Good News Grows

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Good News Grows serves up helpings of positivity by spotlighting the people making a difference in Canadian agriculture. Farmers putting food on the plates of Canadians, researchers working on a new food discovery, and food bank volunteers helping those who need it—these personal stories will help put a smile on your face.

Selection on a broad spectrum: Olga Pawluczyk uses light to take a closer look at food safety

Her team’s technology helped researchers better understand the world, but she knew that it could do more. Learn how Olga Pawluczyk is using the science of light to improve food safety.

Kirk Moir

Cooking up hope: Kolade Boboye nourishes hearts with Hope Blooms’ community kitchen

As a child, volunteering with Hope Blooms helped Kolade Boboye connect with his new community. Several years and one global pandemic later, he’s working to feed and reconnect his community. Read his story.

Thomas Lowery

Research uncorked: Dr. Tom Lowery’s lifetime of discoveries help protect B.C.’s wine industry from pests

A chance encounter changed the course of his research, giving Dr. Thomas Lowery a chance to help Canadian grape growers. Learn how he changed the industry by fighting back against an unwelcome guest.

Sowing seeds in Sault Ste. Marie: Colin Templeton looks to the stars to grow crops in a Northern Ontario winter

Gardening in the snow and sleet of Sault Ste. Marie seems impossible, but Colin Templeton has found a way. Read about how he's growing food in an unconventional way and giving back to his community.

Cultivating knowledge: Education and the Canadian Agricultural Youth Council

Education in agriculture is more important now than ever before, and these members of the Canadian Agriculture Youth Council are spreading the knowledge. Read how they’re making a difference every day.

Margaret Newton

A brief history of wheat part 2: How Canadian wheat warrior Margaret Newton helped fight against a rusty menace

From being one of the few women in her class to producing record-breaking harvests, Margaret Newton’s accomplishments are unparalleled. Read about her fight against wheat stem rust, a crop disease that plagued fields across the Prairies.

Charles Saunders at a table looking at wheat

A brief history of wheat part 1: How Canadian wheat warrior Charles Saunders helped develop one of the world’s most important crops

From the Prairies to our plates, wheat’s kind of a big deal. Learn more about Canada’s golden grains guided by the resilience and innovation of the unsung hero, Charles Saunders.

Betty Kogvik

The green oasis: How Betty Kogvik and the Gjoa Haven community grew fresh produce in a frozen climate

For Betty Kogvik, growing anything is possible under the right conditions. Read Betty’s inspiring story and discover how she’s helping her community, one green thumb at a time.

 

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Good News Grows articles
Title First Published Date Abstract
Selection on a broad spectrum: Olga Pawluczyk uses light to take a closer look at food safety 2024-07-29

Her team’s technology helped researchers better understand the world, but she knew that it could do more. Learn how Olga Pawluczyk is using the science of light to improve food safety.
Cooking up hope: Kolade Boboye nourishes hearts with Hope Blooms’ community kitchen 2024-07-09

As a child, volunteering with Hope Blooms helped Kolade Boboye connect with his new community. Several years and one global pandemic later, he’s working to feed and reconnect his community. Read his story.
Research uncorked: Dr. Tom Lowery’s lifetime of discoveries help protect B.C.’s wine industry from pests 2024-04-04

A chance encounter changed the course of his research, giving Dr. Thomas Lowery a chance to help Canadian grape growers. Learn how he changed the industry by fighting back against an unwelcome guest.
Sowing seeds in Sault Ste. Marie: Colin Templeton looks to the stars to grow crops in a Northern Ontario winter 2024-03-22

Gardening in the snow and sleet of Sault Ste. Marie seems impossible, but Colin Templeton has found a way. Read about how he's growing food in an unconventional way and giving back to his community.
Cultivating knowledge: Education and the Canadian Agricultural Youth Council 2024-03-14

Education in agriculture is more important now than ever before, and these members of the Canadian Agriculture Youth Council are spreading the knowledge. Read how they’re making a difference every day.
A brief history of wheat part 2: How Canadian wheat warrior Margaret Newton helped fight against a rusty menace 2024-02-08

From the Prairies to our plates, wheat’s kind of a big deal. Learn more about Canada’s golden grains guided by the resilience and innovation of the unsung hero, Charles Saunders.
A brief history of wheat part 1: How Canadian wheat warrior Charles Saunders helped develop one of the world’s most important crops 2024-01-12

