Chairman of Syngenta's board high on modern agriculture Tuesday, June 3, 2008 by BETTER FARMING STAFF“Agriculture is sexy for the first time since the Bronze Age,” Taylor said and the debate about how to deal with a worldwide food crisis is running high. But world leaders aren’t talking about adopting modern technology as a means of solving it. “I don’t know if they are embarrassed by it (the technology) or politically opposed to it,” he said. “Maybe they don’t know about it.”Yet for Taylor, modern technology’s role was apparent and crucial: “The world has to choose between technology, deforestation and hunger,” he said.“I can’t see another way out.”He decried “the move towards mediaeval agriculture, especially in Europe,” where he says hostility towards agricultural technology “is extraordinarily pronounced.” He predicted that genetically modified foods that are now banned will be allowed into Europe gradually, first as animal feed and then later as food for humans. He doesn’t see that changing in the short term as the European Union commissioners who have the power to bring changes won’t raise controversy until their terms are renewed in the next year.The European attitude towards farmers is perverse, Taylor said. Their view is that “growers are a parasitic bunch as a whole. Individual growers are heroes who go out in the snow.”The food crisis should have been foreseen, Taylor said. Agricultural productivity gains have slowed from the rapid in pace in the 1970s and ‘80s. For years storage stocks have shrank but price increases that should have sparked more production failed to take place. “Population growth is the steady drumbeat, behind this,” along with diet changes in China, the world’s most populous nation.“On top of all this is the diversion of crops towards biofuel,” he added, noting he was “not one of these that believe biofuel is a wicked experiment. It is unfortunate this (perception) has gained so much currency.”Taylor said Canada has an important role in solving the food crisis. It is one of five countries that can ramp up agricultural production to meet increasing worldwide demand for food; the other areas being Russia, the Ukraine, Argentina and Brazil.On top of that, Canada, which has generally adopted new agricultural technology, is viewed as a reasonable country in Europe, where ideas are sometimes rejected simply because they come from the United States. BF Maryland alleges pigeon fraud Short Takes - June/July 2008
Sowing Solutions--Guelph’s Agri-Food Research Gets Federal Spotlight Friday, October 3, 2025 The University of Guelph welcomed two prominent federal representatives for a day of engagement and discovery on Friday, October 3rd. Dominique O’Rourke, Member of Parliament for Guelph, hosted the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, for a comprehensive tour... Read this article online
Downtown Diner Delivers a Taste of Canadian Farming to Ottawa Friday, October 3, 2025 This week, the heart of Canada’s capital was filled with the sights, sounds, and flavors of Canadian agriculture as Sparks Street played host to the Downtown Diner, a pop-up event celebrating Canadian food and the farmers who make it possible. At the center of the conversation was... Read this article online
Poll Reveals Mixed Public Sentiment on BC Ostrich Cull Decision Thursday, October 2, 2025 Farms.com poll shows divided opinions among Canadian farmers on the Supreme Court’s decision to halt the ostrich cull. A recent poll conducted on Farms.com's X account @OntAg aimed to capture Canadian farmers' views on the Supreme Court’s decision to halt the ostrich cull in British... Read this article online
Effective Strategies for Corn Soybean and Wheat Thursday, October 2, 2025 As reported on the OMAFRA website fieldcropnews.com, effective crop residue management in corn, soybean, and wheat fields is key to profitability and long-term soil health. It begins at harvest, with combines and headers set correctly to size and spread residue evenly across the... Read this article online
New Ontario agrobotics challenge seeking high school submissions Thursday, October 2, 2025 A new competition for Ontario high school students is looking for innovative ways to solve challenges in the ag sector. The AgRobotics Ontario Challenge launched at the end of September. The competition is a collaboration between the Western Fair District, the Ontario Council for... Read this article online