Category Archives: Laws and regulations

New CFIA “local food” definition is suspicious

Posted on June 13, 2013 by Urban Food Revolution

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s (CFIA) new “local food” definition is suspicious, misleading and disturbing. Its sudden implementation and the misleading advantage it gives to food that isn’t really local but can be marketed as such suggest collusion with the … Continue reading →

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Posted in Buying local, Food inspection, food literacy, Laws and regulations | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Unapproved GMO Monsanto wheat goes rogue

Posted on June 6, 2013 by Urban Food Revolution

Unapproved GMO Monsanto wheat goes rogue in Oregon, prompting a lawsuit in Kansas. This USA Today story describes the implications for US trade with Europe and Asia: No genetically engineered wheat has been approved for U.S. farming. Many countries will … Continue reading →

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Posted in Food economics, GMOs, Laws and regulations, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Embattled Lantzeville urban farmer gives up

Posted on June 3, 2013 by Urban Food Revolution

  Dirk Becker and Nicole Shaw’s fight with their neighbour– and his friends on the Lantzeville, B.C. council– has worn them down to the point where they’re selling their Compassionate Farm property. Dirk’s style is not always conducive to compromise, … Continue reading →

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Posted in Buying local, Commercial growing, Food security, Laws and regulations, Urban farmers | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Is local food safer than imported food?

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Urban Food Revolution

Is local food safer than imported food? As this Utne Reader excerpt from my book shows, there’s no simple answer.

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Posted in Backyard animals, Buying local, Food security, Laws and regulations, Urban farmers | Tagged | Leave a comment

EU banning bee-killing pesticide. Not U.S.

Posted on May 12, 2013 by Urban Food Revolution

The European Union is banning a bee-killing pesticide to stem the collapse of its bee colonies. Meanwhile, there’s no such ban in the U.S., where 45% of hives were lost last winter, up 78% from the year before. Bees pollinate … Continue reading →

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Posted in Industrial farming, Laws and regulations, Pesticides | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Bi-partisan support for food literacy in Ontario

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Urban Food Revolution

Ontario PCs want to add food literacy to the province’s proposed Local Food Act. The MPP bringing forward the amendment to the act says that in his party’s consultations with industry stakeholders, the PCs found that food literacy was a … Continue reading →

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Vancouver embraces sidewalk boulevard food gardens

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Urban Food Revolution

Sorry, guerilla gardeners, you’ve just been legitimized. The city of Vancouver has issued guidelines for people who want to plant food, not just ornamentals, on the boulevards between the sidewalk and the curb. In the interests of soil safety and … Continue reading →

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ALR 2.0: How to make protected idle farmland productive

Posted on April 5, 2013 by Urban Food Revolution

As we approach the 40th anniversary of the B.C. Agricultural Land Reserve, Metro Van is waking up to the lost potential of ag land that is used for non-agricultural purposes. Bravo to Surrey Mayor Diane Watts for saying that people … Continue reading →

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Celebrating the Agricultural Land Reserve- in Victoria and Surrey

Posted on March 12, 2013 by Urban Food Revolution

B.C.’s Agricultural Land Reserve, “the most important land use decision in B.C.’s history” turns 40 on April 18. On April 18th our beloved Agricultural Land Reserve turns 40. The Farmland Defence League invites you to join us in one of … Continue reading →

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“Embrace GMO disclosure instead of fighting it”

Posted on February 22, 2013 by Urban Food Revolution

This is good advice to the mega agriculture companies that spent $45m to shut down food labelling transparency in a California referendum earlier this year. A similar initiative will be on the Washington ballot in November. If there’s nothing to … Continue reading →

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Posted in GMO, GMOs, Industrial farming, Laws and regulations | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment