Ask a Farmer – Details, episodes & analysis

Do you ever wonder what all those dates on your food mean? What's safe to eat and what should you toss? Today, we're discussing food date labeling with a guest podcast episode from Inspect and Protect, The Canadian Food inspection Agency podcast with hosts Greg Rogers and Michelle Strong.  Today, Laura Reid, a date labeling expert from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency breaks down the difference between best before dates, which are about food quality, and expiry dates, which focus on safety. She shares tips on how to handle foods after their best before dates and why proper storage matters. Stick around to learn how these labels help prevent food waste and ensure your pantry stays fresh.

Guest Episode  

Inspect and protect is the official podcast of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency with a focus on sharing stories about safe food, healthy animals and disease and pest free plants. 

Related articles: 

Date labelling on pre-packaged foods 

Safe food storage (Health Canada) 

Love Food, Hate Waste 

RECYC-QUÉBEC – French only 

Canada's National Zero Waste Council 

Government of Canada launches Food Waste Reduction Challenge 

The First Sixteen Podcast -  The opportunity of food waste (Episode 007) 

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The role of any food system is to serve the end consumer. In the past, farmers, food processors, and retailers responded to the demand of consumers. Supply follows demand. For the most part Canada has kept a very scientific based approach to policy making when it comes to food and how food is grown. However, there is concern with a bit of a deviation of these policies when one considers what has and is happening in the European Union.  They have experienced a trend in policy-making that seeks to interfere in both the demand, and even more directly, in the supply side of the equation.  The question that comes up then, is will food policy sway away from science? With us today is Bill Wirtz from the Consumer Choice Centre to discuss how policy changes affect food choices.

Host
Clinton Monchuk grew up on a mixed dairy, beef and grain family farm outside of Lanigan, Saskatchewan. He received his Bachelor’s of Science in Agriculture majoring in Agricultural Economics from the University of Saskatchewan and Masters of Business Administration in Agriculture from the University of Guelph. Clinton has enjoyed numerous roles across Canada, the United States and Mexico as a researcher, educator, manager, economist and director of trade policy.
In 2016, Clinton accepted the role of Executive Director with Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan to promote farming and ranching to consumers. Clinton understands the value of increasing public trust in agriculture and actively promotes engagement between the agriculture industry and consumers.
Clinton, Laura and their children Jackson and Katelyn, are active partners on their family grain and layer farm in Saskatchewan and cattle ranch in Oklahoma.

Guest
Bill Wirtz is the Senior Policy Analyst at the Consumer Choice Center. He covers agriculture and trade policy in Europe and North America.

Resources
Consumer Choice Center
Canadian Food Focus

Episode Credits: Research and writing by Dorothy Long and Penny Eaton, Produced and edited by Angela Larson and Michael Jordon, Music by Andy Ellison-Track title: Gravel Road 

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As more and more Canadians become removed from farms and ranches, many people have questions about how animals are being raised on Canadian farms. Tiffany Martinka is active on social media and has made a point of sharing how their family farm takes care of their chickens. In this podcast, Tiffany explains the audited programs that all Canadian farmers must follow and describes how this system of raising chickens is unique in a global setting. 

Host: Clinton Monchuk
Clinton Monchuk grew up on a mixed dairy, beef and grain family farm outside of Lanigan, Saskatchewan. He received his Bachelors of Science in Agriculture majoring in Agricultural Economics from the University of Saskatchewan and Masters of Business Administration in Agriculture from the University of Guelph. Clinton has enjoyed numerous roles across Canada, the United States and Mexico as a researcher, educator, manager, economist and director of trade policy. 

In 2016, Clinton accepted the role of Executive Director with Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan to promote farming and ranching to consumers. Clinton understands the value of increasing public trust in agriculture and actively promotes engagement between the agriculture industry and consumers. 

Clinton, Laura and their children Jackson and Katelyn, continue to be active  partners on their family grain and layer farm in Saskatchewan and cattle ranch in Oklahoma.

