Joining us on this episode is Graham Hill from the non-profit Food for Life. The organization’s mission is to rescue food, impact lives, and give everyone access to healthy food. They aim to cut food waste, and Graham is here to discuss his career pathway and the organization's work to rescue and distribute fresh food to neighbours in need through community partnerships.

Graham has a varied background, initially being a scuba diving instructor. He then became involved in charity before going to school to obtain a post-grad degree in Fundraising and Volunteer management. After working for various organizations involved with health, he came to work at the food bank, which evolved into his role at Food for Life.

Staying true to your values is essential to working in the non-profit sector. Sometimes it means stepping out of your comfort zone to grow. For Graham, he wanted to create an impact on the world. What problems do you want to solve? Look for a culture that fits you.

Billions of dollars worth of food go to waste every year. There is unavoidable food waste and avoidable food waste. Avoidable waste comes about with things like expiry dates, slightly misshapen, or discolored vegetables. Food for Life takes food that’s rejected and picks it up, sharing it with other charities and people. Just this last year they rescued 5 million pounds of food.

If you are considering working for a non-profit but aren’t sure in what capacity, there are many aspects to an organization, from transport to accounting, and a wide range of skills are in demand. When it comes to the effects of the pandemic, it’s clear that it had a huge impact on organizations and recipients in the sector. Accessibility is key as life evolves.
 
Find out more about Graham Hill and  Food for Life: 

https://foodforlife.ca/

Resource:
https://www.secondharvest.ca/resources/research/canada%E2%80%99s-invisible-food-network

About AgScape:
www.AgScape.ca 

Improving nutrition. Reducing waste. Eliminating food insecurity. Fulfilling careers that make a difference. All are critical priorities for today’s youth. 

AgScape is a registered charity that brings the fast-paced and innovative world of agriculture and food to educators and students across Ontario. Our programs expand students’ understanding of the modern food system to help them make informed decisions about they foods they eat, the choices they make, and the breadth of career opportunities that are available to them.

Our engaging, hands-on, curriculum-linked resources and programs provide credible information and multiple perspectives to help educators and students explore the many facets of food and agriculture in Canada. AgScape’s in-class and in-field programs are designed, tested, and regularly updated by certified teachers with specific backgrounds or training in agriculture and food.

Thanks to the support of funders and donors who share our passion to support food literacy and engagement with future generations, AgScape has been a trusted partner and bridge between the agri-food industry and Ontario’s education system for more than 30 years. We continue to evolve and expand our programs to ignite and nurture the curiosity of students, educators, and communities across Ontario.

Joining us on this episode is Mike Schreiner, the Leader of the Green Party of Ontario and a member of the Provincial Parliament for Guelph. Mike is here not to talk politics, but to discuss his lifelong passion for food and agriculture. Before politics, Mike was an entrepreneur and advocate for the local food movement.

Mike grew up on a cash crop farm, raising crops and cattle. He worked from 7 am to 7 pm almost every day, and to entertain himself he would practice political speeches by himself. This led to a lifelong interest in politics and brought him to the Green Party, along with his food-based entrepreneurship. He wanted to help build the sustainable food movement in Ontario and knew policy change could only come from within.

Since he began his political journey, the perception of food and agriculture has shifted. Mike wants to spread the connection between farmers and consumers. There’s a greater appreciation for where food comes from and how it’s produced. Social media, for all its downsides, is a great tool for farmers and producers to show people how their environments operate.

When it comes to bridging the rural/urban divide, a leader can help by educating. It’s about communicating why some farmers do things one way over the other and what the market needs. Even during the pandemic, projects like backyard gardens and community gardens were valuable tools to educate.

It’s also important to publicize the loss of farmland and how important it is to protect it. With the disappearance of farmland comes food shortages and price increases. It’s something that needs to be preserved.

