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NEWS

A place where we share news articles that are of interest, or else that we have been mentioned in. 

Grocery.jpg

Mike talks to Yahoo news about rising food prices and some of us choosing to eat out less.

"Just like our food in the grocery store has gone up, we know that food going into restaurants has also gone up, plus their rent has gone up, plus their labour costs have gone up."

Vancouver grain.jpg

Mike speaks to the globe and Mail about the Vancouver terminal grain strike.

“While you have many boats and many farms, you have a small number of terminals that can sort of bung the system significantly when they’re not working,”

Vancouver grain elevator.jpg

Mike appears on CBC's The National commenting on the strike at Vancouver grain terminals. 

If it is not settled soon, farmers on the prairies will feel it.

Distribution Warehouse with High Shelves

Mike's Op-Ed in the Globe and Mail on Scale in the grocery industry

"Its not just dairy prices that are going up."

Image by Jakob Cotton

Mike was quoted in an article about rising dairy prices.

"We’re highlighting dairy because there was an announcement but we’re ignoring the other because they don’t get announced in advance."

Paying for Groceries

Mike appeared on TVO's The Agenda to talk about increasing food prices.

"These supply impacts last years."

beef-cattle.jpg

Mike spoke to Reuters about the impact of the  drought in Western Canada on the beef industry.

"These supply impacts last years."

15-aldi.jpg

Mike spoke to radio stations in Edmonton and Calgary about food prices.

Food prices are expected to rise in the fall.

crop protection.jpg

Mike appeared on TVO's The Agenda as Part of a Panel on COVID's Impacts on Farming and Food

The discussion ranged from farm labour to food prices and beyond.

Groceries

​The vicious cycle of pandemic hoarding isn't necessary: U of G expert

For any residents that need more convincing, Massow points back to how suppliers adjusted after these shortages.

“The system caught up and it was okay, and we’re not going to be fundamentally short of these products long term.

Groceries

All Retailers Likely to Raise Supplier Fees

"Von Massow says the fee increase will almost certainly be passed on to consumers, and could lead to a consolidation of choice on store shelves if some suppliers can't afford the increase in fees."

Groceries

Higher prices? Non-refundable reservations? How COVID-19 might change restaurants

Instead, von Massow thinks the industry will have to adopt the pricing strategies airlines and hotels have long been using, with higher rates for peak demand times to maximize revenue from those time slots and lower prices for less popular times to divert some customers to those slots.

Groceries

Why we aren’t running out of food during the coronavirus pandemic

"We have seen rushes on food and grocery items like toilet paper and hand sanitizer that have resulted in some short-term shortages in stores. Some have questioned the resilience of our food system and whether we could run out of food. The easy answer is we are not running out of food."

Man with Cowboy Hat

Beef ranchers to bear the brunt of Alberta processing plant closure due to COVID-19

"The temporary closure of an Alberta meat processing facility due to a COVID-19 outbreak isn't expected to result in beef shortages, but the reduction in capacity will mean that ranchers will bear the brunt as their costs rise and prices for their product fall."

Vegetable Shopping

Backlogs, limited stock plague online grocery shoppers

"An increase in online grocery shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic has led to issues with order backlogs and limited stock."

Butcher's Cuts

What COVID-19 means for food systems and meatpacking

"The most immediate impact of these plants shutting down will be on the farmers who depend on these plants as their primary way of accessing markets. In some cases, producers can divert their animals to other processing plants, but this increases costs and might also decrease returns."

Woman on her Phone

Fed up with long lines at the grocery store? New technology is helping shoppers get in and out faster

"As a trip to the supermarket becomes a source of frustration and an anxiety-inducing experience for shoppers, new technology is emerging to help make it easier."

Cows in a Snowy Forest

Beef ranchers to bear the brunt of Alberta processing plant closure due to COVID-19

"The temporary closure of an Alberta meat processing facility due to a COVID-19 outbreak isn't expected to result in beef shortages, but the reduction in capacitywill mean that ranchers will bear the brunt as their costs rise and prices for their product fall."

Delivery Van

Grocery stores scrambling to keep up with online orders

"Grocery stores are seeing an unprecedented jump in the number of online orders for both delivery and pick up, and that's left companies scrambling and customers dealing with long waits, limited stock and cancelled orders, says food economist Mike von Massow from the University of Guelph."

Cleaning the Counter

Eating trends undergo major shift

"COVID-19 has transformed the way people eat food and that is having wide-ranging impacts on what farm products are hot sellers and what are flops, says a food industry analyst."

At the Supermarket

Analyzing the impact of COVID-19 on Canada's Food Supply

"Mike Von Massow, food economist with the University of Guelph joins us with more on food production being halted because of the crisis"

Egg Delivery

Worried over egg supply amid COVID-19, home cooks are scrambling to keep backyard chickens

"Stress-baking has become a popular pandemic pastime, and some people are compelled to stockpile. This situation has led to a rush on eggs"

Grocery Shopping

Why empty shelves don't mean we're out of food: How Canada's supply chain works

"Shoppers are facing empty shelves at some stores due to unprecedented demand for food and other goods even as grocers assure Canadians coping with the COVID-19 outbreak that plenty of new items are on the way and manufacturers say they have the raw materials they need."

Domestic Waste Bin

Households Lose Up to $1,600 a Year in Food Waste, U of G Study Reveals

"Households lose up to $1,600 a year as well as key nutrients through avoidable food waste, say University of Guelph researchers who have completed the most in-depth known study worldwide on the growing problem."

Fresh Produce

Liberals announce national food policy with $134-million pledge to improve access

"The federal government has unveiled details of the country’s first national food policy, with a plan that emphasizes the importance of access to healthy and nutritious food and the need for collaboration between the many different groups involved in the food system."

Zero Waste Shop

Packaging-free shops may tackle plastic but risk increasing food waste

"SUPERMARKETS are full of food, but they are also full of packaging: cereal bagged in plastic sits inside a cardboard box, cucumbers are shrink-wrapped with care. Now trendy packaging-free shops are popping up in Europe and North America where you bring your own containers and buy exactly as much as you need."

146501.jpg

Changes in Ontario Cropland Acreages

"Nationally, Canada has experienced a growth in cropland. Is this trend evident in Ontario, too?Slightly less than 100 million acres of farmland in Canada are classified as cropland in the 2016 agricultural census. In total, 10 per cent of this cropland is in Ontario.  Cropland in Canada has increased by about 87 per cent since this data was first recorded in 1921. The figure also grew by 7 per cent between 2011 and 2016. Much of the growth in cropland can be attributed to the conversion of summerfallow, which is predominately a Western Canada farming practice, into cropland." 

1AFV33.JPG

Study suggests up to 60% of food is wasted 

"Almost 60 per cent of all the food produced in Canada is wasted. That was the finding of a study by consultant Value Chain Management International released earlier this year. While some of this waste is unavoidable (bone, vegetable peelings, coffee grounds), the total financial value of the potentially rescuable wasted food is a staggering $50 billion in Canada according to the report which was commissioned by Second Harvest, a Toronto-based group working to reduce food waste."

181106181458-01-celery-juice-instagram-t

Is the celery juice craze driving up the price at the supermarket?

"If you've noticed your greens are costing you a little more green, you're not alone — especially when it comes to celery. The celery juice diet craze might be thinning out more wallets than waistlines."

In the Supermarket

A grocery store 'lab' points to future trends in how you buy food

"Imagine going into a grocery store where those who ran it could see everything you look at, much less buy. Creepy? Yes. Effective in researching consumer behaviour? You bet. So it's a good thing that (for now, at least) the University of Guelph's Food Retail Lab is just a pretend grocery store."

untitled design - 2019-02-28t135949.476_

Food waste in Canada is finally being addressed by this new movement

"On a fall morning at Feed it Forward, staff members unpack crates of apples, greens and berries for display at this storefront in the west end of Toronto. It’s quiet now, but students, seniors and other regulars will come by later to stock up on bread, produce, canned foods and prepared meals. They take what they need and go — or drop $5 or $20 in the donation jar at the counter." (Photo: Cole Burston/The Canadian Press)

20190320-food-event-ts-1.jpg

Let's Talk About Food event says people need to learn how to cook

"Learn how to cook. A simple but essential element to advancing food security, increasing the quality of food you eat and reducing food waste. That was one of the key points stressed by a panel of food experts Tuesday night at the Guelph Y." (Tony Saxon/GuelphToday)

Farmer Representation

Why won’t consumers listen?

