The Bigger Picture, 2015-2016

The rise of the agricultural robots. Farmers have always adopted technologies to reduce the back-breaking or tedious parts of their job. Milking robots are gaining widespread use in the dairy industry. Emerging are robots using 3D camera technology to identify and pick fruit, or identify and mechanically remove weeds on vegetable farms, greatly reducing the amount of chemical weed killers needed.Tractica

Familiar story in Iowa

Publication Date: December 20, 2016

Tags: Aviation/Airports, Environment, Food/Water/Agriculture

Here's a plan: build a new airport on some of the richest farm soil on the planet, then close two existing airports, each about 10 miles away.Journal Express

Farm labour shortage stifles growth

Publication Date: December 16, 2016

The growing labour shortage for both Canadian farms and food processors is getting serious.Ontario Federation of Agriculture

Groundwater depletion by 2050

Publication Date: December 15, 2016

Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Food/Water/Agriculture

Americans and Canadians depend on California's Central and San Joaquin Valleys to supply most of our fruits and nuts and a significant amount of our vegetables. These rich farmlands have been plagued with prolonged drought for several years, and crops are now dependent on irrigation water drawn from deep aquifers. A new study suggests these aquifers will be dry within a generation, part of a growing global fresh water supply crisis.CBC News

Time for food security to be on the table

Publication Date: December 15, 2016

Former Toronto mayor, Senator Art Eggleton, highlights the need for food security in Canada.The Hill Times

StatsCan on agriculture education and jobs

Publication Date: December 14, 2016

Statistics Canada: there's growing interest in agriculture education in Canada, and an increasing number of agricultural job opportunities.Syngenta Canada

Stop asking “Where’s your husband?”

Publication Date: December 11, 2016

Amanda Brodhagen (Hagenlea Beef assistant farm manager, north of Stratford) is a tireless advocate for young farmers and women in agriculture.CBC News

Urban business leaders want better airport policies

Publication Date: December 8, 2016

Canadian Chambers of Commerce: Fix the security waiting times and reduce fees at our major airports.CTV News

Canada and feeding a hungry world

Publication Date: December 7, 2016

Advice to our federal Finance Minister from the Chair of his Advisory Council on Economic Growth: "[Canada] could get much more [economic] growth [from] agriculture and food, because it can employ a lot of people, there’s a lot of innovation technology around it and huge demand."Globe and Mail

Maple Leaf launches new food security org

Publication Date: December 6, 2016

Food giant launches a non-profit to tackle Canadian food insecurity issues. “In a country of such wealth and abundance, it is a national shame that one out of every six children and four million people in Canada face food insecurity,” says [Maple Leaf Foods President Michael] McCain.Food in Canada

China’s polluted farmland

Publication Date: December 3, 2016

Tags: Environment, Food/Water/Agriculture

China will remove 2.5% of its arable farmland (some 5 million hectares, or over 12 million acres) from production because it is heavily polluted.Business Recorder

Going against the grain to feed the world

Publication Date: December 2, 2016

Cornell professor Norman Uphoff says there are viable alternatives to the current wisdom that the big agri-business model of highly expensive crop growing inputs is the only way to feed the world.Epoch Times

Canadian agriculture is a trading powerhouse

Publication Date: November 28, 2016

Canada is among world leaders in agricultural trade. Our vulnerability is that we export to relatively few countries and instead are heavily dependent on the U.S.Farm Credit Canada

Soil health in the UK

Publication Date: November 26, 2016

Tags: Environment, Food/Water/Agriculture

British MPs debate the sustainability of the UK’s farm soil health.FG Insight

Any careers in agriculture? Lots

Publication Date: November 24, 2016

The Ontario Agricultural College and others speak up about ag careers. Apparently there are three agribusiness jobs available these days for every graduate.The Western Producer

B.C. farmers vs tax loopholes, part 4

Publication Date: November 24, 2016

The B.C. government is having to crack down on “hotels” that are taking advantage a farmland tax loophole.Globe and Mail

