Members of civil society organizations are among the most vociferouscritics of the modern food system and its crippling effect on thewell-being of people and the environment. Yet even after decades ofcampaigns, governments have failed to address health and sustainabilityissues in a systematic and effective way. Recognizing that new approaches are in order, Rod MacRae andElisabeth Abergel bring together experts and advocates from diversedisciplinary backgrounds to examine the food system from multipleangles. They conclude that solutions lie not just in lobbying electedofficials but in initiatives at the subparliamentary level. Casestudies on a range of topics -- from breastfeeding to sustainable pestmanagement promotion to the efforts of organizations and programs suchas the Canadian Biotechnology Advisory Council and the federalgovernment's Action Plan on Food Security -- tell a story ofmisguided campaigns and missed opportunities. Real change, this inspiring volume shows, is possible. It will comewhen advocacy groups develop innovative strategies of influencingdecision makers more resistant to public pressure: business lobbieswell connected to government agencies, middle managers, and ministriesunused to collaborating across departmental mandates. Rod MacRae is an associate professor of food policy inthe Faculty of Environmental Studies at York University.Elisabeth Abergel is a professor in the SociologyDepartment and a member of the Institut des Sciences del'Environnement at the Université du Québec à Montréal.

This is the second report on national agro-environmental indicators, with the objective of providing information on the extent to which the agri-food sector uses environmentally sound practices, on the changes in environmental conditions & trends in agriculture over time, and on the areas & resources that are at significant environmental risk. Section A gives background on this study, including the concepts & methods used and the driving forces that affect environmental & other trends in agriculture. The next sections present & discuss the agro-environmental indicators related to farm management, soil quality, water quality, air quality, agro-ecosystem biodiversity, and eco-efficiency in the food & beverage industry. For each indicator, information is included on the environmental issue related to the indicator, the indicator & its method of calculation, its limitations, results of estimating the indicator for Canada, interpretations of the significance of those results, and response options. The final section summarizes the indicator findings on a regional basis, presents overall conclusions, and suggests ways in which the report can be used. A glossary is appended.

Policy-related challenges to building community-based agriculture and food systems that are ecologically sustainable and socially just are also highlighted.

The Agricultural Outlook 2019-2028 is a collaborative effort of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. It brings together the commodity, policy and country expertise of both organisations as well ...

Industrial agriculture is responsible for widespread environmental degradation and undermines the pursuit of human well-being. With a projected global population of 10 billion by 2050, it is urgent for humanity to achieve a more sustainable approach to farming and food systems. This concise text offers an overview of the key issues in sustainable food production for all readers interested in the ecology and environmental impacts of agriculture. It details the ecological foundations of farming and food systems, showing how knowledge from the natural and social sciences can be used to create sustainable alternatives to the industrial production methods used today. Beginning with a discussion of the role of agriculture in human development, the primer examines how twentieth-century farming methods are environmentally and socially unsustainable, contributing to global change and perpetuating inequalities. The authors explain the principles of environmental sustainability and explore how these principles can be put into practice in agrifood systems. They emphasize the importance of human well-being and insist on the centrality of social and environmental equity and justice. Sustainable Food Production is a compelling guide to how we can improve our ability to feed each other today and preserve the ability of our planet to do so tomorrow. Appropriate for a range of courses in the natural and social sciences, it provides a comprehensive yet accessible framework for achieving agricultural sustainability in the Anthropocene.