Food for Thought Newsletter

Brought to you by Canadian Federation of Agriculture, representing over 200,000 farmers and farm families across Canada
An update from the Canadian Federation of Agriculture.

Welcome to the Food for Thought newsletter!

As part of our Food for Thought campaign, you signed up to receive further emails and updates on Canadian farmers and agriculture.

This is the 1st edition of this newsletter, which will be released every quarter. The next edition will hit your inbox in August.

CFA thanks you for the support you offered during the pandemic to help protect Canada's food supply system.
Because of the Food for Thought campaign and the incredible work and support from people such as yourself across Canada, Canadian farmers were successful in achieving improvements to their business risk management programs. These improvements assist farmers when uncontrollable catastrophes such as droughts or a tornado impact their farms/businesses.

We could have never done this without your help!

CFA has begun this quarterly newsletter to keep you updated on important topics in Canadian agriculture.

We hope these newsletters can increase your understanding of the issues, obstacles and opportunities that Canadian farmers are facing, while providing other fun information such as recipes for what's in season, polls, contests and more!
Canadian Agriculture in 2021

Planting Season has Begun! | Federal Greenhouse Gas Offset Credits Incentivize and Reward Farmers' Environmental Efforts | Agriculture as an Economic Recovery Engine for Canada | Recipes and more!
Planting Season has Begun!

Every year, Canadian farmers have four to five months to plant, grow and harvest their crops. These are the foods that will feed Canadians and the rest of the world throughout the year and into 2022.

Learn more about the planting season below from this great overview from Farm and Food Care Ontario!
Learn more about Canadian Ornamental Horticulture farmers and the Year of the Garden

Canadian ornamental horticulture farmers grow almost all the greenery that we find along the sidewalks and in our parks of our towns and cities, as well as the flowers and plants inside and outside of our homes. 

These products provide pollinators with habitat and help lessen the impacts of climate change.

Learn more about the Canadian ornamental horticulture sector below and how they plan to make 2022 the "Year of the Garden."
Federal Greenhouse Gas Offset Credits a Win-Win-Win for Farmers, Environment and the Economy

Farmers are stewards of the land, and are on the front lines in the fight against climate change. No one is more invested in sustainability than those who rely on the soil and the weather to make their livelihoods.

For decades farmers have kept their emissions steady while increasing their productivity significantly, reducing their emission intensity by half.

The newly unveiled Federal Greenhouse Gas Offset Credit System can benefit farmers if their emission-reducing practices and carbon sequestration efforts are recognized. This program has the potential to incentivize farmers to more aggressively invest in environmental initiatives on their operations.

That's why the Agriculture Carbon Alliance, which CFA is a part of, is working to build consensus around environmental best management practices, and practical options for offsets, rebates and exemptions. 


Learn about how the Agriculture Carbon Alliance is working to make this program impactful for both farmers and the environment below.
Learn about Mushroom Farmers and get your new go-to summer recipe!

Did you know that when they get going, a mushroom can grow to double its size in just 24 hours?

Mushrooms are grown year-round, packed with vitamins, minerals & anti-oxidants, and are an incredibly sustainable food!

Support your local mushroom farmer and use mushrooms as a key ingredient in the Mushroom, Asparagus and Goat Cheese Tart on the right.

A flaky pastry crust is filled with seasoned eggs, fresh asparagus, creamy goat cheese and a roasted medley of mushrooms. The use of pre-made puff pastry makes this tart easy to put together for a weekend lunch or quick appetizer.
Agriculture as an Economic Engine for Canada's Recovery

As Canada begins to recover from the pandemic, agriculture is a truly essential industry that is poised for explosive growth.

Pre-pandemic, Agriculture and Agri-Food contributed $142 billion to Canada's GDP and employed 1 in 8 Canadians. Publications from the Federal government such as the Barton Report and leading financial institutions such as RBC's Farmer 4.0 Report had identified agriculture as a key sector for Canada's economic growth.

Agriculture, as a truly essential service, can hit the ground running to help the country recover and grow. Canada has ambitious export targets to help feed nations that struggle with domestic food production.

Learn more about Canadian Agriculture's potential in the reports above!
Agricultural Spotlight: Saskatchewan

Canada is a massive nation with a huge variety of climates and natural resources. In the Food for Thought newsletter, every issue we will be spotlighting a different province's agriculture sector, giving an inside look on how diverse every province is!

This issue we take a look at Saskatchewan!

Click below to learn interesting facts on Saskatchewan farmers, and to learn about some of the unique products they offer like their version of Wagyu beef, known as "Snow Beef"!
Which logo do you prefer?
Logo 1 - Fields
Logo 2 - Shadow
Logo 3 - Globe
We need your help! CFA is designing a new logo, and we need your opinion.

CFA is in the process of updating our old logo (which you can find at the top of this newsletter) to make our brand more modern, and we wanted your opinion!

As CFA represents so many different types of farms all across Canada, the imagery and symbolism we use has to be very broad as we could never fit every type of farm we represent in one image. That's why our options are abstract, or centre around the Canadian maple leaf.

CFA is looking to launch the new logo in July, so you should see it in the next edition of the Food for Thought newsletter!

Below you can find the various options that CFA is considering, please let us know through the poll on the left which logo design you prefer!

Looking for Summer Recipes? Canadian Eggs: Versatile, Sustainable and Locally Produced!

Eggs are an essential part of so many meals that we eat every day, such as this delicious Buffalo Chicken Tostada and Strawberry Pavlova!

Click below for more breakfast, dinner and dessert ideas featuring made-in-Canada eggs, as well as some interesting information about Canadian egg farmers and their unique industry!
Upcoming Events in Agriculture and Food
Save the Date - Food Day Canada is on July 31st!

Food Day Canada (FDC) is our nation’s largest and longest-running celebration of our farmers, fishers, food processors, chefs, researchers and home cooks that shines a light on Canadian cuisine.

It is always held on the Saturday of the August long weekend. This year Food Day Canada will be held on Saturday, July 31st.
 
Food Day Canada is a chance for all Canadians to join hands virtually in one massive celebration in praise of food, our industry and all the good people who make it happen.