What a Year! Highlights of 2021 in Farming and Food - Video Available on Spotify

What a year 2021 was in agriculture and food! Emily, Abdul and Paul get together to review some highlights of events in agriculture and food, from global to local. The UN Food Systems Summit made its mark. Extreme weather and climate change made their impact. Flooding in British Columbia and drought throughout western Canada and northwest Ontario prompted Government assistance to affected farmers. The cooperative Hay West also assisted. Canada’s new climate plan now includes agricultural programs that were confirmed in Budget 2021. A contested Fertilizer Canada study claimed a 30% reduction in emissions due to fertilizer use would cost farmers massive lost production. Equity and reconciliation are receiving attention in agriculture. The Guelph Ministers’ statement shows direction on next federal-provincial-territorial agricultural policy framework. Farmland protection from development was a hot topic across Ontario. Locally in Guelph, we highlighted the work of Our Food Future and the SEED tackling issues of food security and food waste. Those are just a fraction of hot topics in 2021, even without COVID.  More information:  UN Food Systems Summit 2021 https://www.un.org/en/food-systems-summit  Canada’s new climate plan https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/weather/climatechange/climate-plan/climate-plan-overview/healthy-environment-healthy-economy.html  Increases in AgriRecovery funding to up to $500 million to support farmers facing extreme weather https://www.canada.ca/en/agriculture-agri-food/news/2021/08/government-of-canada-increases-total-agrirecovery-funding-to-up-to-500-million-to-support-farmers-facing-extreme-weather.html  $3 million of Funding for Hay West from Canadian Government https://www.cfa-fca.ca/2021/12/15/cfa-pleased-to-announce-3-million-of-funding-for-hay-west-from-canadian-government-but-more-funding-is-needed-for-coming-months/  Ontario Providing Additional Drought Support for Northwestern Farmers https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1000835/ontario-providing-additional-drought-support-for-northwestern-farmers  Farm Groups issue joint statement recognizing National Day for Truth and Reconciliation https://ofa.on.ca/newsroom/joint-statement-recognizing-national-day-for-truth-and-reconciliation/  Fertilizer Canada study https://fertilizercanada.ca/news-events/news/new-report-warns-of-potential-for-48-billion-loss-in-farm-income-if-fertilizer-reductions-are-required-of-growers/  Canada’s Ministers of Agriculture hold annual meeting and release Guelph Statement https://agriculture.canada.ca/en/agri-info/canadas-ministers-agriculture-hold-annual-meeting-and-release-guelph-statement Ontario farmers hampered by excessive rain https://www.producer.com/news/ontario-farmers-hampered-by-excessive-rain/  Our Food Future https://foodfuture.ca/  The SEED Guelph https://theseedguelph.ca/