Author: Owen Roberts

Huge farm support arrives just hours before election call

Farmers in western Canada and northern Ontario, who have been suffering through a drought, received additional, last-minute funding to help them feed and water their livestock.
Kudos to federal agriculture minister Bibeau for managing to make it happen before the election was called. Photo: northernontariobusiness.com

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Cash, the cringe factor and meatless meat

A new study out of the University of Illinois says that the meatless meat industry’s success will depend primarily on two factors: cost to produce, and consumer acceptability. Plant-based meat seems worthy of a try, but lab-cultured meat product? That might be a bit tougher to swallow. Image: riseandshine.childrensnational.org

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Canadian bacon is not immune to California farming laws

Food is a global commodity and changes in US agriculture usually impact Canadian farmers as well.   So it’s not surprising that pork producers here are concerned about pending California legislation requiring more floor space for breeding pigs, egg-laying chickens and veal calves – not just by the state’s own producers, but all jurisdictions that sell into the large California market. Photo: nbcnewscrunch.com

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Ontario looks like two different worlds this growing season

Parts of Northern Ontario are parched, while areas in the south have been deluged. Farmers, livestock and communities are stressed. The minister of agriculture’s funding for emergency feed, water and fencing for cattle is welcomed, but farmers say it’s a stop gap. They are desperate for a reliable program to help them handle weather extremes. Photo: BeefNorth

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Urban Cowboy

Raising awareness and promoting dialogue about current food and agriculture issues.

OWEN ROBERTS

Headshot of Owen Roberts

Owen Roberts is a faculty member in the Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications program at the University of Illinois. As an agricultural journalist, he is the past president of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists and a lifetime achievement award recipient from the Canadian Farm Writers' Federation. His programs and research papers have been recognized nationally and internationally through awards from the Journal of Applied Communications, the National Agri-Marketing Association, the Association for Communications Excellence, and others.

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