Resources: 

Twitter: @mikeschreiner 

Instagram: @mikeschreinergpo 

Email: [email protected]

AgScape:

Links to all of our most recent activities, resources, and events for Ontario Teachers:
https://linktr.ee/agscape_on
------
Book your free Virtual Lesson on Food and Agriculture for Grades 4-12, available to Ontario Teachers through our Teacher Ambassador Program. Foster Food Literacy in your students!
https://agscape.ca/request-ta
--------------------------
www.AgScape.ca 

About AgScape

Improving nutrition. Reducing waste. Eliminating food insecurity. Fulfilling careers that make a difference. All are critical priorities for today’s youth. 

AgScape is a registered charity that brings the fast-paced and innovative world of agriculture and food to educators and students across Ontario. Our programs expand students’ understanding of the modern food system to help them make informed decisions about they foods they eat, the choices they make, and the breadth of career opportunities that are available to them.

Our engaging, hands-on, curriculum-linked resources and programs provide credible information and multiple perspectives to help educators and students explore the many facets of food and agriculture in Canada. AgScape’s in-class and in-field programs are designed, tested, and regularly updated by certified teachers with specific backgrounds or training in agriculture and food.

Thanks to the support of funders and donors who share our passion to support food literacy and engagement with future generations, AgScape has been a trusted partner and bridge between the agri-food industry and Ontario’s education system for more than 30 years. We continue to evolve and expand our programs to ignite and nurture the curiosity of students, educators, and communities across Ontario.

Joining us on this episode is Darren Anderson, who is co-founder and CEO of Vive Crop Protection. Darren talks to us about his path from science to agriculture and biotech business owner, and how students can prepare for a career in entrepreneurship.

Vive Crop Protection makes more sustainable and effective pesticides for growers, enabling them to get the best results from the products they use. Darren wasn’t always on the path to agriculture and entrepreneurship, but while at university he was influenced by speakers at his school who would come and discuss how they used their science background for entrepreneurship.

The most important thing is to not be afraid of failure. Failure is the only way to learn. To help spread this message, Darren began a tutoring business to aid students. As a business owner, Darren does need to hire, and he needs to hire people with a wide range of skills. Chemists in different specializations, regulatory scientists, and safety personnel are all sought-after roles that wouldn’t normally be thought of.

Darren talks about the value of failure in building a career, building teams and the skillsets those teams need, and the soft people skills essential to running a modern company. 

Find out more about Darren Anderson and Vive Crop Protection:

https://twitter.com/darrenjanderson

https://twitter.com/ElectStem

http://www.vivecrop.com/

https://twitter.com/ViveCrop

AgScape:

Links to all of our most recent activities, resources, and events for Ontario Teachers:
https://linktr.ee/agscape_on
------
Book your free Virtual Lesson on Food and Agriculture for Grades 4-12, available to Ontario Teachers through our Teacher Ambassador Program. Foster Food Literacy in your students!
https://agscape.ca/request-ta
--------------------------
www.AgScape.ca 

 About AgScape

Improving nutrition. Reducing waste. Eliminating food insecurity. Fulfilling careers that make a difference. All are critical priorities for today’s youth. 

AgScape is a registered charity that brings the fast-paced and innovative world of agriculture and food to educators and students across Ontario. Our programs expand students’ understanding of the modern food system to help them make informed decisions about they foods they eat, the choices they make, and the breadth of career opportunities that are available to them.

Our engaging, hands-on, curriculum-linked resources and programs provide credible information and multiple perspectives to help educators and students explore the many facets of food and agriculture in Canada. AgScape’s in-class and in-field programs are designed, tested, and regularly updated by certified teachers with specific backgrounds or training in agriculture and food.

Thanks to the support of funders and donors who share our passion to support food literacy and engagement with future generations, AgScape has been a trusted partner and bridge between the agri-food industry and Ontario’s education system for more than 30 years. We continue to evolve and expand our programs to ignite and nurture the curiosity of students, educators, and communities across Ontario.

