Hard to pry consumers from their trans-fats Tuesday, June 2, 2009 Fast food chains such as Kentucky Fried Chicken boast trans-fat-free menus. Plant breeders are striving to develop soybeans with healthier oils. Can we expect consumers to be informed and make healthier eating decisions? According to research conducted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health and Society Scholars Program, maybe not. Researchers compared news coverage about trans-fats to the sales of seven specific products (targeted because they contain more than half a gram of trans-fats per serving) from a major grocery chain in Los Angeles County, California.Their conclusion? Sales of buttered popcorn, vegetable shortening, buttermilk biscuits, sandwich cookies, stick margarine and crescent rolls fell for a week following negative coverage and then rose to previous levels. Sales of hot dogs, the seventh highest trans-fat product, remained steady.The news coverage reiterated the relationship between trans-fat consumption and heart disease. BF Educators top the pay scales in public sector agriculture Fighting to prevent a California 'dust bowl'
What Distributed Energy Resources Mean for Canadian Producers Tuesday, April 7, 2026 As energy costs rise, many Canadian farms are looking for ways to take greater control of their electricity use. One term that farmers are hearing more often is distributed energy resources, often shortened to DERs. While the phrase may sound technical, the concept is highly practical, and... Read this article online
Agricultural Educator and Industry Leader Dr Tom Funk Remembered for Lasting Influence Tuesday, April 7, 2026 The agricultural education community is mourning the passing of Dr Tom Funk, a highly respected Professor Emeritus at the University of Guelph whose influence spanned more than three decades of teaching, leadership, and mentorship. Dr Funk dedicated over 35 years to teaching... Read this article online
Blue Collar Brings Canada’s Dairy Farming to Prime Time Tuesday, April 7, 2026 A new Canadian streaming series on Crave is offering audiences an unpolished look at some of the country’s toughest jobs, and in Episode 5, that spotlight turns to dairy farming. BLUE COLLAR is a Crave original series that blends workplace comedy with real-world grit and humour found... Read this article online
New Measures Support Craft Brewers and Reduce Rising Costs Tuesday, April 7, 2026 To help producers in the beverage sectoras the economy is facing rapid changes and creating uncertainty for businesses, theCanadiangovernment has announced a two-year extension of alcohol excise duty relief starting April 1, 2026. This decision aims to support brewers, distillers, and... Read this article online
Study reveals key climate drivers of potato beetle outbreaks Monday, April 6, 2026 A long term research project from Michigan State University (MSU) and the University of Wisconsin is offering new insight into what drives Colorado potato beetle outbreaks, giving US potato growers a clearer picture of how weather patterns and environmental conditions shape one of the... Read this article online