Food Farm Talk

The Environmental Farm Plan or EFP builds sustainability on Ontario and Canadian farms by farmers assessing their farms' environmental risks and changing practices to reduce or eliminate those risks. It began over 25 years ago in Ontario, led by farmer organizations working with governments, building consensus and changing social norms. EFP has now spread across Canada and evolved to fit each region’s needs. The evolution continues to meet changing demands. EFP may become the base for farms’ sustainability certification. An electronic version improves convenience and may appeal to younger generations. Listen to Paul Smith’s conversation with Andy Graham, Executive Director of Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association, and others reflecting on the history, evolution and future of the Environmental Farm Plan. (First aired in 2019).

Fertilizer is fundamental to agriculture and key to feeding the world population. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are often the focus—what agronomists call crop nutrients. Yet fertilizer use can have unintended effects on soil ecosystems, water quality, and greenhouse gas emissions. So, sustainable use of fertilizer is a key issue in farm sustainability. The 4R Nutrient Stewardship program brings together agronomy, environmental science, crop planning and education to help farmers plan fertilizer use to grow their crops, save money and conserve the environment. The 4Rs stand for the Right Source @ Right Rate, Right Time, and Right Place for fertilizer application. McKenzie Smith, Director, Stewardship and Regulatory Affairs at Fertilizer Canada in Ottawa and Nicole Penney of FS PARTNERS out of Guelph help us explore this topic. The first of this two part exploration of the 4Rs delves into the science, training and practices within the 4Rs planning system. The next episode explores the environmental aspects and related research on the 4Rs system. (First aired in 2020).

More information:

Abdul talks to Alan Abdul Kader (@AlanKaderAg) , now a graduate of the Ontario Agricultural College, on a range of issues in today's agriculture. Alan traces his journey as a young high school  student who fell in love with agriculture while working on friend's family farms. The values of farming, including the ability to care for nature and being outdoors are among the drivers in  his journey. The episode emphasizes the positives agriculture has to  offer and why it is important for farmers (and the industry in general)  to be proactive in reaching out to the public. (First aired in 2019. Alan is now employed in agri-business in Alberta.)

Ralph Martin’s book is an evocative mix of science, philosophy, memoir, reflection and manifesto for change. And food and farming tie it all together. Food security is certainly a focus, but the book ranges far beyond a narrow view of that phrase. Ralph is a retired professor of plant agriculture at Guelph with an emphasis on organic agriculture and forage crops. The book promo says the following. “Canadians are failing to balance reasonable food consumption with sufficient and sustainable production. The modern agricultural system is producing more and more food. Too much food. The cost is enormous: excess nutrients are contaminating the air and water; soil is being depleted; species loss is plunging us toward the sixth extinction; and farmers, racking up debt, are increasingly vulnerable to economic and climatic shifts. And then there is the waste — householders, food processors, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers collectively waste 40 percent of the food produced. A radical rethink is required. We need to move from excess to enough.” Listen to his discussion with Paul Smith. (Originally aired in 2020).

More information is available at:

https://ralphmartin.ca/

Agriculture played an important role in colonialism and the dispossession of Indigenous peoples. Today it could help build prosperity and reconciliation. We hear from Chief Cadmus Delorme on the history of agriculture and colonialism as it is expressed on Cowessess First Nation, Treaty 4 in Saskatchewan.

In this episode, Chief Delorme traces the history of his First Nation from before European contact, through signing of Treaty 4, the failure to implement Treaty obligations, and the roadblocks to real First Nations engagement in agriculture from the start. Support for European-style agriculture was promised in the numbered treaties of western Canada like Treaty 4, only to be quickly subverted.

Chief Delorme talks about many of the issues regarding these treaties and the Indian Act. The Indian Agents’ power to control First Nations people, the pass system requiring the Indian Agents’ approval of sales of grain and cattle, and arbitrary reductions in the size of the Cowessess reserve land area.

This is a brutal irony as Indigenous people and agriculture have a long history in Canada and on Turtle Island going back thousands of years. The agricultural innovations from Indigenous peoples in the Americas transformed global agriculture after European contact.

This presentation was part of virtual conference in September 2021 on Indigenous Agricultural Innovation held by FHQ Developments and is used with their permission.

Chief Cadmus Delorme, Cree (Nehiyaw) and Saulteaux (Anishinabe), is Chief of the Cowessess First Nation. He came to national attention in 2021 when 751 unmarked graves were identified on Cowessess First Nation. He holds a Master of Public Administration and Bachelor of Business Administration from the First Nations University of Canada, and was also named in CBC Saskatchewan’s Future 40, a list of leaders, builders and change-makers under the age of 40.  (First aired January 2022).

