Across Canada in a farmhouse: Victoria to Mile Zero

Among our many farm visits over the past week, our stop at Vantreight Farms was particularly interesting. This approximately-150-acre property (that’s a really big farm in these parts) produces a pretty vast array of goods, not least being daffodils. In fact, this farm is the single largest producer of daffodils (some fourteen varieties) in Canada […] Read more


New federal food safety, veterinary chiefs named

The federal government has named two new chiefs to replace the veterinarian doing double duty as Canada’s chief food safety officer and chief veterinary officer. Dr. Martine Dubuc, currently the vice-president of science at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, becomes Canada’s chief food safety officer on top of her previous duties. Meanwhile, Dr. Ian Alexander, […] Read more

Across Canada in a farmhouse: Delta to Victoria

The regional municipality of Delta, B.C. lies south of Richmond, at the mouth of the Fraser River. Long-time residents say this area once felt quite isolated — prior to construction of the George Massey Tunnel in 1959. These days it feels more like a very "roomy" suburb; the Vancouver skyline is pretty easy to spot […] Read more



Across Canada in a farmhouse: Revelstoke to Vancouver

Locals jokingly call it "Revelstuck." People apparently end up stranded here quite routinely — probably because it snows so bloody much, but not always for that reason. As readers already know, we too were "Revelstuck" for a bit. Make no mistake, however, it was no fault of Revelstoke, B.C.; this pretty little town that kneels […] Read more


Ag groups wary of GF2’s risk management funding cuts

Ag groups wary of GF2’s risk management funding cuts

Agreement among Canada’s sitting agriculture ministers on the content of their next five-year policy framework has farm groups concerned about how to manage future risk, if or when the commodity boom becomes a bubble. Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and his counterparts from all provinces and territories — except Quebec, now in between ag ministers after […] Read more



World food prices stabilize, but UN urges action

World food prices stabilized in August at levels close to those reached in the food crisis of 2008, and global grain stocks are likely to shrink this year as cereal crop output falls short of what is needed, the United Nations food agency said on Thursday. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) director-general Jose […] Read more

El Nino to be short, weak, N.Z. scientists predict

El Nino weather conditions, which can bring droughts to parts of Asia and affect crops, have emerged but will likely be weak and shortlived, New Zealand scientists said on Tuesday. El Nino is a warming of sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific that occurs every four to 12 years and can have far-ranging effects […] Read more