Agricultural interests object to healthy eating recommendations

Agricultural interests object to healthy eating recommendations

Thomas Vilsack, secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Sylvia Burwell, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) appeared before the House Agriculture Committee on Oct. 7 to respond to criticism of the “Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee” by members of the agriculture committee. Chief

How can you tame a sweet tooth?

How can you tame a sweet tooth?

Prairie Fare: New and improved Two-Ingredient Lemon Bars

Mom, why are they called cookies instead of ‘bakies?’” my 17-year-old daughter asked me. She was scooping cookie dough onto a tray for a 4-H food entry in the fair. “You bake cookies. You don’t cook them,” she continued. She likes to test me with unusual questions on a regular basis. I pondered her question


Judging food contests tempts the plate

Judging food contests tempts the plate

Prairie Fare: Chocolate Zucchini Snack Cake

My job has a few perks, and judging the occasional food contest ranks among them. I have judged potatoes, beef, ham and pies, to name a few. I judged another food contest a couple of weeks ago. All of the food entries were numbered and placed on tables, and our team of three judges studied

(Richard Bain photo courtesy National Renewable Energy Laboratory (U.S.) and ARS/USDA)

Cuba produces best sugar harvest in 11 years

Havana | Reuters — Cuba’s sugar harvest grew 18 per cent this year to 1.9 million tonnes, the most for the beleaguered industry in 11 years and the best performance since the state sugar company Azcuba was founded in 2011, official media said on Friday. The Communist Party daily Granma said the harvest, which began


sunny field of barley

Barley, a smart carbohydrate

Recipe Swap: Savory Butternut Squash Barley Pilaf, Quick Breakfast Bread, and Curried Chicken and Barley

With winter well on its way early November is when we look for those filling, satisfying foods that give us energy and comfort for coping with cold weather. Barley recipes are especially popular during the month of November for many reasons. They’re the perfect ingredient for making the soups and stews we like to make

Pinto bean flour.  Photos: Michael Stringer

Study: Can Manitoba crops reverse prediabetes?

Manitoba researchers team with Mayo Clinic to see if some foods can delay or prevent diabetes

Manitoba-grown ingredients might reverse prediabetes, according to researchers behind a new study. The Manitoba Agri-Health Research Network (MaHRN), in partnership with Minnesota-based Step One Foods, leads the study, funded by Manitoba Jobs and the Economy. Research kicked off last week when clinical teams met for the first time to determine the criteria for participants, talk


Willie Jacob Siemens
1938 –

Agricultural Hall of Fame: Willie Siemens

Five new members of the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame were inducted July 17 at a ceremony 
in Portage la Prairie. We’re featuring a new inductee each week

Willie (Bill) Siemens was born in Kronsthal, Manitoba to David and Anna Siemens. In 1960 Bill married MaryAnne Dyck. They have two daughters, Beverly and Kelly. The family lived on the family farm in the Rural Municipality of Rhineland until 2000 when Bill and MaryAnne moved to Winkler. Bill began his farming career with his

Man speaking into microphone.

Food manufacturers hooked on salt, fat, sugar, says speaker

Author Michael Moss says food companies have a real challenge making processed foods palatable without excessive amounts of three ingredients

When New York Times reporter Michael Moss started delving into why the foods we eat contain so much salt, sugar and salt, he didn’t expect his investigation to leave him empathizing with the food industry. “At one point I asked, ‘Everyone wants you to cut back on sodium because of high blood pressure. Why don’t


Recipe Swap, July 5: It’s the taste!

Opening soon! That’s what most fruit farmers were saying early last week when I checked the Prairie Fruit Growers Association website. By now, many will be open — unless we’ve had an unexpected turn of weather recently. This year you may spot on pails, aprons or baskets a bright reminder of why you eagerly anticipate