New Climate Programs for Canadian Farmers – with Brent Preston. Canada now has new programs aimed at helping farmers adopt practices to mitigate and adapt to climate change. The new federal climate plan released in December 2020 and Budget 2021 made major commitments for funding agriculture climate programs. But are these programs well designed and will they actually help farmers change practices? We explore this topic with Brent Preston of Farmers for Climate Solutions. They advocated for the new $200M On-Farm Climate Action Fund for cover crops, fertilizer management and rotational grazing. Others include $185M for Agriculture Climate Solutions focused on Living Labs research collaborations, $165.7M for Clean Ag Tech Program, and some part of the $631M Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund aimed at agriculture. And the new federal-provincial funding framework for 2023-2028 is being negotiated right now. Will it also increase agri-environmental funding? Canada dramatically underfunds agri-environment efforts compared to Europe and the United States.

Links:

Canada’s Revised Climate Plan

Agriculture played an important role in colonialism and today it can hopefully help build reconciliation. We explore how First Nations can pursue prosperity through business development in agriculture and agri-business with Thomas Benjoe, President/CEO of FHQ Developments in Saskatchewan, chair of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce and 2021 Report on Business Changemaker. Thomas and FHQ held a virtual conference in September 2021 on Indigenous Agricultural Innovation.

FHQ Developments is the economic development entity of the File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council, itself a council of 11 First Nations in the Treaty 4 area of Saskatchewan including Saulteaux (Anishnabe), Lakota, Dakota, Nakoda and Cree (Nehiyaw). We explore the opportunities and challenges of First Nations’ economic development including access to capital and credit as well as skills development and training.

Indigenous people and agriculture have a long history in Canada and on Turtle Island. The agricultural innovations from Indigenous peoples in the Americas transformed global agriculture after European contact, with new crops like maize, beans and potatoes. And European-style agriculture was promised as the means for livelihoods in the numbered treaties of western Canada, only to be quickly subverted. Over the next couple of months, we will be doing a series of shows on different aspects of Indigenous agriculture.

Soil health and conservation is a hot topic in Canadian agriculture. The Soil Conservation Council of Canada is the only national organization working on soil conservation and Jim Totarchuk, Executive Director of the council, tells us about the council and its work.

In November 2021, the council held their virtual Summit on Canadian Soil Health 2021 with the theme “Healthy Soil – Healthy Planet”. They sponsor the annual Soil Conservation Week in April each year. That has often included a focus on the “Soil Your Undies” test for soil health which has garnered a lot of media and public interest. This “cheeky” test of soil biological health tests a soil’s ability to digest the cotton underwear. The Council also issues a soil health report card, assessing how different parts of Canada are doing on soil conservation. The council has also had a project on the go called the soil carbon road map, summarizing the science on soil carbon in agriculture. Since its founding in 1987, the Council has been the national voice to advance soil conservation in Canada.

More information:

Soil health and conservation is a hot topic in Canadian agriculture. The Soil Conservation Council of Canada is the only national organization working on soil conservation and Jim Totarchuk, Executive Director of the council, tells us about the council and its work.

In November 2021, the council held their virtual Summit on Canadian Soil Health 2021 with the theme “Healthy Soil – Healthy Planet”. They sponsor the annual Soil Conservation Week in April each year. That has often included a focus on the “Soil Your Undies” test for soil health which has garnered a lot of media and public interest. This “cheeky” test of soil biological health tests a soil’s ability to digest the cotton underwear. The Council also issues a soil health report card, assessing how different parts of Canada are doing on soil conservation. The council has also had a project on the go called the soil carbon road map, summarizing the science on soil carbon in agriculture. Since its founding in 1987, the Council has been the national voice to advance soil conservation in Canada.

More information:

What a year 2021 was in agriculture and food! Emily, Abdul and Paul get together to review some highlights of events in agriculture and food, from global to local. The UN Food Systems Summit made its mark. Extreme weather and climate change made their impact. Flooding in British Columbia and drought throughout western Canada and northwest Ontario prompted Government assistance to affected farmers. The cooperative Hay West also assisted. Canada’s new climate plan now includes agricultural programs that were confirmed in Budget 2021. A contested Fertilizer Canada study claimed a 30% reduction in emissions due to fertilizer use would cost farmers massive lost production. Equity and reconciliation are getting attention in agriculture. The Guelph Ministers’ statement shows direction on next federal-provincial-territorial agricultural policy framework. Farmland protection from development was a hot topic across Ontario. Locally in Guelph, we highlighted the work of Our Food Future and the SEED tackling issues of food security and food waste. Those are just a fraction of hot topics in 2021, even without COVID.

More information:

UN Food Systems Summit

Agriculture played an important role in colonialism and the dispossession of Indigenous peoples. Today it could help build prosperity and reconciliation. We hear from Chief Cadmus Delorme on the history of agriculture and colonialism as it is expressed on Cowessess First Nation, Treaty 4 in Saskatchewan.

