'Halo' sweetens cookies and other organic stuff Thursday, May 2, 2013 A study from the Food & Brand Lab at Cornell University in New York state has implications for food labelling and also shows that "organic" still has cachet, in spite of inroads from the buy-local movement. Subjects were asked to taste cookies, yogurt and chips, labelled organic and regular, and tell researchers which tasted better. Subjects routinely had more positive thoughts about the organic products, including better taste, higher fibre, less fat and less sugar, but both of the samples were identical, and organic. Researchers referred to this as the "health halo effect," according to The Globe and Mail. The Cornell study also reported that participants were willing to pay nearly 25 per cent more for the organic products than the regular products. The study is to be published in the July issue of the journal Food Quality and Preference. BF Record rice yields in India questioned Who's more responsible - the porn industry or the food sector?
Canada's Productivity Mega Deduction Could Fuel New Farm and Ag-Tech Investment Tuesday, October 6, 2026 Canada's agriculture sector, food processors, equipment manufacturers, and ag-tech companies could soon benefit from a major new federal tax incentive designed to accelerate investment and economic growth. During a visit to Allan Equipment Manufacturing Ltd. in Charlottetown, Prince... Read this article online
MS Schippers unveils autonomous barn-cleaning robot Tuesday, October 6, 2026 The MS Smart Cleaning Robot (see photo montage above) offers three phases on one device for barn cleaning: combining high-pressure washing, chemical foam soaking, and disinfection in a single autonomous pass. A Dutch agricultural technology company is introducing an automated cleaning system... Read this article online
How One Ontario Pumpkin Farm Turned 10% of Production Into Half Its Revenue Tuesday, October 6, 2026 For one Ontario farm that was looking beyond traditional commodity production to strengthen their businesses,the answer has come from an unlikely source: ornamental pumpkins and gourds. Located east of St. Thomas, Ontario, Butters Farms has built a successful niche around seasonal... Read this article online
Canadian Food System Trust Holds Steady, but Uncertainty and Misinformation Are Rising Tuesday, October 6, 2026 Canadians largely maintain a positive view of the nation's food system, but rising concerns about affordability, misinformation, and the growing influence of artificial intelligence are creating a more complex environment for maintaining public trust. That was among the key findings... Read this article online
Canadian Agri-Businesses Face Insurance Crunch as Premiums Rise and Coverage Options Shrink Tuesday, October 6, 2026 Small agricultural businesses across Canada are facing a mounting insurance challenge as premiums climb and coverage options become harder to find, according to research from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). The report highlights a growing concern among farmers,... Read this article online