From the Prairies to our plates, wheat’s kind of a big deal. Learn more about Canada’s golden grains guided by the resilience and innovation of the unsung hero, Charles Saunders.
The green oasis: How Betty Kogvik and the Gjoa Haven community grew fresh produce in a frozen climate 2023-12-04

For Betty Kogvik, growing anything is possible under the right conditions. Read Betty’s inspiring story and discover how she’s helping her community, one green thumb at a time.
A bountiful garden: Sophie Wood grows vegetables and confidence at a local community farm 2023-11-01

With high school graduation looming, Sophie found herself wondering what would come next. With help from The Reena Foundation, she's flourishing in her community garden. Read more about her story.
Power to the pomace: Kirk Moir upcycles wine waste to pair flavour with sustainability 2023-10-13

Crush Dynamics is changing the way we see the waste of wine. Read their story about how the team is uncorking the hidden flavours within the pomace through AAFC's Food Waste Reduction Challenge.
The organic dynamic: Dr. Myriam Fernandez champions organic agriculture in a changing Prairie climate 2023-09-22 Championing organic agriculture is more than a job for Dr. Myriam Fernandez—it’s her passion. Read all about how she has worked to change the mindset on organics.
Farming the future: Innovation and the Canadian Agricultural Youth Council 2023-06-05 The Canadian Agricultural Youth Council represents the next generation of agriculture professionals. They are farming's future and are embracing the latest technology to promote sustainable and productive agriculture in Canada and around the world. Read their stories here.
Growing hope: Dave Kranenburg reinvents the farmer’s market to challenge food waste 2023-02-23 Before he was a farmer, he had a mind for technology. Learn how Dave Kranenburg is combining the two to end food waste and support his fellow farmers.
Weeding out resistance: How Dr. Jichul Bae is helping B.C. farmers manage an invasive pest 2022-12-12

Weeds might be persistent, but so is Dr. Jichul Bae. Find out how he’s tailoring a weed management plan for B.C. farmers.
Keep cold and carry on: David Long brings fresh foods to Greater Vancouver communities 2022-11-08