In this episode, Chief Delorme traces the history of his First Nation from before European contact, through signing of Treaty 4, the failure to implement Treaty obligations, and the roadblocks to real First Nations engagement in agriculture from the start. Support for European-style agriculture was promised in the numbered treaties of western Canada like Treaty 4, only to be quickly subverted.

Chief Delorme talks about many of the issues regarding these treaties and the Indian Act. The Indian Agents’ power to control First Nations people, the pass system requiring the Indian Agents’ approval of sales of grain and cattle, and arbitrary reductions in the size of the Cowessess reserve land area.

This is a brutal irony as Indigenous people and agriculture have a long history in Canada and on Turtle Island going back thousands of years. The agricultural innovations from Indigenous peoples in the Americas transformed global agriculture after European contact.

This presentation was part of virtual conference in September 2021 on Indigenous Agricultural Innovation held by FHQ Developments and is used with their permission.

Chief Cadmus Delorme, Cree (Nehiyaw) and Saulteaux (Anishinabe), is Chief of the Cowessess First Nation. He came to national attention in 2021 when 751 unmarked graves were identified on Cowessess First Nation. He holds a Master of Public Administration and Bachelor of Business Administration from the First Nations University of Canada, and was also named in CBC Saskatchewan’s Future 40, a list of leaders, builders and change-makers under the age of 40.

This episode is part of a series on different aspects of Indigenous agriculture. In the next episodes, Cadmus Delorme explores the challenges and opportunities for First Nations’ pursuing prosperity through business development in agriculture and agri-business.

Indigenous Agricultural Innovation with Thomas Benjoe - Agriculture played an important role in colonialism and today it can hopefully help build reconciliation. We explore how First Nations can pursue prosperity through business development in agriculture and agri-business with Thomas Benjoe, President/CEO of FHQ Developments in Saskatchewan, chair of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce, and 2021 Globe Report on Business Changemaker. Thomas and FHQ held a virtual conference in September 2021 on Indigenous Agricultural Innovation. 

FHQ Developments is the economic development entity of the File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council, itself a council of 11 First Nations in the Treaty 4 area of Saskatchewan including Saulteaux (Anishnabe), Lakota, Dakota, Nakoda and Cree (Nehiyaw). We explore the opportunities and challenges of First Nations’ economic development including access to capital and credit as well as skills development and training.

Indigenous people and agriculture have a long history in Canada and on Turtle Island. The agricultural innovations from Indigenous peoples in the Americas transformed global agriculture after European contact, with new crops like maize, beans and potatoes. And European-style agriculture was promised as the means for livelihoods in the numbered treaties of western Canada, only to be quickly subverted. Over the next couple of months, we will be doing a series of shows on different aspects of Indigenous agriculture.

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More information:

File Hills Qu’Appelle (FHQ) Developments 

Canada now has new programs aimed at helping farmers adopt practices to mitigate and adapt to climate change. The new federal climate plan released in December 2020 and Budget 2021 made major commitments for funding agriculture climate programs. But are these programs well designed and will they actually help farmers change practices? We explore this topic with Brent Preston of Farmers for Climate Solutions. They advocated for the new $200M On-Farm Climate Action Fund for cover crops, fertilizer management and rotational grazing. Others include $185M for Agriculture Climate Solutions focused on Living Labs research collaborations, $165.7M for Clean Ag Tech Program, and some part of the $631M Nature Smart Climate Solutions Fund aimed at agriculture. And the new federal-provincial funding framework for 2023-2028 is being negotiated right now. Will it also increase agri-environmental funding? Canada dramatically underfunds agri-environment efforts compared to Europe and the United States. Listen to find out more about climate and agriculture.

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Links:

Canada’s Revised Climate Plan

The Agriculture Carbon Alliance was recently launched and Keith Currie talks about the Alliance membership and purpose and the federal climate plan. Keith is the Vice-President of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, a member of the Alliance, a Simcoe county farmer and past president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. The new federal climate plan has many climate-related proposals and funding for agriculture, but few details. The Alliance hopes to engage the federal government on those proposals. We discuss carbon tax, soil health, offsets, fertilizer use, technology and nature-based solutions. 2021 should be an interesting year for climate policy and agriculture.

COVID-19 and Data Decisions after Disruptions - Part 2. Got data? That is a question of the day it seems.  In the midst of this pandemic our interest in data has never been great. Welcome to the panel discussion on data and decision making during the time of disruption. It's hosted by the Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph. Jeff Wichtel, Dean of the Imperial Veterinary College chairs a panel of University of Guelph experts. Rozita Dara, an associate professor school of computer science, Amy Greer Research Chair in Population Disease Modeling and associate professor, Department of Population Medicine. Simon Somogyi, an Arrell chair in Business of Food and associate professor school of Hospitality Food and Tourism Management. And Alfons Weersink professor, department of Food Agriculture and Resource Economics. Part 2 of the webinar.

