Organic, Biodynamic, Regenerative: What’s Really Healthy for Our Soil?

By mairead norton on August 12, 2021

Farm to Globe: Transforming Our Food Systems presents:

Organic, Biodynamic, Regenerative: What’s Really Healthy for Our Soil?

Nowadays, as we stroll up and down the aisles of the grocery store and peruse the weekend farmer’s market, we are confronted with a lot of choices. Organic certification, produced using biodynamic methods, grown on a no-till farm – but what do any of these mean? In this webinar we are going to be taking a deep dive into the various new ‘types of agriculture’, what they mean and why they all seem to boast being the healthiest for our soil. Join our panelists for an exploration of these new methods and how focusing on our soil health is driving a revolution in agriculture.

About the Presenters

Barbara Schellenberg – Pasture to Plate

Barbara Schellenberg is the general manager of Pasture to Plate and the daughter of founders Jasmin and Felix Schellenberg. Barbara is also currently the director of the Agriculture Advisory Committee and the Small Scale Food Processors Association. She has a history as a restaurant owner and chef, and is even the CEO of Ethical Soda, a brewed kombucha line. Pasture to Plate is all about People, Animals and Healthy Soils and is certified organic while also utilizing biodynamic practices. Ranch headquarters are situated in Redstone, British Columbia, and the Butcher Shop is located on Commercial Drive. The bottom line at Pasture to Plate is sustainability for all – Healthier Lifestyle, Ethical Treatment, Environmentally Conscious.

Corine Singfield – Closed Loop Consulting

Corine Singfield is a regenerative agriculture consultant, farmer and researcher. She is the current board director at Organic BC, as well as the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC. She holds a Masters in Soil Sciences from the University of British Columbia, where her research explored developing land management strategies for farmers, looking at ecologically sound ways to veer away from farm intensification and back to integrated livestock/crop/perennial systems. Corine has been a farmer for almost two decades. She has a deep commitment to creating integrated and closed-loop agricultural systems that merge production and ecosystem functions.

Tim Nerbas – Soil Conservation Council

Tim Nerbas currently serves as Past Chair on the Soil Conservation Council of Canada and sits on the Soil Carbon Advisory Committee in Saskatchewan. Tim served as President of the Saskatchewan Soil Conservation Association and served as chair of the Western Applied Research Corporation at the Scott Research Station. He spent five years with the University of Saskatchewan and Agriculture Canada as a pedologist on Soil Survey. Tim provided pedology expertise on the Boreal Ecosystem and Atmospheric Study in northern Saskatchewan. He also spent 10 years as extension specialist with the SSCA promoting conservation agriculture. Tim obtained his MSc in Soil Science from the U of S. Presently his wife and he operate NRG Farms Ltd, a mixed farming operation in NW Saskatchewan.

Camil Dumont – Moderator – CSFS

Camil Dumont After completing an interdisciplinary BA at UBC with a focus on Political Science and Creative Writing, Camil Dumont completed his MSc. at UBC in 2017 in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems. Prior to completing his Master’s degree, Camil worked for a decade, seasonally, at the Vancouver Park Board, in horticulture. Camil is a founder of Inner City Farms Society (ICF), a Vancouver urban farm, in 2009. Camil has been Head Farmer and Executive Director of ICF since 2010. Elected in the 2018 civic election to represent Vancouverites as Commissioner at the Board of Parks and Recreation, he currently sits as Chair of the Vancouver Park Board. Camil is a lifelong environmentalist, a dad, a baseball player, a home chef and a connector of people. He loves his family, his community, his city and our little blue planet, very much.

The Farm to Globe: Transforming Our Food Systems series is brought to you by the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems (CSFS), the BC Food Web, the Faculty of Land and Food Systems (LFS), and the Royal Bank of Canada. This webinar series focuses on what needs fixing in our food systems and the innovative solutions which could affect change for the better.

Sponsor logos for the BC Food Web, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, RBC Royal Bank, and the UBC Farm.

