2025 Tech Hub Live

Understanding Agriburbia

Chuck Zimmerman

Have you heard of the term agriburbia? If not then this panel discussion that took place during the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation Conference will be helpful. The panel was titled, “Fraser Valley: is there room for big agriculture in a small setting?” This tied in with the theme of the conference. Our panelists were Dr. Lenore Newman, Canada Research Chair …

Audio, International, Media

Canadian Cranberry Time

Chuck Zimmerman

That cranberry was this big! At least that’s what it looks like Mike Wallis, BC Cranberry Growers Association Mgr., is saying during a presentation at Shergill Cranberry Farm, the second stop for the “farm bikers” tour group during the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation conference. Also on hand was farm manager Bob Deroche. They talked to us about the farm and …

Ag Groups, Audio, Food, International

Dancing Bekina Boots

Chuck Zimmerman

These boots were made for dancing! Yep. Bekina ultra light polyurethane boots were dancing at the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation closing banquet. All attendees received a free pair from Bekina and on hand to talk about them was Canadian distributor Cory Gibson, Alliance Mercantile, Inc. He says the boots are very lightweight because of the synthetic plastic they’re made out …

Audio, International

Kleckner Award Presented to Indian Farmer

Leah Guffey

A highlight of the Truth About Trade and Technology (TATT) Global Farmer Roundtable on Tuesday was the presentation of the first Kleckner Trade and Technology Advancement Award Fellow to V. Ravichandran, better known to friends as Ravi. He is pictured here with TATT CEO Mary Boote and chairman Bill Horan. Ravi grows rice, sugarcane, cotton and pulses on about 60 …

Audio, Farming, Food, International, World Food Prize

Indian Farmer to Receive TATT Award

Cindy Zimmerman

An Indian rice, cotton and sugarcane farmer with a passion for technology is the 2013 recipient of the Kleckner Trade & Technology Advancement Award. “We, as farmers, besides earning for our families, have a social obligation to feed our population with enough food and eradicate hunger.” says Ravichandran Vanchinathan of Tamil Nadu, India, who took part in the 2010 Truth …

Ag Groups, Farming, International, World Food Prize

Join Global Farmer Roundtable Conversation

Cindy Zimmerman

Even if you are unable to attend the Global Farmer Roundtable discussions next week in Des Moines, you can still participate. The Truth About Trade and Technology (TATT) event includes 20 farmers from various backgrounds and cultures who are invited to gather and discuss agricultural trade and technology access issues, and then continue to be part of a global network …

Ag Groups, Farming, International, Social Media, World Food Prize

2013 World Food Day

Chuck Zimmerman

I like to think of every day as food day but there is that special day each October as proclaimed by the FAO – World Food Day. Once a year, on 16 October, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations commemorates its inception by celebrating efforts and raising awareness for the worlds hunger and nutrition problems. The focus …

Food, International

2013 IFAJ Congress Video

Chuck Zimmerman

The organizers of the 2013 International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Congress have just posted a video that gives you a great overview of the enjoyable time we had in Argentina last month. For those of us who went it brings back good recent memories. For those of you who could not attend or have wondered about what such a conference …

IFAJ, International, Video

Sampling Farm House Natural Cheeses

Chuck Zimmerman

George Boyes and Debra Amrein-Boyes, owners of The Farm House Natural Cheeses hosted the farm bikers during our Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation tour. Debra welcomed us with a presentation about the farm their milk and delicious cheeses. We sampled a couple of those cheeses. None was left on the plate or in the bowl! The Farm House Natural Cheeses is …

Audio, Farming, International

Biking to Canadian Hazelnut

Chuck Zimmerman

The farm bikers at the 2013 Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation Conference went off road through a hazelnut orchard before arriving at the largest organic hazelnut farm in Canada – Canadian Hazelnut. We were met by Shelley Krahn who talked to us about the farm and answered questions. You can watch in the video below. There are eight thousand trees on …

Farming, International, Video