Fraser Valley farmers won’t know for weeks how floodwaters have affected prized soil

News Source: CBC

November 28, 2021

“Those pollutants may not be on site anymore. They actually might be in our nearby aquatic ecosystems.” – Dr. Sean Smukler

Dr. Sean Smukler, CSFS Associate and agricultural ecologist, spoke about the ways how recent flooding events may have affected nearby soils and aquatic ecosystems. The exact extent to which pollutants have contaminated the soils is unknown prior to more testing. However, the Ministry stated that this is a weeks-long process and tests cannot be conducted until the water recedes.

Check out the original article on CBC.

How the B.C. floods revealed the fragility of Canada’s food system

News Source: The Globe and Mail

November 27, 2021

“In order to make the modern food system today, it involved a lot of trying to control nature.” – Dr. Hannah Wittman

Dr. Hannah Wittman, CSFS Associate and IRES Professor, gave comments in The Globe and Mail. Citing past studies, she stated that diversifying farms is essential for resilience towards climate change. For example, one such approach is Mr. Bodnar’s Abbotsford farm, a small-scale operation with varying landscapes and a wide range of organic produce.

Check out the original article on The Globe and Mail.

‘A form of control’: Why people panic buy and how to potentially stop it

News Source: Vancouver is Awesome

November 19, 2021

“What these events are showing is making visible the cracks in the food system that have been there for some time.” – Dr. Hannah Wittman

Dr. Hannah Wittman, CSFS Associate and IRES Professor, was quoted in an article about panic buying and food hoarding in light of the recent floods. She mentioned that there are four pillars to food security: availability, accessibility, the healthiness of food and sustainability of production.

According to Dr. Wittman, the Fraser Valley was already at risk as a food source: recent events have brought this issue to light, with damage to farms and distribution systems. However, she stressed that the underlying issue is not with the roads — rather, it’s paramount for the lands to be repaired.

Check out the original article on Vancouver is Awesome.

Focus on food technology at climate conference ignores what most of the world’s farmers need, experts say

News Source: National Observer

November 8, 2021

“We have a biodiversity crisis that is as bad as the climate crisis, but hasn’t captured as much attention — farming is the biggest driver of the biodiversity crisis.” – Dr. Navin Ramankutty

Dr. Navin Ramankutty, CSFS Associate and Professor at the UBC School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, provided input on the impacts of food production on climate. While food accounts for roughly a third of global emissions, it has historically held a relatively low profile in international climate negotiations (COP). According to Ramankutty, in addition to a greater focus on food systems in such discussions, countries must also ensure that supports are in place for human rights and local ecosystems.

Check out the original article on National Observer.