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Cultivating Biodiversity: Agricultural Landscapes and the Biodiversity Crisis

By mairead norton on August 11, 2021

Farm to Globe: Transforming Our Food Systems presents:

Cultivating Biodiversity: Agricultural Landscapes and the Biodiversity Crisis

We are in a crisis like never before. The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services has found that over one million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction, and many are already there. What’s this got to do with agriculture? While large industrialized monoculture fields greatly reduce biodiversity of native plant species and also the animals that depend on them, there is growing awareness that we can cultivate biodiversity through our farming practices. Most of Canada’s species at risk occur in southern agricultural landscapes, giving farmers a huge opportunity to make a big difference in the fight for biodiversity conservation. Join our panelists as they discuss the loss of biodiversity and how agricultural landscapes could help instead of harm.

About the Presenters

Matt Tsuruda – UBC LFS

Matt Tsuruda is a M.Sc. student in the Plant Science program. He completed his B.Sc. at UBC in Biology. He has long been interested in insects, biodiversity, and sustainable agriculture, which led him to his current project. Matt is interested in the ways that habitat enhancements affect insect biodiversity in agroecosystems. As agricultural intensification increases worldwide, natural habitat and biodiversity have seen declines which can result in increased occurrences of pest outbreaks. Of particular interest to Matt is the invasive spotted-wing drosophila, which causes tremendous damage to crops and threatens the livelihoods of many growers. Matt spends the majority of his free time skateboarding, hiking and playing video games!

Aidee Guzman – UC Berkeley

Aidee Guzman is a Ph.D. candidate at UC Berkeley where she works with Dr. Claire Kremen and Dr. Timothy Bowles in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management. Having deep family roots in agriculture, she is compelled to understand the socio-ecological linkages of diversifying farming systems. Her research draws from the knowledge produced in ecology, soil microbiology, pollination biology, and sociology of agriculture. For her Ph.D., Aidee is working with small-scale farmers embedded in the monoculture landscape of California’s Central Valley. Her research investigates how on-farm diversification practices impact soil health and link to other ecological processes (i.e. pollination) on agroecosystems. Throughout her research, Aidee aims to integrate social and ecological research approaches to support farmers, rural livelihoods, and ecological resilience.

Sieglinde Snapp – Michigan State University

Dr. Sieglinde Snapp is a Professor of Soils and Cropping Systems Ecology in the Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences and Associate Director of the Center for Global Change and Earth Observations. Sieg Snapp’s research interests include agricultural systems, sustainable crop management, integrated nutrient management, and soil health. A key focus in her lab is harnessing biology through cover crops, and diversity to enhance carbon sequestration, nitrogen fixation, and phosphorus cycling. She investigates ecologically sound design of agriculture through multidisciplinary approaches, long-term field experimentation, participatory action research and systems modeling. On-farm experimentation in Michigan explores conservation tillage and cover crop interventions. In Southern Africa, her work has included novel findings on multipurpose legumes such as pigeonpea and the doubled up legume rotation. Sieg is committed to innovative extension approaches in the Upper Midwest and Africa, and engaged learning. Through participatory action research and extension she supports sustainable agriculture, and local capacity for climate change adaptation and resilience.

Matthew Mitchell – Moderator – UBC LFS

Matt Mitchell’s research focuses on how to manage human-dominated landscapes, including agricultural and urban landscapes, for both people and nature. This includes understanding how the arrangement of different land uses and habitats across these areas affects ecosystem services and biodiversity, how to effectively quantify both the supply of ecosystem services and their demand by people, and identifying key management actions that can lead to win-win situations for multiple ecosystem services and biodiversity. He also leads the long-term biodiversity monitoring program at the UBC Farm and is working to develop new tools to effectively monitor agricultural biodiversity on diversified farms and link this to key socio-ecological outcomes. He completed his Ph.D. at McGill University in 2014, a M.Sc. at the University of Alberta in 2006, and a B.Sc. (Honours) at the University of Victoria in 2002.

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Innovation on the Farm

By Jacqueline Chan on August 6, 2021

Farm to Globe: Transforming Our Food Systems presents:

Innovation on the Farm

The agricultural industry has emerged as an epicenter of innovation and collaboration. From robots programmed to pick fruit in urban greenhouses to revolutionary e-commerce platforms, agriculture has proved itself as a hotbed of creative technological and practical solutions. While we often think of these innovations occurring in a laboratory far away, our panelists will prove they’re happening right on the farm. Join us for a discussion on how we can hone our technology and grow our collaboration to create sustainable, everyday solutions that start in the soil.

About the Presenters

Neil Currie – Bioenterprise

Neil Currie’s 37 year career in the agriculture industry has provided broad-spectrum experience in analysis, operations management, trade policy, advocacy and governance. His work has included government and public relations campaigns, strategic planning, finance, facilitation, human resource management and communications. Most recently, Neil managed the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, developing and advocating for farm and food policy at all levels of government. In this role he also co-Chaired the Canadian Federation of Agriculture’s development of the National Food Strategy. Neil was CEO of the Canadian Egg Marketing Agency (now EFC), managing the national egg supply, including procurement and sales of $100 million annually and award winning marketing campaigns. He is well versed in trade and regulatory issues at both the national and provincial levels.

Chris Hildreth – TOPSOIL

Chris Hildreth is a young social entrepreneur taking a systematic approach to help increase local food production in the heart of Victoria. His vision for TOPSOIL is to improve every aspect of our current industrialized food system from production, packaging, transportation, distribution and waste. Chris has a natural ability to inspire passion and enthusiasm when it comes to the benefits of local food production. His knack for bringing together people from a diverse range of disciplines and specialties has been a pillar upon which TOPSOIL is built. A pioneer of urban agriculture in Victoria, Chris is breaking new ground to help build a vibrant local food economy Victorians can be proud of.

Kevin Cussen – LiteFarm

Kevin Cussen joined the LiteFarm team in 2020 as product lead. His goal is to put LiteFarm in the hands of 10,000 sustainable farmers worldwide by 2023. Before joining, he occupied roles across the technology sector from helping entrepreneurs integrate technology into their businesses as a Peace Corps volunteer, to building a “campus-in-a-box” for use by educational partners of the US National Parks system, to employing blockchain technologies to ensure responsible sourcing of goods. Kevin holds a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Texas and an MBA with a focus on Global Business from the University of Washington.

Dr. Anubhav Pratap-Singhn – UBC LFS

Dr. Anubhav Pratap-Singh holds the BC Ministry of Agriculture Endowed Professorship in Food and Beverage Innovation. Dr. Pratap-Singh’s research group explores novel technologies for obtaining sustainable improvements in food quality and nutrition. Dr. Pratap-Singh has authored more than 50 research articles on novel thermal and non-thermal processing, encapsulation of plant-based ingredients and food fortification technologies. Dr. Pratap-Singh and his research group works with various BC-based plant-based food processors, berry growers and processors, and nanotechnology based companies and is currently leading the academic planning for the UBC Food and Beverage Innovation Centre.

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CBC: Coyote attacks from after-hours partying and garbage in Stanley Park

By Jacqueline Chan on August 6, 2021

Coyote attacks from after-hours partying and garbage in Stanley Park

News Source: CBC, The Mike Smyth Show

August 1, 2021

“I think there needs to be a more immediate response for the sake of the humans that are involved with being bitten and for the sake of no more coyotes dying.” – Dr. Kristen Walker

Dr. Kristen Walker, CSFS Associate, Professor of Teaching and wildlife biologist at UBC’s Faculty of Land and Food Systems, discussed her team’s research. This includes setting up cameras in Stanley Park to better understand the resident coyotes. Aggressive coyote attacks can be a result of feeding animals in the park, as well as from the garbage left behind. In addition, this study is relevant to the Biodiversity Monitoring Project, where Kristen also has cameras set up at the UBC Farm to monitor wildlife.

Check out the original article here.

Check out the video here.

Listen to CBC Radio here.

Listen to The Mike Smyth Show here.

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Kamloops This Week: Heat waves show that the agricultural sector needs support

By Jacqueline Chan on August 6, 2021

Heat waves show that the agricultural sector needs support

News Source: Kamloops This Week

July 28, 2021

“They need to be pretty sure that if they’re replanting they need to choose varieties that are appropriate for the upcoming climate, not the climate we used to have.” – Dr. Hannah Wittman

Dr. Hannah Wittman, CSFS Associate and LFS Professor, commented on how higher temperatures make it necessary for farmers to switch to crops less dependent on water. However, this could make for an expensive proposition — many small farms lack sustainable irrigation systems.

Check out the original article here.

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Country Life in BC: GHG emissions twice as high as estimates

By Jacqueline Chan on August 6, 2021

GHG emissions twice as high as estimates

News Source: Country Life in BC

July 2021

“In the last two decades, the emissions from agricultural soils have been increasing. That is the real concern.” – Dr. Andy Black

Dr. Andy Black, a Professor in the Applied Animal Biology program at UBC’s Faculty of Land and Food Systems, discussed the findings of his research on greenhouse gas emissions coming from the agricultural sector. In B.C., this is the first long-term study that measures GHG emissions from agricultural crops year-round.

Check out the original article here.

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iNFO News: Wildfire smoke may affect insects ability to ‘see’ and ‘smell’ plants

By Jacqueline Chan on August 6, 2021

Wildfire smoke may affect insects ability to ‘see’ and ‘smell’ plants

News Source: iNFO News

August 2, 2021

“One specific issue that we have been discussing in my lab is the fact that insects orient and find food, mates, and habitat through sight and smell and that wildfire smoke can potentially interfere with those really important insect behaviours.” – Dr. Juli Carrillo

Dr. Juli Carrillo, CSFS Associate and Professor at UBC’s Faculty of Land and Food Systems, spoke about how insects may be adapting their behaviours to smoky skies and warming temperatures. One challenge for pollinators is that using visual cues to find flowers is less effective.

Check out the original article here.

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Climate Change: Mobilizing Industry to Make a Difference

By Jacqueline Chan on July 21, 2021

Farm to Globe: Transforming Our Food Systems presents:

Mobilizing Industry to Make a Difference

Many of us are doing our best to lower our impact on the planet – taking shorter showers, bringing a reusable cup, supporting local and much more. However, in order to make a big difference in the climate crisis we need to move beyond individual efforts and mobilize our industries to make positive change. The second episode in our mini series on climate change will explore ways in which we can encourage the agricultural and agroforestry industries to join the fight. Our panelists Serena Black and Andy Midwood will discuss where we are at with our climate mitigation goals and what needs to be done to move us forward.

About the Presenters

Serena Black – UNBC and Industrial Forestry Service

Serena Black is an Agriculture Extension Specialist with UNBC and a Science Research Specialist with Industrial Forestry Service. She is currently the chair of the steering committee of the BC Agricultural Climate Adaptation Research Network. She is also the Manager for the BC Forage Council and the Coordinator of the Cariboo Agricultural Research Alliance. Her climate change research is focused primarily on soil quality, forage productivity, and extension.

Andy Midwood – Terramera Inc.

Andy Midwood is the Senior Soil Scientist at Terramera Inc. and has a research background. Prior to joining Terramera he worked at UBC in Kelowna and before that, the James Hutton Research Institute in Scotland. The central theme to Andy’s work has been building an understanding of soil carbon, what controls its accumulation and how to prevent its loss. He was recently involved in a study to examine the influence of irrigation on soil carbon in the Okanagan Valley. Over his career Andy has worked in a range of different systems throughout the world, both managed and natural. At Terramera, he is focused on developing new, low costs means to measure soil organic carbon at a field scale, with a view to unlocking carbon markets for the farming community.

Amy Norgaard – UBC Sustainable Agricultural Landscapes Lab

Amy Norgaard is a research assistant in the Sustainable Agricultural Landscapes (SAL) lab, UBC, working on a greenhouse gas opportunity assessment for the agriculture sector in BC. She completed her MSc in Soil Science in the SAL lab in October 2020; the goal of her MSc research was to help improve nutrient management on organic vegetable farms to balance crop production with environmental stewardship. She is a Professional Agrologist and teaches sustainable soil management with the KPU – Tsawwassen First Nation Farm School, KPU Richmond Farm School, and the UBC Farm Practicum. She also works with ES Crop Consult to offer nutrient management services to farmers in the lower Fraser Valley.

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Climate Change: How Nature Based Solutions Restore Balance

By Jacqueline Chan on July 21, 2021

Farm to Globe: Transforming Our Food Systems presents:

How Nature Based Solutions Restore Balance

Let’s talk about the climate crisis. The first episode in our two part mini series on climate change will explore nature based solutions – what even are they and what are we doing to try to implement them around the world? These natural climate solutions involve restoring and better managing ecosystems, from switching to restorative agriculture to cultivating mangrove forest regrowth, and many of them were founded in indigenous knowledge systems. Join our panelists Drew Bondar, Delta Farmland and Wildlife Trust, Professor Terry Sunderland, UBC Faculty of Forestry, and Larry McDermott, Plenty Canada, as they discuss their own approaches and research on restoring the balance mankind has disrupted.

About the Presenters

Drew Bondar – Delta Farmland and Wildlife Trust

Drew Bondar is passionate about food systems — from the biodiversity in soil to the networks we use to distribute food. As the Executive Director for an NGO that works with farmers to enhance farmland for soil health and wildlife habitat, and the Founder of a small business that rescues and delivers off-grade produce, Drew has experience working across the food supply chain. With dual degrees in agroecology and civil engineering, Drew’s educational background has provided training in a wide range of disciplines from project management to soil biology. Society is facing unprecedented challenges when it comes to climate change and biodiversity loss. Drew is committed to finding solutions to these challenges at the local level that are socially, environmentally and economically sustainable.

Professor Terry Sunderland – UBC Faculty of Forestry

Terry Sunderland is currently a Professor at the Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia, Canada focusing on the biological and human dimensions of the sustainable management and utilization of tropical forests. He was previously a Senior/Principal Scientist at the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Indonesia, where he coordinated CIFOR’s work on forests and food security, biodiversity conservation and integrated landscape management. Prior to joining CIFOR in early 2006, Terry was based in West Africa for over fifteen years and worked on numerous conservation and livelihood-focused projects. Having both a field practitioner and academic background gives him a wide perspective on conservation, livelihoods and related issues. Terry has a Masters degree in Forestry from the University of Oxford and a PhD from the University of London. He has published more than 240 research papers, book chapters and books. Terry is an active blogger and engages regularly with the media on disseminating research for policy influence and outreach.

Larry McDermott – Plenty Canada

Larry McDermott is Algonquin from Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nation, and is the Executive Director of Plenty Canada. Larry is currently a member of numerous organizations including the International Indigenous Forum for Biodiversity the Canadian Environmental Network, UNESCO, and the Ontario Recovery Strategy for the American Eel. A former three-time Mayor and long-time council member of Lanark Highlands, was the first Chair of the Rural Forum of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, was a Commissioner for the Ontario Human Rights Commission, and was on the Ontario Species at Risk Public Advisory Committee. Larry also served as a comprehensive claim representative for Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nation, is a certified tree marker and butternut assessor, and holds other environmental certifications. He has also received an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Guelph. Larry was a humble student for many years of the late Algonquin Elder, Grandfather William Commanda, who created the Circle of All Nations organization. Larry lives in a 170-year-old log home on 500 acres of biologically diverse Algonquin land along the Mississippi River with his wife Nancy.

Jordan Kersey – Moderator

Jordan Kersey received her B.Sc. in Environmental Science and Biology at Iowa State University, USA. Throughout her undergrad, she worked in a soil chemistry lab which allowed her to discover her love for research and all things soil nitrogen related. After taking a year off, Jordy completed her M.Sc. in soil science at Oregon State University. Her master’s thesis focused on soil health in managed forest systems. Currently, Jordy is working on her PhD with Dr. Sean Smukler. Her project will be focused on soil health dynamics and climate change resiliency in agricultural fields of the Alaksen National Wildlife Area.

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HLPE Report #16: Youth engagement in food systems

By Jacqueline Chan on July 13, 2021

Youth engagement in food systems

News Source: HLPE Report #16

July 5, 2021

“Youth are on the front lines to build the food systems of the future, while also bearing significant risks from climate change, social and economic inequities, and political marginalization.” – Martin Cole

The HLPE (High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition) Report #16 has been published and is available online now. It was led by CSFS Associate and former Academic Director Hannah Wittman. This publication is about promoting youth engagement and employment in agriculture and food systems.

Check out the original report here.

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