As the demand for fresh food increased at the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, CEO David Long knew he needed to act quickly to find a solution. Find out how our Local Food Infrastructure Fund has helped him bring fresh food to those in need in his community.
Two heads are better than one: Dr. Wade Abbott and Dr. Greta Reintjes' international collaboration creates a more sustainable future 2022-08-09 Collaboration can come from unexpected places. Just ask our scientist Dr. Wade Abbott! He was giving a lecture in Germany when he met Dr. Greta Reintjes, who was studying marine microbiology. Learn how her research methods proved invaluable in his work to improve the health of Canadian livestock.
Comparing apples to apples: Karen Burgher's fruit sensory evaluation program adapts to a virtual world 2022-07-14 Have you ever wondered what makes an apple so tasty? What about a strawberry? Our scientist Karen Burgher-MacLellan and her team are finding the answer! Learn how they are doing it here.
A true flower child: Remembering Isabella Preston, Canada's home-grown horticulturalist 2022-06-10 She bred an array of flowers, turning her passion for gardening into a career. Read the story of how Isabella Preston rose to become Canada's first female horticulturist.
From culture shock to community: How Dr. John Shi used his years abroad to promote diversity and inclusion at AAFC 2022-05-11 Early in his career, he studied and worked around the world, learning about different cultures along the way. Read how the travels of our scientist, Dr. John Shi, influenced his work and how he promotes diversity and inclusion every day.
The conservationist and the bog: How Frances Braceland helped bring new life to PEI wetlands 2022-04-22 Frances Braceland is turning her passion for nature into real climate solutions through her work at Souris Wildlife. Learn about their wetlands project, and how Living Labs is helping make it happen.
As busy as a weevil: Dr. Michelle Franklin's pest management approach has an eye to the future 2022-03-22 It may sound cute, but the strawberry blossom weevil was anything but for Dr. Michelle Franklin and her team. Find out how she used a new approach to battle this threatening pest.
The donation innovation: Leanne Wilson kick-starts a government effort to reinvent food donation 2022-03-10 Reducing food waste is essential in helping the environment, and Leanne Wilson is doing her part. Learn how she and her team found an innovative approach to food donation.
To Wheat, With Love: Dr. Samia Berraies' worldly wheat research and the fight against genetic diseases 2022-02-08 She was born in Tunisia and grew up passionate about wheat. Learn how Dr. Samia Berraies ended up as one of our scientists helping Canadian farmers keep their crops healthy.
Money grows on trees: Dr. Colin Laroque's shelterbelt app saves trees across Canada 2022-01-25 There's more than one way to save a tree, and Dr. Colin Laroque found an innovative way to keep roots in the ground. Find out how he proved their worth for Canadian farmers.
An Emissions Mission: Dr. Karen Beauchemin and her ground-breaking work in reducing methane 2021-11-15 Animal nutrition is her specialty. Reducing Canadian agriculture's environmental footprint is her goal. Find out how Dr. Karen Beauchemin uses her expertise to cut emissions in the sector.
Turning barriers into bridges: Dr. Joyce Boye explains how collaboration and a healthy workplace are key to success and work fulfillment 2021-08-12 AAFC scientist Dr. Joyce Boye is a leader in the food science field. Find out how she has turned barriers into bridges towards a more inclusive workplace throughout her career
Research That Keeps Dairy Cows Healthy and Happy 2021-07-16 Dr. Pierre Lacasse has been working on the science of dairy production for over 15 years. Read about his work at AAFC's Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre that has helped farmers across Canada make real improvements the comfort and production of their cows.
A Brewer's Tale: How AAFC researcher Dr. Jason McCallum turns Maritime wild hops into unique and delicious beer 2021-06-11 Dr. Jason McCallum and his team have been studying Maritime hops for several years now, and tips from the public have been a big help in finding samples! Learn more about their tasty work.
Fighting Hunger Across Canada the Salvation Army Way 2021-05-19 The Salvation Army has a long history of providing healthy meals to those in need. Learn about how Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is helping them keep hope alive during the COVID-19 pandemic.
St. Paul's Community Garden: No small potatoes 2021-04-19 In the small town of St. Paul, Alberta, a local community garden has created a sense of belonging by teaching people of all ages about gardening and giving back to their local food bank.
Greener Village: Fredericton's food bank continues to grow 2021-04-14 For Canadian food banks, every year brings unique challenges. But the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic were unlike anything they had seen before.
The green people powering the Canada-Ontario Environmental Farm Plan 2021-03-31 Canadian farmers have to be experts at many things, including the environment.
Being Agri-Literate: Canadian Agricultural Literacy Month Celebrates its 10th Anniversary 2021-03-12 This year marks the tenth anniversary of Canadian Agricultural Literacy Month, a time for students to get their hands into the soil to see how deep our farming roots go.
A partnership pioneer: Dr. Douglas Hedley joins the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame 2021-02-24 For his roadmap to bringing the Canadian agriculture sector together, this man is a member of the 2020 Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame.
Cultivating a Passion for Organic Farming at Ferme Lève-tôt 2021-02-21 At Ferme Lève-tôt, in the beautiful Outaouais region of Quebec, we don't just grow vegetables... but also passions.
Dr. Hao and his amazing automated greenhouse 2021-01-28 AAFC researcher Dr. Xiuming Hao's green thumb brought his team to victory at the Autonomous Greenhouse Challenge where AI and horticultural expertise is leading the way to feeding the world.
Western food banks draw on community spirit during hard times 2021-01-21 In western Canada, two communities are drawing on the power of food and community spirit to get them through challenging times.
East Coast food banks find a way to keep their cool 2020-12-24 Providing families with hearty holiday food, is "a very bright spot after a hard year."
The Researcher and the Cranberry: A Holiday Tale 2020-12-21 A holiday story about an AAFC researcher who had never heard about cranberries but is now studying them in poultry to fight against antimicrobial resistance.
Eyes on the prize: Canada's Outstanding Young Farmers 2020-12-07

Checking in with last year's honourees of the Outstanding Young Farmers competition.
Technology and youth on the farm: Bringing Alberta's agriculture into a new age 2020-11-09 How one young Albertan is giving back to the agriculture sector amid a unique year.
Teaching through a pandemic 2020-10-22 After adapting to COVID-19 in physical and virtual ways, the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum has reopened its doors to the public!
Cold storage: Making the most of your harvest 2020-10-22 How to store your harvested apples and potatoes.
Bulk buying: How one British Columbian initiative is helping protect Canada's food-sector workers against COVID-19 2020-10-14 How one B.C. association stepped up to help keep Canadian food-industry workers safe, when they needed it most.
Pleasing pollinators: Supporting your hardworking garden allies 2020-08-05 Many pollinators are hard at work on farms and in your garden.
Plan(t) for success 2020-06-11 How to manage common pests in your home garden
Digging in: The dirt on a healthy home garden 2020-05-15 This spring, nature is calling out to Canadians once again.
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