Special Reports

Rise of the Robots

Next-generation tech is tackling some of Canada’s greatest challenges in the agri-food sector.

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Risk Management

There’s a lot at stake for livestock producers By Jana Manolakos In 2008, Guelph student Catherine McCorquodale – who today practices agriculture law – gave a hard-hitting speech at the Royal Agriculture Winter Fair in Toronto. It painted a brutal picture of the cost to the Canadian cattle and beef industry hit by mad cow disease. “What do you do …

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Growth in Times of Contraction

How Canadian jerky company Dick Duff’s made huge strides during COVID-19 The pandemic has left many companies scrambling to find innovative ways to keep their businesses afloat, and the food industry is no exception. New ventures face an even greater challenge: establishing a customer base and increasing sales when the world is changing rapidly around them. The founders of Dick …

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The importance of Indigenous foodways

By: Kathleen A. Merrigan I participated in one of the famous Terra Madre Slow Food meetings in Italy years ago. At the opening ceremony, Indigenous peoples from around the world formed a procession through the venue, donning traditional wear and carrying objects of significance to their communities. It was beautiful and exciting but more importantly, it was a poignant reminder of …

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To tackle climate change, we need to rethink our food system

By Kathleen Rogers and Dr. Shenggen Fan The way we produce, consume and discard food is no longer sustainable. That much is clear from the newly released UN climate change report, which warns that we must rethink how we produce our food – and quickly – to avoid the most devastating impacts of global food production, including massive deforestation, staggering biodiversity …

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Taking a bite out of Canada’s food waste problem

By Jana Manolakos While most Canadians seem to be throwing away or wasting food, 1.4 million children across Canada are struggling to have enough to eat, according to a landmark report issued earlier this year by Toronto-based food rescue organization Second Harvest and Value Chain Management International (VCMI), a global food waste authority. Their report, “The Avoidable Crisis of Food …

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Manjit Minhas, entrepreneurial tour de force

By Jana Manolakos Hers is the face that could have launched a thousand ships, but instead this stunning, petite brunette launched a Canadian beer, wine and spirits empire with sales topping $187 million last year. Meet Manjit Minhas, an entrepreneurial tour de force and a perpetual motion machine whose high energy catapulted Minhas Breweries, Distillery and Wineries, a company she co-founded …

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The Taiwan food industry is striving to separate itself from mainland China

By Hermione Wilson   “Food really is a common language that goes beyond borders,” says James Huang, chairman of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), during his speech at the opening ceremonies for the 2018 Food Taipei expo. The audience is a diverse group gathered from all over the world to learn more about the Taiwanese market and to …

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Innovations in packaging

By Carol Zweep Active and intelligent packaging is a sector that continues to grow on a global basis. Active packaging changes the condition of the packaged food to extend the shelf life, or improve food safety or sensory properties of the packaged foods. Active packaging can be divided into absorbers (scavenging systems) and emitters (release systems). Antimicrobial Packaging Antimicrobial packaging is …

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