More info:

Got data? That is a question of the day it seems.  In the midst of this pandemic our interest in data has never been great. Welcome to the panel discussion on data and decision making during the time of disruption. It's hosted by the Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph. Jeff Wichtel, Dean of the Imperial Veterinary College chairs a panel of University of Guelph experts. Rozita Dara, an associate professor school of computer science, Amy Greer Research Chair in Population Disease Modeling and associate professor, Department of Population Medicine. Simon Somogyi, an Arrell chair in Business of Food and associate professor school of Hospitality Food and Tourism Management. And Alfons Weersink professor, department of Food Agriculture and Resource Economics. 

More info:

Fertilizer is fundamental to agriculture and key to feeding the world population. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are often the focus—what agronomists call crop nutrients. Yet fertilizer use can have unintended effects on soil ecosystems, water quality, and greenhouse gas emissions. So, sustainable use of fertilizer is a key issue in farm sustainability. The 4R Nutrient Stewardship program brings together agronomy, environmental science, crop planning and education to help farmers plan fertilizer use to grow their crops, save money and conserve the environment. The 4Rs stand for the Right Source @ Right Rate, Right Time, and Right Place for fertilizer application. McKenzie Smith, Director, Stewardship and Regulatory Affairs at Fertilizer Canada in Ottawa and Nicole Penney of FS PARTNERS out of Guelph help us explore this topic. The first of this two part exploration of the 4Rs delves into the science, training and practices within the 4Rs planning system. The next episode explores the environmental aspects and related research on the 4Rs system.

More information:

The #Coronavirus pandemic affects local food and farm businesses in Guelph and Wellington County in so many ways. Christina Mann of Taste Real (County of Wellington) tells us about how local farm and food businesses are coping with and adapting to the challenges of #COVID19. Increased demand for local food sources have created opportunities for some businesses, while the challenges of offering food in ways that protect producers and customers require much extra work. Going online for purchases has helped for many businesses. Farmers markets in 2020 will be very different to accommodate distancing. Greater interest in growing and preparing food at home is a factor, online cooking classes are one way of meeting that demand. Consumers can support our local farm and food businesses.

More information is available at:

Taste Real is an innovative local food and farming initiative of the County of Wellington and many other partners. In this episode, Christina Mann, the Taste Real coordinator for the County, talks with Paul Smith. Taste Real started out as a branding initiative “to support local businesses, farms and producers who are passionate about the way local food is grown, prepared, presented and enjoyed, and how real it tastes”! Taste Real supports “local small businesses and farms to build stronger rural communities and grow one of the most vibrant, local food economies and food tourism destinations in Ontario”. The local food map is well known to residents and tourists as a go-to way to find local food. The local food fest held each year at Ignatius Centre on June 21 is a celebration of local food and community for the whole family. The spring and fall Rural Romp events get people to visit local farms and businesses to gain authentic experiences of agriculture and food.

More information is available at:

Ralph Martin’s new book is an evocative mix of science, philosophy, memoir, reflection and manifesto for change. And food and farming tie it all together. Food security is certainly a focus, but the book ranges far beyond a narrow view of that phrase. Ralph is a retired professor of plant agriculture at Guelph with an emphasis on organic agriculture and forage crops. The book promo says the following. “Canadians are failing to balance reasonable food consumption with sufficient and sustainable production. The modern agricultural system is producing more and more food. Too much food. The cost is enormous: excess nutrients are contaminating the air and water; soil is being depleted; species loss is plunging us toward the sixth extinction; and farmers, racking up debt, are increasingly vulnerable to economic and climatic shifts. And then there is the waste — householders, food processors, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers collectively waste 40 percent of the food produced. A radical rethink is required. We need to move from excess to enough.” Listen to his discussion with Paul Smith.

More information is available at:

Sustainable farming is about the people and organizations working daily to that end. Stuart Wright, a dairy and cash crop farmer from Kenilworth, Wellington County, is the new President of Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association. Both Stuart and the Soil and Crop organization work hard on farm sustainability. Stuart describes his family’s work building soil health and sustainability using crop rotation, no till, strip till, cover crops, and the 4Rs of nutrient management. Since 1939, Soil and Crop has been innovating new ways of growing crops to improve both production and conservation. Stuart’s discussion with Paul Smith illustrates the complexity of juggling crops, livestock and changing practices. He also reflects about how farmers learn from other farmers, advisors and researchers, and then try new things on their farms—illustrating the importance of the network of organizations collaborating on sustainable agriculture.

More information is available at: