Ontario woman files proposed class-action lawsuit over salmonella-tainted cantaloupes
Ontario woman files proposed class-action lawsuit over salmonella-tainted cantaloupes January 3rd, 2024 An Ontario woman who became ill after eating cantaloupe is the lead plaintiff in a second proposed class-action lawsuit filed over cantaloupe-linked salmonella infections across the country. Cantaloupe is grown in bushes and is particularly vulnerable to salmonella carried by wild animals, such […]
Sustainable packaging made from blueberries
Sustainable packaging made from blueberries November 6, 2023 Land and food systems professor Dr. Anubhav Pratap-Singh and graduate student Xanyar Mohammadi are developing a sustainable food packaging made from blueberries. “This packaging is very flexible, and is very strong compared to regular plastic. Sometimes it’s even more resistant than plastic” says Mohammadi. “This sustainable packaging […]
Food security starts with seeds
Food security starts with seeds October 31, 2023 The Ubyssey interviewed UBC Farm staff and researchers about The Canadian Organic Vegetable Improvement (CANOVI) project, an ongoing research project at the UBC Farm. Organic growers in Canada “rely largely on seeds that are produced outside of Canada,” said plant breeding postdoc and CSFS associate Weijia […]
Meet “Dogxim,” the world’s first known dog-fox hybrid—and a genetic oddity
Meet “Dogxim,” the world’s first known dog-fox hybrid—and a genetic oddity September 27, 2023 Botany professor Dr.Loren Reiseberg commented on this genetic oddity. “This is what one might expect to see in trees, but not vertebrates,” said CSFS Associate Loren Rieseberg. “It is like humans producing a viable hybrid with chimpanzees!” “Data suggest hybridization has […]
Canada’s wildfires take devastating toll on wildlife
Canada’s wildfires take devastating toll on wildlife. October 4, 2023 Land and food systems researcher Dr. Matthew Mitchell said fumes from wildfires have acute or chronic effects on the health of wildlife. “These fumes have acute or chronic effects on the health of wildlife, says Mitchell. “Young animals are often more susceptible to the effects […]
‘The land will be lost forever:’ Okanagan is one of the most endangered ecosystems in Canada
‘The land will be lost forever:’ Okanagan is one of the most endangered ecosystems in Canada September 25, 2023 CSFS Associate Dr. Kai Chan told iNFOnews.ca that the proposed South Okanagan-Similkameen National Park is a necessary development as the current laws are not effective at ensuring well-functioning ecosystems and protecting biodiversity. “There’s a lot at […]
The underappreciated benefits of wild bees
The underappreciated benefits of wild bees September 14, 2023 More than 80 percent of flowering plants depend on insect pollinators to reproduce. When pollinators visit flowers — which act as the plants’ reproductive organs — to eat their nutritious pollen and nectar, the insects inadvertently transport the pollen between plants, which fertilizes the blooms, leading […]
‘Needle in a haystack’: Experts say finding daycare E. coli outbreak source complex
‘Needle in a haystack’: Experts say finding daycare E. coli outbreak source complex. September 13, 2023 As of Tuesday, there have been 264 lab-confirmed cases of the bacterial infection since the outbreak at 11 Calgary daycares was declared Sept. 4. Twenty-five patients were in hospital, with 22 having hemolytic uremic syndrome, a complication affecting the […]
Canadians want urgent climate action, but cost of living stands in the way: poll
Canadians want urgent climate action, but cost of living stands in the way: poll September 1, 2023 Dr. Kai Chan (Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability; Institute for Oceans and Fisheries) commented on a poll about climate change action. Dr. Chan said attitudes about climate change have only become more entrenched over time as people find […]
BC farmers are at the mercy of climate change, and things look grim
BC farmers are at the mercy of climate change, and things look grim August 25, 2023 Land and food systems professor Dr. Sean Smukler said no one grasps the fact that if we don’t deal with climate change now, the next generation can’t deal with it. “We are facing a climate emergency and we’re pretending like it’s […]