Guest: Tiffany Martinka
Tiffany Martinka and her family operate a grain and broiler chicken farm in northeast Saskatchewan. Tiffany grew up with grain and cattle, earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture and worked in the industry for 10 years before focusing full-time on her family and their own farm. Tiffany was selected as one of five young farmers across Canada to participate in Chicken Farmers of Canada Young Farmer Program which has presented many unique opportunities to learn and grow as a farmer in Canada’s chicken industry. She received the Farm & Food Care Champion Award in 2020 for her efforts to engage consumers and build trust in agriculture. 

 Tiffany feels it’s important to reach consumers to talk about how food is produced. “As the years go by, we are losing the connection to our food and how it’s grown. People no longer have family to visit on the farm.” 

Resources:
Article: Chicken Farm takes it Full Circle
youtube: virtual chicken barn tour

Episode Credits: Research and writing by Dorothy Long and Penny Eaton, Produced and edited by Angela Larson and Michael Jordon, Music by Andy Ellison-Track title: Gravel Road 

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Since Covid, we have seen dramatic increases in the price of our food. Every family is feeling the pinch at the grocery store. John Scott has spent his entire career analyzing food prices, grocery changes and consumer trends. He will explain what has led to the current situation and what to expect at the grocery store in the future.

Host: Clinton Monchuk
Clinton Monchuk grew up on a mixed dairy, beef and grain family farm outside of Lanigan, Saskatchewan. He received his Bachelors of Science in Agriculture majoring in Agricultural Economics from the University of Saskatchewan and Masters of Business Administration in Agriculture from the University of Guelph. Clinton has enjoyed numerous roles across Canada, the United States and Mexico as a researcher, educator, manager, economist and director of trade policy. 

In 2016 Clinton accepted the role of Executive Director with Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan to promote farming and ranching to consumers. Clinton understands the value of increasing public trust in agriculture and actively promotes engagement between the agriculture industry and consumers. 

Clinton, Laura and their children Jackson and Katelyn, continue to be active  partners on their family grain and layer farm in Saskatchewan and cattle ranch in Oklahoma.

Guest: John F.T. Scott
John F.T. Scott is an economist specializing in the food distribution and retail sector. He is the former CEO of Canada’s largest retail grocery association (Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers), a position he held for 23 years.  

John is the author of the itinerant publication “Perspectives on the Canadian Retail Food Industry” which encapsulates his thoughts on the issues, people and events shaping the industry. 

He is past chair of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute and served on the Board of Governors of Niagara College. He is Past Chair of the acclaimed Vineland Research and Innovation Centre. He is has served as an advisor to a diverse group of organizations, including Monaghan Mushrooms, Platform Genetics, Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency and Markham Stouffville Hospital. He holds the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. 

John is one of only three individuals who have received both of the highest recognitions in Canada’s retail food industry, the Golden Pencil and the Spirit of the Independent Award. He currently analyzes strategies, writes and speaks on Canada’s food industry. 

Resources:
Why do food prices keep going up?
How consumers are changing the grocery landscape

Episode Credits: Research and writing by Dorothy Long and Penny Eaton, Produced and edited by Angela Larson, Music by Andy Ellison-Track title: Gravel Road 

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Erin MacGregor is a registered dietitian and passionate food and science communicator.  Based on Erin’s experience and education in the food industry she will help us understand what we can look for as we read food-related information and make better purchasing decisions.

Host: Clinton Monchuk
Clinton Monchuk grew up on a mixed dairy, beef and grain family farm outside of Lanigan, Saskatchewan. He received his Bachelors of Science in Agriculture majoring in Agricultural Economics from the University of Saskatchewan and Masters of Business Administration in Agriculture from the University of Guelph. Clinton has enjoyed numerous roles across Canada, the United States and Mexico as a researcher, educator, manager, economist and director of trade policy.

In 2016 Clinton accepted the role of Executive Director with Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan to promote farming and ranching to consumers. Clinton understands the value of increasing public trust in agriculture and actively promotes engagement between the agriculture industry and consumers.

Clinton, Laura and their children Jackson and Katelyn, continue to be active partners on their family grain and layer farm in Saskatchewan and cattle ranch in Oklahoma.

Guest: Erin MacGregor
Erin MacGregor is a registered dietitian and passionate food and science communicator. 

 With over 15 years of multimedia experience, Erin has become an advocate for honest and transparent communication about the Canadian food system. She has built a reputation for creating on-trend food and nutrition content that is both relatable and meticulously researched - for any audience. 

 Erin is the co-founder of How to Eat, a food and nutrition communications business and award winning blog, that inspires Canadians to enjoy food and cooking to the fullest. She is also an experienced clinical dietitian in the hospital setting, expertly translating the latest clinical research into common sense nutrition advice for a wide range of patients. 

 These days, Erin is most passionate about writing and speaking on topics including misinformation in the media, agriculture, biotechnology, and food marketing, with the goal of helping Canadians understand where their food comes, so they can make food choices based on facts, not fear.

Resources:
article: How to spot nutrition misinformation online
article: what does non-gmo on a food label mean?
article: What does all natural on a food label mean?
article: what does organic on a food label mean?

Episode Credits:
Research and writing by Dorothy Long and Penny Eaton, Produced and edited by Angela Larson and Michael Jordan, Music by Andy Ellison-Track title: Gravel Road 

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Researcher and author Timothy Caulfield explains why there is a fear of food in today’s society. He points out how important it is to reflect on information before passing it on and think about the body of evidence rather than the attention-grabbing headlines. 

Host: Clinton Monchuk
Clinton Monchuk grew up on a mixed dairy, beef and grain family farm outside of Lanigan, Saskatchewan. He received his Bachelors of Science in Agriculture majoring in Agricultural Economics from the University of Saskatchewan and Masters of Business Administration in Agriculture from the University of Guelph. Clinton has enjoyed numerous roles across Canada, the United States and Mexico as a researcher, educator, manager, economist and director of trade policy.

In 2016 Clinton accepted the role of Executive Director with Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan to promote farming and ranching to consumers. Clinton understands the value of increasing public trust in agriculture and actively promotes engagement between the agriculture industry and consumers.

Clinton, Laura and their children Jackson and Katelyn, continue to be active partners on their family grain and layer farm in Saskatchewan and cattle ranch in Oklahoma.

Guest: Timothy Caulfield
Timothy Caulfield is a Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy, a Professor in the Faculty of Law and the School of Public Health, and Research Director of the Health Law Institute at the University of Alberta. His interdisciplinary research on topics like stem cells, genetics, research ethics, the public representations of science, and public health policy has allowed him to publish over 350 academic articles. He has won numerous academic, science communication, and writing awards, and is a Member of the Order Canada and a Fellow of both the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences.

He contributes frequently to the popular press and is the author of two national bestsellers: The Cure for Everything: Untangling the Twisted Messages about Health, Fitness and Happiness (Penguin 2012) and Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything?: When Celebrity Culture and Science Clash (Penguin 2015). His most recent book is Relax, Dammit!: A User’s Guide to the Age of Anxiety (Penguin Random House, 2020).

Caulfield is also the co-founder of the science engagement initiative #ScienceUpFirst and was the host and co-producer of the award-winning documentary TV show, A User’s Guide to Cheating Death, which has been shown in over 60 countries, including streaming on Netflix in North America.

Resources:
Timothy Caulfield Books
Article: Understanding Confusing Words on Food Packages
Article: What Does Non-GMO on a Food Label Mean?

Episode Credits: Research and writing by Dorothy Long and Penny Eaton, Produced and edited by Angela Larson, Music by Andy Ellison-Track title: Gravel Road 

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Ian Affleck discusses how science has played a pivotal role in ensuring Canadians have safe, affordable and abundant food.  The advancements in plant breeding to gene editing have ensured Canadian farmers can use modern technology in an effort to be more environmentally friendly and produce the food the world needs.

