This is the 50th episode of the Food Focus podcast. We're exited to hit this milestone and look forward to talking to many more people about a wide variety of issues related to food. This episode is the first half of Mike's conversation with Chef Pam Fanjoy. She talks about her food business (restaurant, meals to go, and more) before and after COVID and how her business reflects her values.

In this episode Mike talks to Ken McEwen about Canada's pork industry. The Canadian industry represents 6% of farm cash receipts and we export between 60 and 70% our our production. This is a profoundly important segment of our ag sector and many people don't have any idea of how it works. They talk about industry structure, strengths, challenges and opportunities.

Mike chats with Dana McAualey about the future of meat. We are seeing more and more restaurants offering plant based burgers (most recently McDonalds and the McPlant). Singapore recently approved lab grown meat for human consumption. Are the stars aligned for the end of traditional livestock production? While there are clear changes in meat consumption, we believe that we are not at the end of meat but just at milestone in the increasing diversification of the North American diet.

This is the second half of Mike's conversation with Angela Straathof on soil. In the first half they spoke about why soil is important and what soil health means. In this episode they talk about improving soil health and the potential for carbon sequestration or carbon capture as a revenue source for farmers.

This is the second half of Mike's conversation with Angela Straathof on soil. In the first half they spoke about why soil is important and what soil health means. In this episode they talk about improving soil health and the potential for carbon sequestration or carbon capture as a revenue source for farmers.

In this episode, Mike has a conversation with Angela Straathof, a soil scientist with the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association. This is the first half of a longer conversation. They talk about why we should care about soil and how its so much more than just dirt - in fact Angela says we shouldn't use the "D" word at all.

We are hearing more and more about large food retailers increasing the charges they put on suppliers. These are the costs of doing business with these retailers who provide access to a large share of the consumer base. In this mini-pod Mike provides a perspective on what these fees do in the market place. He anticipates higher costs (or smaller packages), less choice, and more pressure on an already imperiled food processing sector.

Mental health is a topic we need to bring to the fore; in agriculture and everywhere. During ag mental health week, Mike spoke with Jason Medows, host of the mental health focused Ag State of Mind podcast, about the issue and how to help. Jason has a unique perspective as a farmer, a pharmacist, and someone who has battled mental health himself.

In this episode Mike speaks with Evan Fraser, Director of the Arrell Food Institute on the issue of food security. We've seen food security issues worsen during the pandemic. They talk about why that is and what we might do about it to lessen the impacts of food security in North America and around the world.

Have you tried online ordering and home delivery for groceries yet? If so was it a good experience? If not, whats holding you back? In this episode Mike speaks with Sarah Joyce, Senior VP of Ecommerce at Sobey's about their new Voila home delivery offering. We talk about the size of the market, what their research suggests are the keys to success, some details or their offering, and what an online customer shops like.