ONTARIO FOOD SUMMIT FOCUSES ON FOOD SECURITY

Mar 02, 2022

Held March 1, the Ontario Food Summit focussed on the supply chain including farmers, suppliers, transporters and distributors and how to retain and attract workers to strengthen “made in Ontario” capacity.

“Our government is ensuring that everyone can access safe, high-quality and nutritious food grown right here at home,” said Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “Our partners in the food supply chain all have an important role to play and I appreciate hearing their thoughts and ideas on the actions needed to continue a safe and stable food supply. The ideas we heard today will help us strengthen and build the sector for the future.”

During the summit, Minister Thompson launched an expanded Excellence in Agriculture program to recognize farmers, processors, educational institutions and agri-food organizations and businesses who contribute to the industry’s success and drive innovation in the province’s agri-food sector.

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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.