Food Focus

We are hearing a lot about inflation lately, but do we understand what it is? More importantly do we understand why its happening? In this episode, Mike talks to Dr Trevor Tombe, Professor of Economics and the University of Calgary. They talk about what's happening with inflation and why it is so high.

Have you ever left a pail of water sitting and come back to a green and soupy mess? Did you think it looked like food? No? Maybe you should have. Yonatan Golan, the President of Israel based Brevil, says that micro-algae is future of sustainable protein and his company has a technology to produce it price competitively. He and Mike talk about what micro-algae is, the potential benefits of it, and why its going to take the food industry by storm,

Have you ever thought that your old family recipe would be a hit on grocery store shelves? Do you have any idea how that might happen? In this episode Mike talks to Derek Vella, Director of the Guelph Food Innovation Centre, about the process for bringing a new product to the market. He talks about what the GFIC helps big and small companies evaluate products and make a decision whether and how to proceed. You'll be surprised by the range of things to think about.

In this episode Mike talks to Jenifer Tilton Flood, whose family milks 1,700 cows in Maine. We talk about what happens on a dairy farm - the joys and challenges of farming. They also talk about the farm's relationship with the processor - a coop - they sell their milk too. Jenni has a unique perspective on farming - this episode is worth a listen.

Farmers are managers first and foremost. They need to build their businesses to ensure long term success. Many farmers get bigger. Others find a market niche. Increasingly we are seeing farmers start processing their production to increase the value they earn per acre. In this episode, Mike talks to Jason Persall of Pristine Gourmet, about his journey to a successful value added business on the farm.

Technology is advancing at an amazing rate. You might not think that looking at the history of animal agriculture would provide much insight into how we might think about gene editing and other technology in the future. Mike's guest this episode, Will Wright, an animal historian at Augustana University, asserts that there is much to learn from the past. He makes a strong case as he explains the development of animal agriculture from pastoral days up to today and helps us understand how we think about animal agriculture and how we might frame discussions about technology in the future.

Coops have been a common model in agriculture and food, giving producers a stake in the processing and input sectors. What are coops and what makes them different from a "regular" business? In this episode Mike speaks with Michael Barrett, a self described coop evangelist and President and CEO of Gaylea, a dairy cooperative. Michael talks about price protection in the face of market power and opportunities for market development. He also highlights how critically important good governance is to success.

Michael Barrett is retiring as the President and CEO of Gaylea - a dairy processing cooperative. Mike sat down with Michael to reflect on his career and how he got there, the change he has seen in the industry, and what he sees coming for the dairy industry in the future.

What do animals feel? Mike has a discussion on sentience with Dr Georgia Mason, Director of the Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare. We make individual and societal decisions on seafood and livestock product consumption based on our perceptions of animals. Georgia provides an overview of the state of the science on sentience and some perspectives on implication for welfare. We can and do make different decisions but an understanding of the basics can inform those decisions. They talk about aquaculture and insects which may be the next key areas for discussion.

Jenn Christie grew up on a farm and worked for most of her career in agriculture. In 2020 (yes the pandemic year) she and her partner opened a restaurant (Bonfire on Queen in Paisley, ON). In this episode she talks with Mike about the surprises, the successes and the struggles (they opened after the lockdowns started) and how her thinking about food as a farmer has shaped what they do in the restaurant.

The food system is undergoing profound change. Technology, climate change, COVID, and consumer demand are all driving changes to how food is produced, the structure of supply chains, and, most importantly, what people are choosing. In this episode Mike speaks with Rene Van Acker, the Dean of the Ontario Agricultural College, about what those changes mean for curriculum and training students to contribute in the evolving food system.

What do you know about the food you eat? What should you know about the food you eat? Do we have the skills to make good choices? Do we have the skills to make good food? In this episode, Mike talks to Alicia Martin, a PhD student in the Department of Geography who studies food literacy. We talk about what food literacy is and why its important? version with complete host audio track

What do you know about the food you eat? What should you know about the food you eat? Do we have the skills to make good choices? Do we have the skills to make good food? In this episode, Mike talks to Alicia Martin, a PhD student in the Department of Geography who studies food literacy. We talk about what food literacy is and why its important?

Jen Christie is our guest this episode. She and Mike talk about the challenges women often face in farming or agriculture industries. Its not only an issue of equity, but in an industry starving for staff its also an issue of supporting the future. What can and should we do better to allow women to make the incredible contributions they are capable of?

In this episode Mike speaks to Kyle Oakley who produces apples and fresh vegetables on their farm near Thornbury Ontario. They talk about the farm, selling direct to consumers, and the challenges that COVID brought. This farm produces lots of vegetables incorporating new technology - not at all like the garden I remember as a kid. It's an interesting and wide ranging conversation.

After a hiatus to recharge, the Food Focus podcast is back. Everyone has a picture in their head of what a farmer looks like. In general, that picture isn't of a 20 something young Bachelor of Commerce graduate. While an aging demographic is the reality in farming, there are actually young people who are keen to get into farming. In this episode Mike chats with two young University of Guelph graduates who aspire to farm. They talk about what attracts them to farming, what people don't understand about farming and what some of the challenges to getting started are.

The war in Ukraine is a humanitarian disaster caused by an unjustifiable aggression by Russia. The world is focused, rightly, on the impacts on the Ukrainian people. There are, however, ripple effects of the disruption of the Ukrainian agricultural economy being felt across the world. Wheat exporting countries in North Africa and the Middle East will see shortages and significant price inflation. Countries like Argentina are constraining exports in an effort to keep food prices low for their urban populations. North American consumers will also feel the pinch, although likely less than some of those developing countries. There is the potential for benefit for North American wheat producers but there are some factors that may limit the gains. Mike speaks with Dr Alfons Weersink about all of these factors to get a better understanding of the impact on the global food system of the war in Ukraine.

In this episode Mike speaks with Dr. Alfons Weersink, Professor in the Department of Food, Agricultural, and Resource Economics at the University of Guelph, about GHG emissions from crop production. Alfons provides a perspective on the economic returns to fertilizer application and the implications for emissions from crop production. He also provides some insight into policy initiatives to help farmers adapt and reduce emissions.

There is considerable discussion about reducing emissions across the economy. Mike's guest this week suggests that there are real ways to reduce emissions from crop production without dramatic disruptions in production and that we continue to learn more about approaches. Dr Claudia Wagner-Riddle does say that it will require more management but that we can get there.

Mike's guest this episode is Lesley Kelly. Lesley talks about her farm, her path to farming, and her efforts through social media and blogging to help the broader public understand farmers and farming better. She also talks about some of the challenges of engaging broadly through these channels. Mike and Lesley also talk about mental health in agriculture, one of her passions. She is very open about the challenges in her family and talks about her commitment to bringing the issue forward and developing supports - like Do More Ag - to help people who need it.