Comments on: A Craving for Real Food http://usc-canada.org/2009/10/13/a-craving-for-real-food/ Building a Just World Together Thu, 17 May 2012 09:31:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Locavore News by Elbert van Donkersgoed | Sustain Ontario http://usc-canada.org/2009/10/13/a-craving-for-real-food/comment-page-1/#comment-593 Locavore News by Elbert van Donkersgoed | Sustain Ontario Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:25:30 +0000 http://usc-canada.org/?p=2143#comment-593 [...] according to a national opinion poll released by USC Canada and conducted by Nanos Research. Story USC Canada website. Full results [...] [...] according to a national opinion poll released by USC Canada and conducted by Nanos Research. Story USC Canada website. Full results [...]

]]> By: Lynn Perrin BGS MPP http://usc-canada.org/2009/10/13/a-craving-for-real-food/comment-page-1/#comment-589 Lynn Perrin BGS MPP Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:12:22 +0000 http://usc-canada.org/?p=2143#comment-589 I conducted research on farmers' markets in B.C. for a Master of Public Policy from SFU in 2008. The Nanos poll is certainly consistent with polls that were conducted over the past 10 years in Canada. My research also noted that in Canada there are about 6 corporations that control our food system. In B.C. we are increasingly worried about the loss of local food due to the removal of farmland from the Agricultural Land Reserve whether it is for residential / commercial / industrial development or "temporary" gravel mining. I believe that it was Henry Kissinger who once said that bombs are not the way to control people....food is. I conducted research on farmers’ markets in B.C. for a Master of Public Policy from SFU in 2008. The Nanos poll is certainly consistent with polls that were conducted over the past 10 years in Canada. My research also noted that in Canada there are about 6 corporations that control our food system. In B.C. we are increasingly worried about the loss of local food due to the removal of farmland from the Agricultural Land Reserve whether it is for residential / commercial / industrial development or “temporary” gravel mining. I believe that it was Henry Kissinger who once said that bombs are not the way to control people….food is.

]]> By: Sheila Petzold (USC Canada) http://usc-canada.org/2009/10/13/a-craving-for-real-food/comment-page-1/#comment-586 Sheila Petzold (USC Canada) Wed, 21 Oct 2009 18:54:39 +0000 http://usc-canada.org/?p=2143#comment-586 Nanos designed the poll to help us gage Canadian attitudes to food and food production. Part of our mandate is to inform Canadians about the global food issues that affect us and the wider world. The small scale farmers that we support in marginalized parts of the world are being affected by these global systems, in which Canada is an active participant. USC needs to know how Canadians feel about that so we can serve those small scale farmers in the best ways we can. I encourage you to visit other areas of our website to see how practices that threaten biodiversity - the heart of sustainable food production - are undermining food security and people's ability to feed themselves. Nanos designed the poll to help us gage Canadian attitudes to food and food production. Part of our mandate is to inform Canadians about the global food issues that affect us and the wider world. The small scale farmers that we support in marginalized parts of the world are being affected by these global systems, in which Canada is an active participant. USC needs to know how Canadians feel about that so we can serve those small scale farmers in the best ways we can.

I encourage you to visit other areas of our website to see how practices that threaten biodiversity – the heart of sustainable food production – are undermining food security and people’s ability to feed themselves.

]]> By: Owen Roberts http://usc-canada.org/2009/10/13/a-craving-for-real-food/comment-page-1/#comment-585 Owen Roberts Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:18:48 +0000 http://usc-canada.org/?p=2143#comment-585 I don't see this poll as a condemnation of government as much as I do agri-business. But regardless of the target, I wish the finger pointing would stop. With a billion people starving, spending resources on asking people loaded questions like do you trust farmers more than large agricultural corporations -- which is going to produce predictable answers -- is really not helping to feed the hungry. How about making an effort to work together? The entire food chain -- farmers, business, government, NGOs, consumers -- needs to nurture a culture of respect like the kind mentioned by Wendy Holm (above)in order for change to happen. I don’t see this poll as a condemnation of government as much as I do agri-business. But regardless of the target, I wish the finger pointing would stop. With a billion people starving, spending resources on asking people loaded questions like do you trust farmers more than large agricultural corporations — which is going to produce predictable answers — is really not helping to feed the hungry. How about making an effort to work together? The entire food chain — farmers, business, government, NGOs, consumers — needs to nurture a culture of respect like the kind mentioned by Wendy Holm (above)in order for change to happen.