In today’s episode we sit down with Owen Roberts, an instructor and faculty member at the University of Illinois in the Agricultural Leadership and Communications Program. Owen joins us to discuss his career and why communication is key in agriculture.

Growing up in Mitchell’s Bay, Owen’s father was a conservation officer, and his mother’s family were farmers. The town was a renowned hunting and fishing spot, and his family would sell their produce there. He worked on farms in the area and saw the produce side of the industry close up. From there, he studied journalism in university and bounced around the country working for different papers.

When an opportunity came up to work in the agriculture section of an Alberta paper, he was hesitant, but it turned out to be a goldmine of stories. Agricultural research was booming and he went on to write for the University of Guelph, communicating about the research that was underway. It went from a 1-year contract to a 33-year career.

In this conversation we touch on many subjects, including how the pandemic has opened the publics’ eyes to the complexities of the food supply chain and inflation. The agriculture sector is full of great stories and it is necessary to get those stories out there in a way that connects with the public.

Find out more about Owen Roberts:

https://www.urbancowboy.ca/

https://twitter.com/theurbancowboy

AgScape:

Links to all of our most recent activities, resources, and events for Ontario Teachers:
https://linktr.ee/agscape_on
------
Book your free Virtual Lesson on Food and Agriculture for Grades 4-12, available to Ontario Teachers through our Teacher Ambassador Program. Foster Food Literacy in your students!
https://agscape.ca/request-ta
--------------------------
www.AgScape.ca 

 About AgScape

Improving nutrition. Reducing waste. Eliminating food insecurity. Fulfilling careers that make a difference. All are critical priorities for today’s youth. 

AgScape is a registered charity that brings the fast-paced and innovative world of agriculture and food to educators and students across Ontario. Our programs expand students’ understanding of the modern food system to help them make informed decisions about they foods they eat, the choices they make, and the breadth of career opportunities that are available to them.

Our engaging, hands-on, curriculum-linked resources and programs provide credible information and multiple perspectives to help educators and students explore the many facets of food and agriculture in Canada. AgScape’s in-class and in-field programs are designed, tested, and regularly updated by certified teachers with specific backgrounds or training in agriculture and food.

Thanks to the support of funders and donors who share our passion to support food literacy and engagement with future generations, AgScape has been a trusted partner and bridge between the agri-food industry and Ontario’s education system for more than 30 years. We continue to evolve and expand our programs to ignite and nurture the curiosity of students, educators, and communities across Ontario.

This episode of the Feeding Innovation podcast we're speaking to Nigel Carlisle -an Ontario Secondary school teacher living in Cornwall, Ontario. A few weeks after recording this conversation, Nigel was the recipient of the Award for Teaching Excellence in Agriculture and Food Education.

Nigel discusses the creative and unique ways he incorporates teaching agriculture and food into his classes including a green industry and technology. His goal as an educator is to make an impact on how lessons are taught, encouraging hands-on experience over tests and textbooks.

This past school year, Nigel brought robotics into his lessons. Automation and robotics is a booming innovation that the food and agriculture sector is exploring. To demonstrate that to his students and create awareness, Nigel took a unique approach in combining classroom robotics with modern farming, creating lessons that built a buzz in his students that wouldn’t have happened otherwise.

If you're an educator looking to bring similar activities and lessons to your classrooms, Nigel shares advice and steps to follow.  For Nigel, this kind of learning is undoubtedly the future, as kids are already learning computer code on their own time, and it is increasingly incorporated into curriculums.

Contact Nigel at:
Nigel.Carlisle @ ucdsb.on.ca

AgScape:

Links to all of our most recent activities, resources, and events for Ontario Teachers:
https://linktr.ee/agscape_on
------
Book your free Virtual Lesson on Food and Agriculture for Grades 4-12, available to Ontario Teachers through our Teacher Ambassador Program. Foster Food Literacy in your students!
https://agscape.ca/request-ta
--------------------------
www.AgScape.ca 

 About AgScape

Improving nutrition. Reducing waste. Eliminating food insecurity. Fulfilling careers that make a difference. All are critical priorities for today’s youth. 

