Future of Food and Farming
Growing meat in a bioreactor
An emerging field in Canada is that of cellular food. Often popularly called “lab-grown” or “animal-free”, cellular food production uses animal cell cultures, tissue engineering, or precision fermentation based techniques to create products that have until now always come from livestock production. A recent report identified cellular food as a $12.5 billion a year opportunity in Canada, as people look for foods that taste like the traditional animal-based products to which they’re accustomed. Cellular foods could include flavouring, pigments, fermented foods, and product ingredients, as well as poultry or seafood-style foods that include cellular-based ingredients.
Producing your own fuel and fertilizer
As part of continually improving the sustainability of farming, technology is now being developed that would let farmers produce their own clean and green fertilizer or fuel, right on the farm — using only water, air, and electricity. A farm in Manitoba is home to the first commercial test site of this new system.
Facing our future, sustainably
Canadians across the country are dealing with the big issues that are affecting people around the world as well: the cost of food, sustainable farming, and our changing climate. As farmers, we face these issues too. All of us want affordable, safe, and healthy food that is produced in a sustainable way that respects people, animals, and the planet. As farmers, that’s been our focus for generations, and will continue to be our priority and our commitment for decades to come. Thank you for supporting Canadian food, and for being interested in how and what Canadian farmers do to produce it. We value your trust in us — and by working together, we can continue to focus on a sustainable future for our planet and its people. That’s the real dirt.
Curious to learn more?
Many farmers and food producers are active on social media, so it’s easier than ever to have your questions answered by someone who raises farm animals, grows crops, or works in the agri-food sector. Try searching popular hashtags like #CdnAg or follow:
@RealDirtonFarming
@FarmFoodCareON
@FarmFoodCareSK
@FarmFoodCarePEI
@FacesBehindFood
@CdnFoodFocus