Reading Time: 5 minutes We picture them on the sides of roads and highways. We might think of a fruit stand, for example, or maybe we remember a hand-painted sign pointing to a U-pick farm. They’re what we think of when someone says “direct marketing” because they’re the more time-tested ways farmers have bypassed middlemen and retailers to sell […] Read more
Direct farm marketing in your pocket
Direct-to-consumer sales are climbing across Canada, but the small farms at the bottom of the market face some challenges
An invitation for more guests
“Real farmers” may dismiss agri-tourism and U-pick farms, but with its helicopter packages, fine dining and revenue of $1,500 per customer in some of its ventures, this may be one farm you want to check out
Reading Time: 6 minutes At Prairie Gardens & Adventure Farm a half hour north of Edmonton, 80 per cent of the family’s farm revenue used to come from commodity sales and 20 per cent from agri-tourism. Now, those numbers have flipped with agri-tourism bringing in the bulk of the revenue for their northern Alberta farm. Owner Tam Andersen says […] Read more
Coffee, from the ground up
When Canada’s farmers get together over coffee, maybe the coffee should do more of the talking
Reading Time: 6 minutes That coffee you grab to start your day represents more — way more — than something to wake you up. As you sip your favourite morning brew, you probably aren’t thinking about what type of beans were used, where they were grown, who farmed them or how they arrived at your breakfast table or drive-through […] Read more
Food sales grew but margins tightened in 2022, FCC says
Modest further growth expected this year
Reading Time: 2 minutes Food and beverages sales increased in Canada last year, even as margins hit an historic low and consumers chose Canadian less. According to the latest FCC Food and Beverage Report, released Tuesday, sales increased 11 per cent to $156 billion in 2022. These gains came largely from higher export values and strength in the grain […] Read more
China to buy more homegrown soybeans for reserves
State-owned firms urged to prioritize domestic soy
Reading Time: < 1 minute Beijing | Reuters — China will step up buying of domestic soybeans by state reserves to encourage farmers to keep planting the crop, the agriculture ministry said on Thursday, as Beijing continues to push for greater self-sufficiency in oilseed. China started to increase soybean planting a year ago amid worries about its heavy reliance on […] Read more
Milk is where it (won’t) happen
Futurology: So far, much of the fretting has all been about fake beef. Instead, the real threat looks to be fake milk. When it hits the market in five years, how will the dairy industry fight back?
Reading Time: 3 minutes This is the fifth in a series of articles about the future of agriculture. The series isn’t an attempt to forecast next month’s canola prices, but a look at what Canadian agriculture might look like in the long term, 20 years from now. Simon Somogyi is the Arrell Chair in the Business of Food and […] Read more
Meat lobby says U.S. voluntary label rule could spur trade action
Ottawa to review Washington's proposed 'Product of USA' rule
Reading Time: 5 minutes U.S. meat industry lobbyists say Washington’s proposed new rules governing voluntary ‘Product of USA’ or ‘Made in the USA’ labels would “impose the same standard” as that country’s now-defunct mandatory country-of-origin labelling (COOL) law — and frustrate U.S. packers who import Canadian meat or livestock. The U.S. Department of Agriculture and its Food Safety and […] Read more
U.S. demands formal trade talks with Mexico over GMO corn dispute
U.S. says new rules a breach of CUSMA
Reading Time: 3 minutes Chicago/Washington | Reuters — The United States requested formal trade consultations with Mexico on Monday over U.S. objections to its southern neighbour’s plans to limit imports of genetically modified corn and other agricultural biotechnology products. The U.S. Trade Representative’s office announced the request for technical talks after months of informal discussions with Mexican officials over […] Read more
North Korea’s Kim demands more farmland to boost food production
Reading Time: 2 minutes Seoul | Reuters — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered improvements to infrastructure and expansion of farmland to ramp up food production, state media said on Thursday, amid warnings of an impending food crisis. Kim gave instructions to revamp irrigation systems, build modern farming machines and create more arable land as he wrapped up […] Read more
‘We’ll need to be very creative’ in future food production
Futurology: Is anyone ready for the non-beef future coming our way? Sylvie Cloutier isn’t so sure
Reading Time: 3 minutes This is the third in a series of articles about the future of agriculture (find the other articles here). The series isn’t an attempt to forecast next month’s canola prices, but a look at what Canadian agriculture might look like in the long term, 20 years from now. In the second article, entrepreneur Robert Saik […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
