By: Leslie Ballentine, Farming and Food Commentator
I was as surprised as anyone to hear the news last week that Burger King in the U.S. is making an exclusive move to purchase “cage-free” eggs and pork within five years. It has certainly dominated the news. Even my urban friends (knowing I work in agriculture) have brought it up the past few days. Sadly however I haven’t been able to provide answers to some of their questions.
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Posted by FFC on April 30th, 2012 :: Filed under
eggs,
Food,
Housing,
HSUS,
RetailersTags ::
eggs,
food,
Housing,
HSUS,
Pork
By Leslie Ballentine, Farming and food commentator
Just when I thought I had heard it all, the Globe and Mail recently carried a feature on “gendered meat”. What you ask (as did I) is such a thing? Well apparently there is a demand by some Canadian consumers for selecting their meat based on whether the animal is male or female.
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Posted by FFC on April 23rd, 2012 :: Filed under
Chickens,
Consumers,
Food,
Misconceptions,
Pork,
RetailersTags ::
Consumers,
food,
misconceptions,
Pork,
Poultry
By Leslie Ballentine, Farming and food commentator
It’s no wonder there’s a growing perception that farms which feed cattle on grass for their entire lives, are better for the environment than farms that finish their pasture-raised cattle in feedlots with grain. The image is that the grass is always lush and plentiful and the cattle self feed themselves with little dependence on machinery or other energy consuming equipment. Whether or not science has confirmed this perception is another story.
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Posted by FFC on March 13th, 2012 :: Filed under
Beef cattle,
Environment,
Food,
Misconceptions,
Retailers,
SustainabilityTags ::
agriculture,
beef,
cattle,
education,
meat,
sustainability
By Leslie Ballentine, Farming and food commentator
According to the numerous trends lists that I have been reading, the buzz around food sustainability will continue to increase, driven by the food industry and retailers like Wal-Mart. This includes social, economic and environmental sustainability – lower greenhouse gas emissions, smaller carbon footprints, fair(er) trade and pricing policies, and responsible production practices. Food manufacturers and retailers now have whole departments devoted to corporate social responsibility. As buyers of farm products they have influence with their suppliers over how products may and may not be produced.
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Posted by FFC on October 19th, 2011 :: Filed under
Retailers,
Sustainability,
Sustainability of the family farmTags ::
agriculture,
environment,
sustainability
