Sharing Perspectives for a Canadian National Food Strategy
Myles Frosst The Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph is holding its Inaugural Arrell Food Summit on May 22-23 in Guelph and May 24 in Toronto. The conference includes a panel discussion on the collaboration among industry (e.g. producers and processors), civil society, academics and foundations in support of a National Food Strategy. Panellists are Rory … Read more
The House of Commons Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food today (April 4) released Minister MacAulay’s response to its report of December 11, 2017, “A Food Policy for Canada.” The Government response is in many ways a “what we heard” report from the Government’s own consultations on a National Food Policy held in 2017. Without exception, … Read more
The challenge for any effective National Food Policy is to address both the (a) market-based requirements for a prosperous (e.g. profitable, competitive) food system and (b) the externalities or consequence of commercial activity that affects other parties without being reflected in the cost of the goods or services. To help meet this challenge food system stakeholders, with … Read more
A commitment to food security by the diversity of players in the agrifood economy will significantly help in the positive evolution of a national food policy. So it is promising that a symposium of influential leaders in food security matters is being held on March 28 in Toronto under the auspices of Feed Opportunity – … Read more
A window of opportunity exists for public, private and civil society stakeholders to agree on a National Food Policy and for the agreed upon NFP to guide stakeholder decsion-making now and in the longer-term. Agreement among stakeholders is dependent upon finding a balance between (a) solely “lassez-faire” or “pure market” instruments for agrifood system solutions … Read more
It should come as no surprise to those discerning what should be the appropriate depth and breadth of a NFP (or of a public-private sector NFP Council) that the large agri-food companies have much to contribute to “triple bottom line” agri-food sector outcomes. One example, within the fields of organic production and their value-added products, … Read more
The Agriculture Institute of Canada conference, April 23 and 24, should provide an opportunity to assess and discuss educational challenges and opportunities in university disciplines related to agri-food sciences.
Farm leaders underwhelmed by 2018 Federal Budget
A National Food Policy/Strategy will need to provide guidance on regulatory matters as regulations are a major instrument for public policy with consequences on agri-food competitiveness, “EES” sustainability, and food security. A significant CFIA inititiative, under the regulatory modernization effort is The Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) and its current consultation. As conveyed by the … Read more
Not too surprisingly, academic research suggests adults living in food insecure households are more likely to experience a wide range of adverse mental health outcomes, compared to those living in food secure households. University of Toronto’s PROOF has just published a “fact sheet is on the relationship between food insecurity and mental health,” and features … Read more