world’s richest countries said Feb. 27 they would study price volatility and look at ways of boosting innovation as part of efforts to help agriculture meet food and environmental challenges. But the gathering of members of the Organization
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