"Farmers have been repeatedly educated on the importance of social media. "This has been happening for years at agricultural conferences across Canada. Because of all those presentations, thousands of producers now use social media to connect with consumers and explain the food production practices on their farm. But are those efforts making a difference?"

apple medical.jpg

Hospital Wastes A Third Less Food After This One Change

"When it comes to wasting food, hospitals are one of the most egregious culprits, with two to three times more waste than other food service sectors. UC San Francisco Medical Center, however, has found that one change cut the amount of food it wastes by 30%. It now serves food on-demand."

healthapp2.jpeg

Cannabis edibles, plant proteins and other food trends to watch for in 2019

"The challenge with food information is to separate the fact from the fiction, the ephemeral from the soon-to-be everyday. The University of Guelph’s newest Food Focus Trends Report highlights six key trends likely to be front and centre this year."

KUHEWHAL6BDPJPBB2EF4LUMQNQ.jpg

Canada’s new food guide shifts toward plant-based diets at expense of meat, dairy

"With the release of a new Canada’s Food Guide, Ottawa has dramatically overhauled the advice it gives to Canadians on how to eat, including an explicit endorsement of plant-based diets at the expense of meat and dairy."

0117_extra_groceries_A1-W.jpg

Grocery shoppers click online instead of standing in line

"Other shoppers say they like to walk the aisles, to see what’s new or be reminded of things they may need. They’re not alone: 81 per cent of Canadians surveyed said they preferred to get their groceries in store, compared to 70 per cent globally, University of Guelph food economics professor Michael von Massow reported."

CPT504504149_hd.jpg

'Some baloney' in Trudeau's claims about supply management under new trade deal

“This is the sort of death by a thousand cuts that the dairy industry is talking about,” said von Massow. “All of these little amounts add up to a significant chunk of the market place.”

von-massow-768x524.jpg

U of G Food Waste Research Receives Nearly $1.3 Million From Walmart Foundation

"Two University of Guelph researchers will receive grants totalling nearly $1.3 million from the Walmart Foundation. Both grants will support food waste reduction projects by U of G professors Mike von Massow, Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics, and Mario Martinez, School of Engineering."

coffee.jpg

Mike speaks to The Global News about rising coffee prices.

"We've seen coffee prices go up in the last couple of years. And what this news is suggesting is tat they will continue to go up and we feel that in our morning cuppa."

restaurant.jpg

Mike talks to Yahoo News about rising food prices and some of us choosing to eat out less.

"Just like our food in the grocery store has gone up, we know that food going into restaurants has also gone up, plus their rent has gone up, plus their labour costs have gone up".

Refrigerated Goods

Mike quoted in the National Post discussing about food inflation.

Grocers not responsible for inflation and nothing expected to change.

Vancouver grain elevator.jpg

Mike speaks to the Globe and Mail about the Vancouver terminal grain strike.

"While you have many boats and many farms, you have a small number of terminals that can sort of bung the system when they're not working".

Grain-Terminal-Strike-Vancouver-3-1024x576.jpg

Mike appears on CBC's The National commenting on the strike at Vancouver grain terminals.​​

If it is not settled soon, farmers on the prairies will feel it.

Distribution Warehouse with High Shelves

Mike's Op-Ed in the Globe and Mail on Scale in the grocery industry

What is lost in all this discussion is that the size of the grocery companies may even help keep prices lower.

Image by Jakob Cotton

Mike was quoted in an article about rising dairy prices.

"We’re highlighting dairy because there was an announcement but we’re ignoring the other because they don’t get announced in advance."

Paying for Groceries

Mike appeared on TVO's The Agenda to talk about increasing food prices.

"These supply impacts last years."

beef-cattle.jpg

Mike spoke to Reuters about the impact of the  drought in Western Canada on the beef industry.

"These supply impacts last years."

15-aldi.jpg

Mike spoke to radio stations in Edmonton and Calgary about food prices.

Food prices are expected to rise in the fall.

crop protection.jpg

Mike appeared on TVO's The Agenda as Part of a Panel on COVID's Impacts on Farming and Food

The discussion ranged from farm labour to food prices and beyond.

Groceries

​The vicious cycle of pandemic hoarding isn't necessary: U of G expert

For any residents that need more convincing, Massow points back to how suppliers adjusted after these shortages.

“The system caught up and it was okay, and we’re not going to be fundamentally short of these products long term.

Groceries

All Retailers Likely to Raise Supplier Fees

"Von Massow says the fee increase will almost certainly be passed on to consumers, and could lead to a consolidation of choice on store shelves if some suppliers can't afford the increase in fees."

