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.
The organic dynamic: Dr. Myriam Fernandez champions organic agriculture in a changing Prairie climate
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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| Title | First Published Date | Abstract | Month | Type | Subject | Full abstract hidden column | Keywords hidden column |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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. | September | Article | Scientist Stories | organic agriculture, women in science | |
| 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. | June | Article | Pandemic positivity | Innovation, Youth, Sustainability | |
| 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. | February | Article | Scientist stories | Innovation, Food Waste Reduction, Sustainability | |
| 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. |
December | Article | Scientist stories | weeds, herbicides, sustainability | |
| 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. |
November | Article | Pandemic | community, infrastructure, foodbank | |
| 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. | August | Article | Scientist stories | sustainability, livestock, collaboration | |
| 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. | July | Article | Scientist stories | fruit sensory, pandemic, innovation | |
| 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. | June | Article | Pandemic Positivity | hybrid plant breeding, flowers, history | |
| 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. | May | Article | culture | diversity, inclusion, culture | |
| 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. | April | Article | Pandemic Positivity | climate solutions, wetlands project, wildlife | |
| 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. | March | Article | Pandemic Positivity | biovigilance, pests, sustainability | |
| 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. | March | Article | Pandemic Positivity | food waste, food donations, innovation | |
| 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. | February | Article | Scientist Stories | wheat, immigration, women in science | |
| 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. | January | Article | Pandemic Positivity | sustainability, carbon tax, and trees | |
| 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. | November | Article | Scientist Stories | sustainability, market access, innovation. | |
| 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 | August | Article | Scientist Stories | research, gender-based barriers, Ghana | |
| 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. | July | Article | Scientist Stories | research, dairy farming, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada | |
| 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. | June | Article | Scientist Stories | COVID-19, research, hops, brewing, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada | |
| 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. | May | Article | Pandemic Positivity | COVID-19, Food Banks, Canadian Agricultural Partnership, Local Food Infrastructure Fund | |
| 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. | April | Article | Pandemic Positivity | COVID-19, Food Banks, Canadian Agricultural Partnership, Local Food Infrastructure Fund | |
| 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. | April | Article | Pandemic Positivity | As schools and places of work and business shut down, hospitals prepared for the worst and Canadians looked to their governments for information and solutions to the pandemic, food banks like Fredericton's Greener Village experienced a coming of age moment. | COVID-19, Food Banks, Canadian agricultural partnership, Emergency Food Security Fund |
| 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. | March | Article | Next generation of agriculture | These inspiring farmers show how they, and many others, are ahead of the game thanks to a plan started in Ontario which has now gone digital. Find out how small changes are leading to big improvements. | Environmental Farm Plan, electronic Environmental Farm Plan, Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association, Canadian Agricultural Partnership |
| 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. | March | Article | Next generation of agriculture | Farming is one of oldest crafts, with a body of knowledge that has been expanded and refined for thousands of years. | agriculture in the classroom, Canadian agricultural partnership, student, youth |
| 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. | February | Article | Science Stories | For his roadmap to bringing the Canadian agriculture sector together, this man is a member of the 2020 Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame. | Canadian Agricultural Partnership, Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame, Agriculture, CdnAg, Canadian Agriculture, Douglas Hedley, agricultural policy, innovation |
| 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. | February | Article | Science Stories | At Ferme Lève-tôt, modern and traditional agricultural techniques are used jointly in vegetable production. | YESP, Youth Employment and Skills Program |
| 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. | January | Article | Science Stories | Mother Nature has nothing on the magic that comes from combining Artificial Intelligence (AI) with the kind of horticultural expertise that Dr. Xiuming Hao provides. | Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands, greenhouse, remotely controlled, horticulture, Good News Grows |
| 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. | January | Article | Pandemic positivity | During the COVID-19 period, the Peachland Food Bank has been serving clients at the door. Elements of Christmas with his Cree heritage to create an inclusive environment for all communities. | Local Food Infrastructure Fund, food bank, British Columbia, Alberta, Peachland, Edmonton, community, food security, Peachland Food Bank, St. Faith's Anglican Church, church, homeless, refrigerator, Indigenous, Cree |
| 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." | December | Article | Pandemic positivity | ||
| 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. | December | Article | Science Stories | Moussa's research has shown that cranberry fruit pomace (the pulp traditionally discarded after juicing) actually has great value | Guelph Research and Development Centre, Dr. Moussa Diarra, cranberry, diversity, alternatives to antibiotics, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), poultry, Mali |
| 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. |
December | Article | Next generation of agriculture | In this unprecedented year, last year's honourees of the Outstanding Young Farmers competition are finding new ways to continue their work in the agriculture sector. | OYF, Canada's Outstanding Young Farmers Program, CdnAg, Competition, Outstanding Young Farmers, Outstanding Young Farmers, COVID-19, pandemic, agri-food, agribusiness, crops, dairy, potatoes, fertilizer, goats, eggs, restaurant, food service, online sales |
| 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. | November | Article | A story of how youth are finding gainful work in Alberta's agriculture sector. | Olds College, Alberta, Alberta agriculture, ABag, Canadian agriculture, Cdnag, Olds, agritech, agribusiness, technology, internship, youth, YESP, Youth Employment and Skills Program | |
| 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! | October | Video | Pandemic positivity | After adapting to COVID-19 in physical and virtual ways, the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum—our partner in promoting agricultural science and achievements—has reopened its doors to the public! | Canada Agriculture and Food Museum, Kerry-Leigh Burchill, COVID-19, programs, educate, schools |
| Cold storage: Making the most of your harvest | 2020-10-22 | How to store your harvested apples and potatoes. | October | Article | Gardening stories | The harvests that Canadians are enjoying from their COVID-19 gardening projects this year are more than generous: colourful and crisp vegetables, juicy fruits, tart berries and some well-spent hours in the sun away from the realities of social distancing. | Apples and potatoes, in particular, grow in quantities that require long-term storage. Learn how to best store your apples and potatoes for best nutrition and flavour with some help from our researchers! |
| 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. | October | Article | Pandemic positivity | When COVID-19 began to spread in Canada, there was a surge in demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) across the country. While health care workers were prioritized, other essential services – such as the food industry – struggled to find proper safety equipment for their staff. | BCFB, British Columbia Food and Beverage Association, PPE, Personal Protective Equipment, COVID-19, novel coronavirus, food and beverage industry, British Columbia, Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC, BC Government, worker safety. |
| Pleasing pollinators: Supporting your hardworking garden allies | 2020-08-05 | Many pollinators are hard at work on farms and in your garden. | August | Article | Gardening stories | Bumble bees are probably the most recognized pollinator, but there are many other pollinators hard at work on farms and in your garden | Pollinators, bees, butterflies, beetles, flies, wasps |
| Plan(t) for success | 2020-06-11 | How to manage common pests in your home garden | June | Article | Gardening stories | ||
| Digging in: The dirt on a healthy home garden | 2020-05-15 | This spring, nature is calling out to Canadians once again. | May | Article | Gardening stories |