AgScape is a registered charity that brings the fast-paced and innovative world of agriculture and food to educators and students across Ontario. Our programs expand students’ understanding of the modern food system to help them make informed decisions about they foods they eat, the choices they make, and the breadth of career opportunities that are available to them.

Our engaging, hands-on, curriculum-linked resources and programs provide credible information and multiple perspectives to help educators and students explore the many facets of food and agriculture in Canada. AgScape’s in-class and in-field programs are designed, tested, and regularly updated by certified teachers with specific backgrounds or training in agriculture and food.

Thanks to the support of funders and donors who share our passion to support food literacy and engagement with future generations, AgScape has been a trusted partner and bridge between the agri-food industry and Ontario’s education system for more than 30 years. We continue to evolve and expand our programs to ignite and nurture the curiosity of students, educators, and communities across Ontario.

Joining us on Feeding Innovation this week is Madeline Rodrigue who, at the time of this interview, worked at Farm & Food Care Ontario. Madeline speaks to their mission at Farm & Food Care Ontario, what they're doing to accomplish that mission, as well as some of the joint programs AgScape and Farm & Food Care Ontario work on together.

Madeline discusses her education and her career experiences that led her to Farm & Food Care Ontario. We also talk about our organizations shared goals of bridging rural and urban communities together, so that everyone has a connection and understanding to our food, and the people who grow it.

 ----------------------------------------------------

Find out more about Farm and Food Care Ontario:

https://www.farmfoodcareon.org/

Farm & Food Care Ontario is a registered Canadian charity and whole-sector coalition made up of representatives from all farming types and associated businesses and positions itself as the helpful expert on Ontario agriculture. Farm & Food Care Ontario brings farmers, agricultural professionals, related businesses, government organizations and other groups together with a mandate to build public trust in food and farming in Ontario and across Canada. Our sister organizations, Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan and Farm & Food Care P.E.I, follow a similar mandate in each respective province. Both organizations collaborate on national initiatives.

AgScape:

Links to all of our most recent activities, resources, and events for Ontario Teachers:
https://linktr.ee/agscape_on
------
Book your free Virtual Lesson on Food and Agriculture for Grades 4-12, available to Ontario Teachers through our Teacher Ambassador Program. Foster Food Literacy in your students!
https://agscape.ca/request-ta
--------------------------
www.AgScape.ca 

 About AgScape

Improving nutrition. Reducing waste. Eliminating food insecurity. Fulfilling careers that make a difference. All are critical priorities for today’s youth. 

AgScape is a registered charity that brings the fast-paced and innovative world of agriculture and food to educators and students across Ontario. Our programs expand students’ understanding of the modern food system to help them make informed decisions about they foods they eat, the choices they make, and the breadth of career opportunities that are available to them.

Our engaging, hands-on, curriculum-linked resources and programs provide credible information and multiple perspectives to help educators and students explore the many facets of food and agriculture in Canada. AgScape’s in-class and in-field programs are designed, tested, and regularly updated by certified teachers with specific backgrounds or training in agriculture and food.

Thanks to the support of funders and donors who share our passion to support food literacy and engagement with future generations, AgScape has been a trusted partner and bridge between the agri-food industry and Ontario’s education system for more than 30 years. We continue to evolve and expand our programs to ignite and nurture the curiosity of students, educators, and communities across Ontario.

In this week’s episode of Feeding Innovation, we are talking to Perry Wilson, Vice President of Farm Credit Canada. Perry is here to discuss the creation of FCC’s Agriculture More Than Ever Program and all things agriculture education.