Groceries

Higher prices? Non-refundable reservations? How COVID-19 might change restaurants

Instead, von Massow thinks the industry will have to adopt the pricing strategies airlines and hotels have long been using, with higher rates for peak demand times to maximize revenue from those time slots and lower prices for less popular times to divert some customers to those slots.

Groceries

Why we aren’t running out of food during the coronavirus pandemic

"We have seen rushes on food and grocery items like toilet paper and hand sanitizer that have resulted in some short-term shortages in stores. Some have questioned the resilience of our food system and whether we could run out of food. The easy answer is we are not running out of food."

Man with Cowboy Hat

Beef ranchers to bear the brunt of Alberta processing plant closure due to COVID-19

"The temporary closure of an Alberta meat processing facility due to a COVID-19 outbreak isn't expected to result in beef shortages, but the reduction in capacity will mean that ranchers will bear the brunt as their costs rise and prices for their product fall."

Vegetable Shopping

Backlogs, limited stock plague online grocery shoppers

"An increase in online grocery shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic has led to issues with order backlogs and limited stock."

Butcher's Cuts

What COVID-19 means for food systems and meatpacking

"The most immediate impact of these plants shutting down will be on the farmers who depend on these plants as their primary way of accessing markets. In some cases, producers can divert their animals to other processing plants, but this increases costs and might also decrease returns."

Woman on her Phone

Fed up with long lines at the grocery store? New technology is helping shoppers get in and out faster

"As a trip to the supermarket becomes a source of frustration and an anxiety-inducing experience for shoppers, new technology is emerging to help make it easier."

Cows in a Snowy Forest

Beef ranchers to bear the brunt of Alberta processing plant closure due to COVID-19

"The temporary closure of an Alberta meat processing facility due to a COVID-19 outbreak isn't expected to result in beef shortages, but the reduction in capacitywill mean that ranchers will bear the brunt as their costs rise and prices for their product fall."

Delivery Van

Grocery stores scrambling to keep up with online orders

"Grocery stores are seeing an unprecedented jump in the number of online orders for both delivery and pick up, and that's left companies scrambling and customers dealing with long waits, limited stock and cancelled orders, says food economist Mike von Massow from the University of Guelph."

Cleaning the Counter

Eating trends undergo major shift

"COVID-19 has transformed the way people eat food and that is having wide-ranging impacts on what farm products are hot sellers and what are flops, says a food industry analyst."

At the Supermarket

Analyzing the impact of COVID-19 on Canada's Food Supply

"Mike Von Massow, food economist with the University of Guelph joins us with more on food production being halted because of the crisis"

Egg Delivery

Worried over egg supply amid COVID-19, home cooks are scrambling to keep backyard chickens

"Stress-baking has become a popular pandemic pastime, and some people are compelled to stockpile. This situation has led to a rush on eggs"

Grocery Shopping

Why empty shelves don't mean we're out of food: How Canada's supply chain works

"Shoppers are facing empty shelves at some stores due to unprecedented demand for food and other goods even as grocers assure Canadians coping with the COVID-19 outbreak that plenty of new items are on the way and manufacturers say they have the raw materials they need."

Domestic Waste Bin

Households Lose Up to $1,600 a Year in Food Waste, U of G Study Reveals

"Households lose up to $1,600 a year as well as key nutrients through avoidable food waste, say University of Guelph researchers who have completed the most in-depth known study worldwide on the growing problem."

Fresh Produce

Liberals announce national food policy with $134-million pledge to improve access

"The federal government has unveiled details of the country’s first national food policy, with a plan that emphasizes the importance of access to healthy and nutritious food and the need for collaboration between the many different groups involved in the food system."

Zero Waste Shop

Packaging-free shops may tackle plastic but risk increasing food waste

"SUPERMARKETS are full of food, but they are also full of packaging: cereal bagged in plastic sits inside a cardboard box, cucumbers are shrink-wrapped with care. Now trendy packaging-free shops are popping up in Europe and North America where you bring your own containers and buy exactly as much as you need."

