Finding Common Ground

Farm organizations and rural advocacy groups haven’t exactly been tripping over themselves to sign on to the Manitoba Food Charter. In fact, the Manitoba Women’s Institute – once a fearless advocate for similar values – voted almost unanimously a couple of years back against a resolution to support it. Likewise, mainstream farmers have been noticeably

Food Charter Continues To Inspire

“As the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives, this is a very important issue for us.” – MAFRI MINISTER ROSANN WOWCHUK The Manitoba Food Charter continues to make inroads with Manitobans, after hosting both a sold-out conference this past weekend and signing more signatories to its visionary document. This is the second winter the


Farming On The Fringe – for Feb. 12, 2009

American Farmland Trust (AFT) has partnered with Dick Esseks and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to release a report regarding the long-term viability of agriculture in counties that are becoming increasingly urban. The report, titled Farm Viability in Urbanizing Areas, explores which public policy efforts have been effective in retaining the spectrum of benefits provided by

Historian laments forgotten finery of British food

Rationing, the Industrial Revolution and a drastic reduction in household servants have nearly killed off Britain’s once-rich tradition of food. At least that’s the argument put forth by British food historian Ivan Day when presented with the stereotype of his country as a nation filled with fast food-loving Philistines. Day, a food history author and


Vendors transact $1 billion annually

FOR MORE INFO? Log on to www.farmersmarketscanada.ca For an indepth presentation on the future of Canadian farmers’ markets and more detail on Farmers’ Markets Canada log on to the December 1 Agriwebinar presentation by Brent Warner found on Canadian Farm Business Management Council website at www.agriwebinar.com Mention this the next time someone declares “no one

Pilot program entices new farmers

“Studies show the consumer grocery dollar that’s being spent on organics increases by between 15 to 20 per cent every year and in recent years it has been as high as up to 26 per cent of grocery sales is organic.” – Sharon Taylor A pilot program is being launched for wanna-be farmers to get