B.C. farmers vs tax loopholes, part 3

Publication Date: November 23, 2016

How can a farmer afford to build a 23,000 square foot farmhouse on a 10 acre blueberry farm? S/he can't. Only foreign investors who know nothing about farming can.Globe and Mail

Aranmula airport, Kerala, cancelled

Publication Date: November 23, 2016

Tags: Aviation/Airports, Environment, Food/Water/Agriculture

Citing studies demonstrating "devastating environmental impacts on farming and bio-diverse wetlands", India takes only 4 years to cancel its proposed Aranmula airport. New Indian Express

Huge farming labour shortage looming

Publication Date: November 22, 2016

A Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council study concludes that "the [job] opportunities in agriculture are very bright..."CBC News

B.C. farmers vs tax loopholes, part 2

Publication Date: November 21, 2016

B.C. will “act quickly” to close tax loopholes on farmland.Globe and Mail

B.C. farmers vs tax loopholes, part 1

Publication Date: November 21, 2016

How can a farmer afford to build a 23,000 square foot farmhouse on a 10 acre blueberry farm? S/he can't. Only foreign investors who know nothing about farming can. A series of Globe and Mail investigative reports has the B.C. government scrambling yet again to ensure that its best precious coastal farmland is protected for agriculture.Globe and Mail

Farmers and carbon capture credits

Publication Date: November 18, 2016

Tags: Climate Change, Food/Water/Agriculture

Conservation agriculture: Alberta beef farmers who practise intensive grazing store more carbon in their soil. Should they receive carbon credit compensation?CBC News

Carbon is not the enemy

Publication Date: November 14, 2016

Tags: Climate Change, Environment

Changing the carbon conversation. A positive model for climate action is learning to work with the carbon cycle to preserve and enhance the benefits it naturally provides. From the soil up.Nature

Canadian airline ownership cap and fares

Publication Date: November 12, 2016

Increasing Canadian airline competition may not permanently lower air fares.thestar.com

Notre-Dame-des-Landes airport: going to court

Publication Date: November 12, 2016

The French government's decision in January to construct a second international airport at Nantes was met by shock and protests. Thousands turned out. Latest news: airport opponents are going to lodge an appeal before France's highest administrative court.Mediapart

Where are Canada’s food trends headed?

Publication Date: November 10, 2016

Food guru forecasts great new opportunities for farmers.CountryGuide

Ottawa to lift foreign ownership of airlines

Publication Date: November 3, 2016

Minister Garneau set to relax foreign ownership of Canadian airlines? Low cost carriers hope so.National Post

Help needed by new farmers

Publication Date: November 1, 2016

The federal government is working on its next 5-year plan for our Canadian agricultural sector. Food Secure Canada's input: the new plan must address the many challenges that compromise the entry and success of our new farmers.Food Secure Canada

Business jet slump

Publication Date: October 31, 2016

Corporate jet sales have been in descent for eight years.Reuters

Aranmula, India: Rice paddies to grow where airport stopped

Publication Date: October 30, 2016

Tags: Aviation/Airports, Food/Water/Agriculture

The Supreme Court of India upheld the National Green Tribunal's verdict declaring that the airport failed to meet several environmental requirements. Indian authorities halted preliminary airport construction and committed to restoring rice paddies on the remaining airport land.manoramaonline.com

Canadian farmland loss: new study

Publication Date: October 28, 2016

The Senate is studying Canadian farmland ownership, availability, and affordability issues.Farms.com

Farmers vs Heathrow runway decision

Publication Date: October 27, 2016

Tags: Aviation/Airports, Food/Water/Agriculture

The UK government's proposal to build a third runway at Heathrow airport will destroy hundreds of homes in Harmondsworth and Sipson villages; London Greenbelt lands including hundreds of acres of farmland between these villages, and Harmondsworth Moor. Sipson has been threatened by Heathrow expansion schemes ever since 1946.Farmers Weekly

Ontario needs better data on groundwater

Publication Date: October 27, 2016

Ontario's Environmental Commissioner says we don't have enough data about our groundwater: “We’re making decisions with our eyes closed.”Global News

To feed a growing world…

Publication Date: October 26, 2016

Tags: Climate Change, Food/Water/Agriculture

…consider what modern farming isn't.Globe and Mail

Or no Heathrow at all?