146501.jpg

Changes in Ontario Cropland Acreages

"Nationally, Canada has experienced a growth in cropland. Is this trend evident in Ontario, too?Slightly less than 100 million acres of farmland in Canada are classified as cropland in the 2016 agricultural census. In total, 10 per cent of this cropland is in Ontario.  Cropland in Canada has increased by about 87 per cent since this data was first recorded in 1921. The figure also grew by 7 per cent between 2011 and 2016. Much of the growth in cropland can be attributed to the conversion of summerfallow, which is predominately a Western Canada farming practice, into cropland." 

1AFV33.JPG

Study suggests up to 60% of food is wasted 

"Almost 60 per cent of all the food produced in Canada is wasted. That was the finding of a study by consultant Value Chain Management International released earlier this year. While some of this waste is unavoidable (bone, vegetable peelings, coffee grounds), the total financial value of the potentially rescuable wasted food is a staggering $50 billion in Canada according to the report which was commissioned by Second Harvest, a Toronto-based group working to reduce food waste."

181106181458-01-celery-juice-instagram-t

Is the celery juice craze driving up the price at the supermarket?

"If you've noticed your greens are costing you a little more green, you're not alone — especially when it comes to celery. The celery juice diet craze might be thinning out more wallets than waistlines."

In the Supermarket

A grocery store 'lab' points to future trends in how you buy food

"Imagine going into a grocery store where those who ran it could see everything you look at, much less buy. Creepy? Yes. Effective in researching consumer behaviour? You bet. So it's a good thing that (for now, at least) the University of Guelph's Food Retail Lab is just a pretend grocery store."

untitled design - 2019-02-28t135949.476_

Food waste in Canada is finally being addressed by this new movement

"On a fall morning at Feed it Forward, staff members unpack crates of apples, greens and berries for display at this storefront in the west end of Toronto. It’s quiet now, but students, seniors and other regulars will come by later to stock up on bread, produce, canned foods and prepared meals. They take what they need and go — or drop $5 or $20 in the donation jar at the counter." (Photo: Cole Burston/The Canadian Press)

20190320-food-event-ts-1.jpg

Let's Talk About Food event says people need to learn how to cook

"Learn how to cook. A simple but essential element to advancing food security, increasing the quality of food you eat and reducing food waste. That was one of the key points stressed by a panel of food experts Tuesday night at the Guelph Y." (Tony Saxon/GuelphToday)

Farmer Representation

Why won’t consumers listen?

"Farmers have been repeatedly educated on the importance of social media. "This has been happening for years at agricultural conferences across Canada. Because of all those presentations, thousands of producers now use social media to connect with consumers and explain the food production practices on their farm. But are those efforts making a difference?"

apple medical.jpg

Hospital Wastes A Third Less Food After This One Change

"When it comes to wasting food, hospitals are one of the most egregious culprits, with two to three times more waste than other food service sectors. UC San Francisco Medical Center, however, has found that one change cut the amount of food it wastes by 30%. It now serves food on-demand."

healthapp2.jpeg

Cannabis edibles, plant proteins and other food trends to watch for in 2019

"The challenge with food information is to separate the fact from the fiction, the ephemeral from the soon-to-be everyday. The University of Guelph’s newest Food Focus Trends Report highlights six key trends likely to be front and centre this year."

KUHEWHAL6BDPJPBB2EF4LUMQNQ.jpg

Canada’s new food guide shifts toward plant-based diets at expense of meat, dairy

"With the release of a new Canada’s Food Guide, Ottawa has dramatically overhauled the advice it gives to Canadians on how to eat, including an explicit endorsement of plant-based diets at the expense of meat and dairy."

0117_extra_groceries_A1-W.jpg

Grocery shoppers click online instead of standing in line

"Other shoppers say they like to walk the aisles, to see what’s new or be reminded of things they may need. They’re not alone: 81 per cent of Canadians surveyed said they preferred to get their groceries in store, compared to 70 per cent globally, University of Guelph food economics professor Michael von Massow reported."

CPT504504149_hd.jpg

'Some baloney' in Trudeau's claims about supply management under new trade deal

“This is the sort of death by a thousand cuts that the dairy industry is talking about,” said von Massow. “All of these little amounts add up to a significant chunk of the market place.”

von-massow-768x524.jpg

U of G Food Waste Research Receives Nearly $1.3 Million From Walmart Foundation

"Two University of Guelph researchers will receive grants totalling nearly $1.3 million from the Walmart Foundation. Both grants will support food waste reduction projects by U of G professors Mike von Massow, Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics, and Mario Martinez, School of Engineering."

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