Unlike many people that come to work for FCC, Perry started out in the automotive industry before changing directions. Initially, he obtained a degree in Metallurgical Engineering. After a while, he went back to school and studied business. By working for an agricultural lender for 3 years, he landed a role at FCC. FCC is an institution wholly dedicated to agricultural businesses while others have departments that specialize in it.

Agriculture More Than Ever is a program that Perry has been heavily involved in since its inception. It has been designed to change perceptions of the Canadian agriculture industry and highlight its importance and multi-faceted nature.

Canada is a leading agricultural producer in the world, but needs to take further advantage of opportunities within the country. The industry needs new, innovative people to re-invigorate it. The tech sector is creating more and more opportunities within agriculture and it’s often something people don’t consider.

Agriculture is a complex industry. Markets, weather, disease, and regulatory issues all affect how the industry runs. Not to mention unforeseen things like a global pandemic. Today, there are fewer farmers, and overcoming barriers is essential to continue to grow the industry. Foster curiosity in yourself and your community.

Find Out More About Farm Credit Canada:

https://www.fcc-fac.ca/en.html

Find out More About Perry Wilson:

FCC Bio:
https://www.fcc-fac.ca/en/about-fcc/media-centre/experts/profiles/perry-wilson.html#perry-wilson

Perry's Twitter:
https://twitter.com/PerryDWilson

Perry's LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/perry-wilson-a45b3b6/

 About FCC 

FCC is Canada’s leading agriculture and food lender, with a healthy loan portfolio of more than $41 billion. Our employees are dedicated to the future of Canadian agriculture and food. We provide flexible, competitively priced financing, management software, information and knowledge specifically designed for the agriculture and food industry. As a self-sustaining Crown corporation, we provide an appropriate return to our shareholder, and reinvest our profits back into the industry and communities we serve. For more information, visit fcc.ca. 

AgScape:

Links to all of our most recent activities, resources, and events for Ontario Teachers:
https://linktr.ee/agscape_on
------
Book your free Virtual Lesson on Food and Agriculture for Grades 4-12, available to Ontario Teachers through our Teacher Ambassador Program. Foster Food Literacy in your students!
https://agscape.ca/request-ta
--------------------------
www.AgScape.ca 

Randy Swain, Ontario Teacher joins us this episode to talk about how he built a unique, experiential learning agriculture & food based program at his school. He explains how teachers can take advantage of grant opportunities and collaborate to build similar programs.

Randy has been teaching for 16 years, and started the Food For Thought Program 8 years ago.

Episode Specific Links:

Food for Thought - Sustainable Urban Farming Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/Food-for-Thought-Sustainable-Urban-Farming-446998588743714/

Taking IT Global - F.A.R.M. Collaboration Activity - S.T.E.A.M. Assignment Challenge

https://projects.tiged.org/food-for-thought-sustainable-urban-farming-2107

 YouTube Video - "Food For Thought" - Sustainable Urban Farming

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0yoPm2PUkwE

AgScape:

Links to all of our most recent activities, resources and events for Ontario Teachers:
https://linktr.ee/agscape_on
------
Book your free Virtual Lesson on Food and Agriculture for Grades 4-12, available to Ontario Teachers through our Teacher Ambassador Program. Foster Food Literacy in your students!
https://agscape.ca/request-ta
--------------------------
www.AgScape.ca

AgScape is an Ontario charity dedicated to bringing Agriculture & Food education into the classroom! Our Teacher Ambassadors will work alongside you to show your students the role they play in Canada’s food system as informed consumers - and they will also be exposed to all the opportunities for future careers waiting for them in the Canadian Food and Agriculture sector!

Read our 2020 Annual General Report!

Our Vision
A world where the agri-food sector is recognized as a vehicle for positive social, economic, and environmental impact.

Our Mission
We empower Ontario students with impartial and accurate information to increase awareness of the agri-food system and ignite interest in related careers.

In this episode of Feeding Innovation Podcast, we speak to Agriculture Writer Kaitlin Packer.

Kaitlin shares about her experience of realizing that writing was her passion, and discovering a creative career in agriculture and farming was for her. We also talk about how opinions around food and agriculture differ between rural and urban communities. How emerging technologies like social media can both be a bridge, and widen that gap, depending on how they're used.   

Kaitlin Packer Links:
Website:
https://www.kaitlinpackerwriter.com/

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/escaping_urbanity/

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/kaitlinpacker1


Kaitlin Packer Writing:

 Building the Yukon’s future in local food production - Greenhouse Canada 2021
https://www.greenhousecanada.com/building-the-yukons-future-in-local-food-production/

Getting to the root of winemaking: Nk'Mip Cellars. Fruit & Vegetable Magazine. 2020
https://mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?m=1544&i=657534&p=12

Bringing Floriculture to the Table - Greenhouse Canada 2019
http://magazine.greenhousecanada.com/publication/?i=564519&ver=html5&p=24

---------------------------------------------------

AgScape:

Links to all of our most recent activities, resources and events for Ontario Teachers:
https://linktr.ee/agscape_on
------
Book your free Virtual Lesson on Food and Agriculture for Grades 7-12, available to Ontario Teachers through our Teacher Ambassador Program. Foster Food Literacy in your students!
https://agscape.ca/request-ta
--------------------------
www.AgScape.ca

AgScape is an Ontario charity dedicated to bringing Agriculture & Food education into the classroom! Our Teacher Ambassadors will work alongside you to show your students the role they play in Canada’s food system as informed consumers - and they will also be exposed to all the opportunities for future careers waiting for them in the Canadian Food and Agriculture sector!

Read our 2020 Annual General Report!

Our Vision
A world where the agri-food sector is recognized as a vehicle for positive social, economic, and environmental impact.

Our Mission
We empower Ontario students with impartial and accurate information to increase awareness of the agri-food system and ignite interest in related careers.

In the second episode of the AgScape Feeding Innovation Podcast, we talk to Chef and Educator Katherine Jones of Growing Chefs Ontario.

Katherine talks about how Growing Chefs Ontario is changing the way we learn about and develop healthy relationships with food. Growing Chefs! Ontario is a registered charity based in London, Ontario that unites chefs, growers, educators and community members in children’s food education projects.   

Links:
--------------------------
Growing Chefs Ontario
https://growingchefsontario.ca/
--------------------------
Growing Chefs Social Media:
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/growingchefsontario/
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/growingchefsontario/
--------------------------
Looking for more Agriculture and Food activities? Check out our new Online Summer Camp!
www.CampAgScape.ca
--------------------------
www.AgScape.ca

AgScape is an Ontario charity dedicated to bringing Agriculture & Food education into the classroom! Our Teacher Ambassadors will work alongside you to show your students the role they play in Canada’s food system as informed consumers - and they will also be exposed to all the opportunities for future careers waiting for them in the Canadian Food and Agriculture sector!

Read our 2020 Annual General Report!

Our Vision
A world where the agri-food sector is recognized as a vehicle for positive social, economic, and environmental impact.

Our Mission
We empower Ontario students with impartial and accurate information to increase awareness of the agri-food system and ignite interest in related careers.

WHY WE DO IT:

Lack of consumer knowledge about food and farming systems is a contributing factor to the economic challenges facing Ontario’s agri-food industry.

Myths about food and farming constantly challenge the growth and progress of the agri-food industry

Educating students about food and farming can help dispel myths, create a deeper interest and connection to food, and promote local (Canadian) food.

There is a disconnect between the agri-food industry and consumers

Agriculture is currently not recognized as a separate subject within the Ontario curriculum

HOW WE DO IT:

Creative programming connects food, farming, and health, expanding the profile of Ontario’s agri-food sector.

We collaborate with partners to deliver education programming that excites students and teachers, and encompasses all food production systems in Ontario.

We connect classrooms with agri-food perspectives that increase understanding, encourage critical thinking, and stimulate dialogue.