a group of culinary students preparing food

GMO food misinformation a problem: Folta

Food science can help farmers and food processors meet demands of specific demographics

Does science belong on your plate? Kevin Folta and Nancy Ames think so, as did their sold-out audience at a Canola Connect event last week at the Richardson Centre for Functional Foods & Nutraceuticals. “Humans have been engineering plants for a long time, we have abilities to do some really good stuff — grow more

Province, city recognize UN International Year of Family Farming

Province, city recognize UN International Year of Family Farming

A flag honouring the family farm was raised at Winnipeg City Hall July 30

Provincial and municipal leaders gathered at Winnipeg’s City Hall July 30 to raise a flag honouring the United Nations declaration of 2014 as the International Year of Family Farming. Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development Minister Ron Kostyshyn joined Brian Mayes, city councillor for St. Vital, to highlight the significance of family farming on a


CFIA flubs food failure followup

CFIA flubs food failure followup

Canada’s auditor general has identified weaknesses in how the Canadian Food Inspection Agency manages recalls of contaminated foods and its followups with processors to prevent further incidents. “While illnesses were contained in the recalls we examined, I am not confident that the system will always yield similar results,” Auditor General Michael Ferguson said in his

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Alberta researchers use eggshells to build better battery

Your morning omelette may hold the solution to your quick-dying smartphone battery. University of Alberta researchers David Mitlin and post-doctoral fellow Zhi Li have developed a fast-charging supercapacitor using eggshell membranes — a plentiful egg industry byproduct. “We sell the liquid egg whites and the yoke to food processors, and we have no use for


Food manufacturers could soon be paying more for oats

The elimination of European oat tariffs could present new 
opportunities for North American oat growers

Without a rebound of the equine oat market, oat growers could see the crop slide into special crops territory and lose its spot on the Chicago Board of Trade. Losing the CBOT oat contract is a development that would cost producers and processors dearly, according to Randy Strychar of Ag Commodity Research, who spoke about

Conference board food strategy consultation a smokescreen

Why the National Farmers Union won’t be participating in the conference board discussions towards a national food strategy

For those of us who care deeply about locally based food systems and who recognize the role food can play in strengthening our communities, ecosystems and economies, it can be tempting to jump at each and every opportunity to get a piece of our vision mentioned in larger discussions about food and agriculture. As part


Washington demands better food safety practices

Reuters / U.S. regulators say proposed new food safety rules will make food processors and farms more accountable for reducing foodborne illnesses that kill or sicken thousands of Americans annually. “These proposed regulations are a sign of progress,” said Caroline Smith DeWaal, food safety director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest and

Pork producers urged to be open about what happens in their barns

Pro-industry advocacy group says consumers have ‘woken up’ and are concerned 
about modern livestock practices, but willing to listen to farmers’ side of the story

Farmers may have a lot of good science in their corner, but facts alone won’t restore public trust in the food system, according to the head of an industry advocacy group. “People are asking ethical questions and we’re giving them science-based answers, because we’re not comfortable talking about the ethics,” said Terry Fleck, executive director


Funding for value-added food processors

The Manitoba Food Processors Association is getting $440,000 in funds to assist with commercializing new products and expand food manufacturing in Manitoba. “Here in Manitoba and across the country, the food-processing industry delivers a lot to the Canadian economy and it deserves our support,” said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz in announcing the funding at Ag

Food industry spoiling through lack of innovation

Canadian food companies are falling behind competitors in other countries because they are failing to innovate, says a new report from the Conference Board of Canada. “When it comes to innovation, the Canadian food industry is content to compete for a bronze medal,” says Daniel Munro, a researcher with the board’s Centre for Food in