Canadian produce industry to hold virtual Farm to Plate advocacy event

Apr 28, 2021

Ottawa, ON – The Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) and Canadian Horticultural Council (CHC) will hold a virtual format of their Farm to Plate advocacy event on May 31 and June 1, 2021. Farm to Plate is an annual event that gives produce industry members a chance to meet with Parliamentarians, Senators, and other key government officials, to discuss critical issues impacting the Canadian fresh fruit and vegetable sector.

This year’s edition of Farm to Plate will focus on how the federal government can support our industry now and ensure its success in a post-pandemic world. Topics of discussions will include establishing a financial protection mechanism, supporting industry’s sustainability efforts, improving access to labour, and much more.

“The produce supply chain plays a vital role in providing Canadians with safe and healthy food,” said Ron Lemaire, CPMA President. “Farm to Plate is an important platform that allows our industry members to engage with their leaders and voice their concerns. We are looking forward to having productive discussions with government officials about tangible solutions to support our industry.”

“After an extremely challenging year for Canadian fruit and vegetable growers we are all looking forward to better times ahead,” said Rebecca Lee, CHC Executive Director. “This event is an opportunity for conversations and learning around the government action needed for our sector to move forward and thrive again.”

Source : CPMA

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.