Publication Date: October 25, 2016

British comedian David Mitchell weighs in on the ramifications of the Heathrow decision.The Guardian

Heathrow expansion gets government OK

Publication Date: October 25, 2016

London Heathrow has actually been "full" for awhile, its 2 runways operating at 98+% capacity for over a decade. The third runway has been estimated to cost $22-$28 billion. After public debate, Parliament to vote on this decision in about a year.The Guardian

Time to update Canada’s Food Guide

Publication Date: October 24, 2016

Who pays attention to Canada's Food Guide? It's a problem that's plagued our best nutritionists and health professionals for decades. They're trying yet again to develop a guide that will be widely embraced by Canadians to develop healthier eating habits.Globe and Mail

National Food policy? Not everyone will be happy

Publication Date: October 24, 2016

The difficulties inherent in developing Canada’s first national food policy.Globe and Mail

Climate change means no airport expansions

Publication Date: October 18, 2016

The decision by the UK government on where to add a runway to London area airports is said to be imminent. The Davies Commission took about 3 years to recommend adding a new runway at Heathrow. George Monbiot argues that climate change goals mean no new runway anywhere.The Guardian

U.S. airlines to curb growth to boost air fares

Publication Date: October 16, 2016

Facing higher fuel and labour costs, U.S. airlines expect to enter a period of higher airfares and slower growth.thestar.com

Global aviation climate deal: good or not enough?

Publication Date: October 7, 2016

Transport & Environment’s aviation director on ICAO agreement: “ Airline claims that flying will now be green are a myth. Taking a plane is the fastest and cheapest way to fry the planet and this deal won’t reduce the use of jet fuel one drop.”edie.net

Global aviation deal a weak shell game

Publication Date: October 6, 2016

Vera Pardee, an attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity on ICAO agreement: "The world needs less polluting planes, not a dubious offset scheme that just passes off the industry's exploding carbon debt to someone else." Common Dreams: Breaking News and Views

Canada backs global aviation climate deal

Publication Date: October 6, 2016

Canada “onside” with ICAO agreement, having played leadership role, says Transport Minister Garneau.CBC News

California drought for centuries?

Publication Date: October 6, 2016

Tags: Climate Change, Environment, Food/Water/Agriculture

Adequate rainfall has eased the drought in California's northern Central Valley for this crop year. But research by a Canadian UCLA professor suggests that California may still be entering a period of drought lasting for centuries.CBC News

White House on global aviation climate deal

Publication Date: October 2, 2016

The ongoing debate over the future path of food production. Farming is increasingly dependent on a few globally powerful agri-business behemoths which enable increased farm efficiency and profitability but at a huge social, environmental, and biodiversity cost.The Guardian

Agrichemicals, intensive farming won’t feed us

Publication Date: October 2, 2016

Tags: Environment, Food/Water/Agriculture

The Shipper Advocate: “Slow steaming”

Publication Date: October 1, 2016

Tags: Climate Change

(report) One option being considered by the marine transportation sector to reduce their carbon emissions is to reduce their total fuel burn by slowing cargo-ship speeds. With proper planning, it's still acceptable for most sea cargo to take a couple of days longer to arrive. For conventional cargo planes, "slow flying" doesn't work as well. However, one of our dedicated media trawlers was informed by Dr. Prentice that in a few years and for $1B in investment, "slow flying" of air cargo will be feasible via airship.Freight Management Association of Canada

Climate change and air turbulence

Publication Date: September 11, 2016