Map of agricultural restoration project.

Restoration Agriculture project moving forward

Gimli-area farmers to host permaculture expert Sepp Holzer in May

The design is in, dozens of species of fruit- and nut-bearing trees have been ordered, and now the owners of Prairie Heritage Farm north of Gimli are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the spring planting season. Last fall, Kirsten Benot and her husband Daniel hosted a three-day workshop featuring perma-culture pioneer Mark Shepard. Along with

Dennis Stephens, secretary of the International Grain Trade Coalition, says grain trading is at risk so long as importers don’t have a policy allowing a low-level presence of unapproved GM crop traits.  photo: allan dawson

Canada leads efforts to convince importers to dump zero tolerance

Canada is leading efforts to get an international agreement that would see countries accept small amounts of unapproved genetically modified (GM) crops in their imports, says Dennis Stephens. And the Oakbank-based secretary of the International Grain Trade Coalition credits Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz for leading the charge. Ritz, along with Canada’s flax industry, experienced first



Report cites concerns related to the “normalization” of processed and packaged foods” and concerns that the next generation’s food choices will be limited because they lack confidence to prepare food.  photo: thinkstock

New report says improved food literacy key to a healthier life

Conference Board of Canada says too many people can’t understand nutrition labels, 
make a meal in their kitchen, or stick to a food budget to reduce waste

Improved food literacy would improve the health of Canadian adults and children, says a new report from the Conference Board of Canada. The number of books, television programs and websites dedicated to food — not to mention diets — continue to multiply, but our understanding of food isn’t necessarily getting better, says the 46-page report.


Chinese state media kick into high gear to ease GMO food fears

China’s state media are working overtime to persuade the public that genetically modified food is safe, apparently softening up the population for a policy switch to allow the sale of such food to ensure its 1.35 billion people have enough to eat. In the past 30 years, China’s urban population has jumped to about 700

Despite economic recovery, use of food banks at near-record levels

More than 700,000 Canadians turn to food banks every month, and many of them are employed or from two-parent households

Food bank use is at near-record levels and will only come down if there’s an increase in affordable housing, says Food Banks Canada. More than 700,000 Canadians turn to food banks every month because they have “to choose between paying rent or buying food,” said Katherine Schmidt, the organization’s executive director. “At the root of


Manitobans helping North Korean farmers

Manitobans with expertise in zero till and soil health are helping farmers increase productivity in the isolated nation

When it comes to North Korea, agriculture may not be the first thing that pops into people’s minds. But for the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) it’s been front and centre for the last five years. The Winnipeg-based organization has been providing farmers in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea with assistance with soil conservation and

Sarah Jaibes is a Zimbabwean farmer practising conservation agriculture. 
Photo: Shannon VanRaes

Conservation agriculture will play a key role in feeding future populations

Conference told that by employing permaculture, cover crops, strategic rotation and reduced tillage, small landowners can generate surpluses and contribute to food security

Sarah Jaibes isn’t a soil scientist, or an international development expert, but she knows a lot about how to make small farms work and what it will take to feed nine billion people by 2050. The Zimbabwean farmer became involved in conservation agriculture in 2009, after rising inflation made it difficult to live on her


Clear rules needed on low-level GM contamination

Clear and reasonable rules for low levels of genetically modified grains and oilseeds need to be part of any Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, Canadian farm leaders told their counterparts from Peru and other countries during a recent trade trip to Lima. “It was a great opportunity to explain to negotiators and other stakeholders why the TPP

A powerful engine for growth

Researchers have discovered an environmentally sustainable instrument that could increase world food production by 30 per cent, but they’ve been having a tough time getting it commercialized. Is it a plant with a novel trait, or a new herbicide perhaps, bogged down by excessive regulations or those silly activists? Or maybe it’s a new type