]]> By: Owen Roberts » Blog Archive » Interest in farming is a great communications opportunity http://usc-canada.org/2009/10/13/a-craving-for-real-food/comment-page-1/#comment-583 Owen Roberts » Blog Archive » Interest in farming is a great communications opportunity Tue, 20 Oct 2009 23:04:49 +0000 http://usc-canada.org/?p=2143#comment-583 [...] such as USC Canada dedicating scarce resources to hackneyed anti-corporate promotions such as this latest poll? That’s what I’m pondering in this week’s Urban Cowboy column in the Guelph [...] [...] such as USC Canada dedicating scarce resources to hackneyed anti-corporate promotions such as this latest poll? That’s what I’m pondering in this week’s Urban Cowboy column in the Guelph [...]

]]> By: Faris http://usc-canada.org/2009/10/13/a-craving-for-real-food/comment-page-1/#comment-580 Faris Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:14:50 +0000 http://usc-canada.org/?p=2143#comment-580 Bruce, there is no shortage of community-based food production and distribution initiatives. One innovative urban model is <a href="http://www.thestop.org/" rel="nofollow">the STOP</a>, located in Toronto. In the global South, the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, is an award-winning example. Our <a href="http://www.usc-canada.org/?page_id=21" rel="nofollow">Seeds of Survival</a> program also supports many successful schemes by farmers to steward local food systems, build rural economies, and preserve ecosystems. Bruce, there is no shortage of community-based food production and distribution initiatives. One innovative urban model is the STOP, located in Toronto. In the global South, the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, is an award-winning example. Our Seeds of Survival program also supports many successful schemes by farmers to steward local food systems, build rural economies, and preserve ecosystems.

]]> By: Faris http://usc-canada.org/2009/10/13/a-craving-for-real-food/comment-page-1/#comment-579 Faris Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:09:19 +0000 http://usc-canada.org/?p=2143#comment-579 Ms. Holm, you are right. This is a timely opportunity for citizens to reclaim food policies to serve people first. We need to re-value those who produce our food, not only in Canada, but small holder farmers around the world. Ms. Holm, you are right. This is a timely opportunity for citizens to reclaim food policies to serve people first. We need to re-value those who produce our food, not only in Canada, but small holder farmers around the world.

]]> By: Wendy Holm, P.Ag. http://usc-canada.org/2009/10/13/a-craving-for-real-food/comment-page-1/#comment-578 Wendy Holm, P.Ag. Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:31:30 +0000 http://usc-canada.org/?p=2143#comment-578 As an Agrologist I have watched as government's lack of public policy respect for our farmers - something which began in mid 1980's-has created a full blown farm crisis. Highly concentrated agribusiness sectors have stripped margins needed by farmers to plan for the future. Safety nets have been diamantled. Government has failed to defend -eg BSE - and actively attacked -CWB - the rights of farmers for equity in the marketplace. As a result farm debt is at record levels. This is not sustainable.... FINALLY The emergence of widespread public concern and engagement with our food sector is an important agent for change. communities must rally around this and say enough is enough. A country that does not respect it's farmers is u unequipped for the future. Wendy Holm, P.Ag. As an Agrologist I have watched as government’s lack of public policy respect for our farmers – something which began in mid 1980′s-has created a full blown farm crisis. Highly concentrated agribusiness sectors have stripped margins needed by farmers to plan for the future. Safety nets have been diamantled. Government has failed to defend -eg BSE – and actively attacked -CWB – the rights of farmers for equity in the marketplace. As a result farm debt is at record levels. This is not sustainable…. FINALLY The emergence of widespread public concern and engagement with our food sector is an important agent for change. communities must rally around this and say enough is enough. A country that does not respect it’s farmers is u unequipped for the future. Wendy Holm, P.Ag.

]]> By: Bruce Marchand http://usc-canada.org/2009/10/13/a-craving-for-real-food/comment-page-1/#comment-576 Bruce Marchand Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:38:52 +0000 http://usc-canada.org/?p=2143#comment-576 There is nothing more I would like than to buy locally grown and healthy produce all the time. Do we need to create food co-op's to support local farmers encouraging eco-food production and helping redistribute food to those economically disadvantaged? If that's the alternative, I think Canadians also need greenhouse foods incorporated, into this food coop system; to support more variety in our foods. Greenhouse coops can also share farming knowledge and encourage urban food production and education people on local agricultural issues. There must be other options than just mass food production. There is nothing more I would like than to buy locally grown and healthy produce all the time. Do we need to create food co-op’s to support local farmers encouraging eco-food production and helping redistribute food to those economically disadvantaged? If that’s the alternative, I think Canadians also need greenhouse foods incorporated, into this food coop system; to support more variety in our foods. Greenhouse coops can also share farming knowledge and encourage urban food production and education people on local agricultural issues. There must be other options than just mass food production.

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