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.

In farming systems across Canada, effective risk management is necessary to deal with drought, flooding, and extreme weather, and to adapt to altered climate and weather conditions. Unfortunately, climate change risks and opportunities are not always well understood among researchers and policy makers in the Canadian agri-food sector. This book addresses that gap by providing a wide-ranging synopsis of what climate change means for Canadian agriculture, exploring different approaches to the topic, and presenting examples of current research. It covers all agricultural regions and a wide variety of commodity production and farming systems. This comprehensive survey synthesizes twenty years of research on climate change and Canadian agriculture.

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 ...