Host: Clinton Monchuk
Clinton Monchuk grew up on a mixed dairy, beef and grain family farm outside of Lanigan, Saskatchewan. He received his Bachelors of Science in Agriculture majoring in Agricultural Economics from the University of Saskatchewan and Masters of Business Administration in Agriculture from the University of Guelph. Clinton has enjoyed numerous roles across Canada, the United States and Mexico as a researcher, educator, manager, economist and director of trade policy.

In 2016 Clinton accepted the role of Executive Director with Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan to promote farming and ranching to consumers. Clinton understands the value of increasing public trust in agriculture and actively promotes engagement between the agriculture industry and consumers.

Clinton, Laura and their children Jackson and Katelyn, continue to be active partners on their family grain and layer farm in Saskatchewan and cattle ranch in Oklahoma.

Guest: Ian Affleck
Ian Affleck is the vice-president of plant biotechnology for CropLife Canada. In this role, Affleck works with domestic and international agricultural stakeholders and governments on the development of policies, regulations, and science related to plant biotechnology. 

 Prior to joining CropLife Canada, Affleck worked at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency for 10 years. His work there focused on the regulation of novel plants and new varieties. 

 Affleck holds a bachelor of science in agriculture from the Nova Scotia Agricultural College, concentrating on agronomy and pest management. He also holds a master’s degree in agriculture from the University of Guelph, specializing in horticulture and plant breeding.   

 Affleck has been involved in agriculture from an early age, having grown up on a potato farm in Bedeque, Prince Edward Island. 

Resources:
PlantsThat Defend Themselves
Growing Better Crops
What is Gene Editing

Episode Credits: Research and writing by Dorothy Long and Penny Eaton, Produced and edited by Angela Larson and Michael Jordan, Music by Andy Ellison-Track title: Gravel Road 

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Soil health is essential to the prosperity of feeding a growing global population.  Jake Leguee, a Saskatchewan grain farmer, explains how farmers have adopted new technologies over the past generations, increasingly focusing on what soils need to produce food that feeds the world.   

Host: Clinton Monchuk
Clinton Monchuk grew up on a mixed dairy, beef and grain family farm outside of Lanigan, Saskatchewan. He received his Bachelors of Science in Agriculture majoring in Agricultural Economics from the University of Saskatchewan and Masters of Business Administration in Agriculture from the University of Guelph. Clinton has enjoyed numerous roles across Canada, the United States and Mexico as a researcher, educator, manager, economist and director of trade policy.

In 2016 Clinton accepted the role of Executive Director with Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan to promote farming and ranching to consumers. Clinton understands the value of increasing public trust in agriculture and actively promotes engagement between the agriculture industry and consumers.

Clinton, Laura and their children Jackson and Katelyn, continue to be active partners on their family grain and layer farm in Saskatchewan and cattle ranch in Oklahoma.

Guest: Jake Leguee
Jake is a third generation farmer from Weyburn, Saskatchewan, Canada, where he, along with several family members, grows durum, canola, wheat, lentils, peas, and flax. Jake is married and he and his wife have three young sons. 

Passionate about advocating for the agricultural industry, Jake writes regularly in his popular blog, A Year in the Life of a Farmer, and has been a speaker at several events.  

Jake currently serves as a director and vice-chair of the Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission and as chair of the Canadian Wheat Research Coalition. He has travelled to several countries promoting Canadian durum, speaking as a farmer representative. He is also a member of Bayer’s global Farmers Who SUSTAIN advisory council and is a member of the Global Farmer Network. 

Jake is optimistic about the future of the agricultural industry and believes its future is very bright. 

Resources
What is soil? More than just dirt
Healthy soil for today and the future
How do farmers protect the soil
Protecting biodiversity: Environmental farm plans

Episode Credits: Research and writing by Dorothy Long and Penny Eaton, Produced and edited by Angela Larson and Michael Jordan, Music by Andy Ellison-Track title: Gravel Road 

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In this podcast Patricia Chuey will outline six healthy eating truths that you can adopt in your own life.  They include overall health, veggies and fruits in your diet, purchasing quality products, ensuring your or someone in your household is cooking, avoid fad diets and remember that healthy aging is possible!

Host: Clinton Monchuk
Clinton Monchuk grew up on a mixed dairy, beef and grain family farm outside of Lanigan, Saskatchewan. He received his Bachelors of Science in Agriculture majoring in Agricultural Economics from the University of Saskatchewan and Masters of Business Administration in Agriculture from the University of Guelph. Clinton has enjoyed numerous roles across Canada, the United States and Mexico as a researcher, educator, manager, economist and director of trade policy.

In 2016 Clinton accepted the role of Executive Director with Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan to promote farming and ranching to consumers. Clinton understands the value of increasing public trust in agriculture and actively promotes engagement between the agriculture industry and consumers.

Clinton, Laura and their children Jackson and Katelyn, continue to be active partners on their family grain and layer farm in Saskatchewan and cattle ranch in Oklahoma.

Guest: Patricia Chuey, MSc, FDC
Food and Nutrition Communications Expert
Patricia has spent the last 3 decades immersed in consumer food and nutrition issues through various roles including nutrition counselor, sports nutritionist, manager of nutrition affairs for a major grocery retailer, media spokesperson, recipe developer and food product inventor. An author of 6 books, she is an engaging keynote speaker and mentor who provides context on what matters most in eating well and living a healthy life. An Alumni of Influence from the University of Saskatchewan, she has also received the Ryley-Jeffs Memorial Award, the highest honour given to a Canadian dietitian. 

Follow her on Instagram @PatriciaChuey or visit her website at: www.patriciachuey.com

Resources:
Article: Six Healthy Eating Truths

Free cooking courses


Episode Credits: Research and writing by Dorothy Long and Penny Eaton, Produced and edited by Angela Larson and Michael Jordan, Music by Andy Ellison-Track title: Gravel Road 

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New technologies and innovation are pivotal to ensuring that the farms remain sustainable now and into the future.  In this podcast Andrew Campbell, aka Fresh Air Farmer, describes the new dairy barn his family built.  Andrew discusses how the new technologies have resulted in more cow comfort and less energy use. 

Host: Clinton Monchuk 
Clinton Monchuk grew up on a mixed dairy, beef and grain family farm outside of Lanigan, Saskatchewan. He received his Bachelor's of Science in Agriculture majoring in Agricultural Economics from the University of Saskatchewan and Masters of Business Administration in Agriculture from the University of Guelph. Clinton has enjoyed numerous roles across Canada, the United States and Mexico as a researcher, educator, manager, economist and director of trade policy. 

In 2016 Clinton accepted the role of Executive Director with Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan to promote farming and ranching to consumers. Clinton understands the value of increasing public trust in agriculture and actively promotes engagement between the agriculture industry and consumers. 

Clinton, Laura and their children Jackson and Katelyn, continue to be active partners on their family grain and layer farm in Saskatchewan and cattle ranch in Oklahoma

Guest: Andrew Campbell
Andrew Campbell is a farmer, award winning communicator & passionate farm advocate. With the farm, he and his family milk cows as well as grow corn, soybeans, wheat & hay in Southern Ontario’s Middlesex County. On top of farming, Andrew has become a familiar voice for farmers and agriculture issues in the mainstream media, conference halls & online, pushing the positive stories that farmers across Canada have to share with their non-farming neighbours. He’s received awards that have named in a Leader in Innovation, Champion, Game-Changer & Top Agriculture Influencer for his work through written word, photographs, videos and podcasts.

Resources:
Andrew Campbell's Barn

Articles by Andrew Campbell

Episode Credits: Research and writing by Dorothy Long and Penny Eaton, Produced and edited by Angela Larson, Music by Andy Ellison-Track title: Gravel Road 

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