Calling all Canadians !!!!!!!! Please read

[hillsdown]

For your viewing pleasure - it is a video on food imports into Canada - very well done by - of all companies - Hellman's

http://www.vimeo.com/5236966

Please take a moment to watch this video ,it is a real eye opener. I had no idea of just how much we import of foods that we produce ourselves . Red meat imports have gone up 600% (I think that's what they said) when we are a country abundant with pork and beef. I try to buy Canadian but sometimes it is not an option; we need to pressure our grocers and demand more Canadian products. Ask them where your food is coming from, especially beef, pork and chicken and refuse to buy anything other than fresh Canadian products. Can you believe we import cucumbers and tomatoes..

[MO_cows]

Ironically, the greenhouse tomatoes that my grocery store carries year round are "Produce of Canada".

Do you have any country of origin food labeling in Canada?

[ga. prime]

It's only economics. Don't get hysterical over it. That's how things work.

[hillsdown]

Ironically, the greenhouse tomatoes that my grocery store carries year round are "Produce of Canada".

Do you have any country of origin food labeling in Canada?

All fruits and veggies have to have a sticker on them that says where they are from, but people don't care; these are the same idiots that when our crops freeze or can't be harvested they say "oh well I buy my food from Safeway." Are meat is labeled as well as are canned and frozen goods, it is just a matter of reading them.

Trading food between Canada and the US is actually healthy as we have the same markets and economy it is the cheap imports with less food standards and regulations that are killing us.

I will pay a few cents more for the Canadian or US imports and maybe just buy a bit less or cut down somewhere else.

[Oldtimer]

Yep-- the reason I've said all along both countries need Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling- so the consumers will have the ability to choose in the first place--- and the producers have the ability to advertise and promote domestic product-- then have a major portion of our cattle tax (Beef Checkoff) used to advertise and promote our domestic product---not generic beef from all over the world....

[ga. prime]

The average buyer cares nothing about country of origin. The average buyer cares only about price and appearance of product. Economical spending rules.

[Oldtimer]

The average buyer cares nothing about country of origin. The average buyer cares only about price and appearance of product. Economical spending rules.

Well then beef producers better look for a different profession- as when they get the much cheaper to produce South American imports ramped up full speed- the Packers won't need any American or Canadian stuff....

But I believe that people do care- which has been shown in survey after survey...Especially with the food they feed their families-- and after all the food problems with contaminated/purposely adulterated food from China- and the Mexican tomatoes/peppers- and the Vietnamese catfish...

If allowed the choice- many will spend more because they believe the food sourced from the US and Canada is the safest in the world.... But without mandatory labeling- and especially when imported products are passed off as domestic- they don't have that choice....

And the major meat packers/importers know that- the reason they've spend $ Millions trying to derail any mandatory Country of Origin Labeling laws- which would stop their accessing cheap foreign imports and passing it off as domestic product....

[ga. prime]

The average buyer cares nothing about country of origin. The average buyer cares only about price and appearance of product. Economical spending rules.

But I believe that people do care- which has been shown in survey after survey...Especially with the food they feed their families-- and after all the food problems with contaminated/purposely adulterated food from China- and the Mexican tomatoes/peppers- and the Vietnamese Catfish..

Problem with surveys is they're inherently biased. People will buy American if it is similarly priced as the foreign stuff, no doubt. Go watch what people buy. Then again, no. Don't go watch what people buy since the mere observation of an event changes the outcome and you'd wind up with another biased statistic. People buy on price and economy of usage. If they didn't buy on cost and instead bought based on country of origin, there wouldn't be any foreign products in the stores or the car lots. It's only about economics. That's what works.

[MO_cows]

In this area, there has been a lot of advertising devoted to "Buy Fresh, Buy Local" lately. At some of the grocery stores, they have locally produced fresh produce in season with prominent signage, including a photo of the family who grew it. I think this is just great and would like to see more of it. The farmers markets are growing, and new ones starting up. I think all of this shows that a lot of consumers DO care where there food comes from and not just how cheap it is.

[hillsdown]

MO hubby wanted cherry tomatoes for his salad tonight so when I was out today I picked some up I found Mexico and USA I bought the USA ones. Why there were no Canadian ones is beyond me as they are green house raised and the out door fresh ones are just coming in season. BTW they were not cheap a little basket with about 13 tony tomatoes was $3.48. Even on the organic section they were all imported..


GA is dead on, the average shmo doesn't care until she/he or their family gets sick or loses their job; and it is way different comparing the auto industry to the ag sector .The local ag sector continues to produce superior product, while GM, Ford and Chrysler have made crap after crap the last 10 or so years .

[Oldtimer]

Well- you can not even start trying to promote your product- or market it- until you can identify it from the others... So without labeling (and mandatory labeling so Packers/retailers can't pass off cheaper imported products as domestic, like they have for years) you will never get consumers to buy domestic product...

[Bez+]

I believe the importation of food into Canada from China out weighs the food imported from the US of A - might be wrong, but I do not think so.

It is not as much a COOL issue as it is an agricultural issue - showing that if food is cheaper when bought in China it will be brought to Canada

Many countries that export food into Canada use chemicals which are banned in Canada

Most of the food brought into Canada does not go through inspection with CFIA as the inspection units simply cannot handle the large amounts of imports - hence the various poisons in baby food, dog food and so on.

This lack of inspection capability is also illustrated domestically by the Maple Leaf listeria poisonings which killed more than 20 people in Canada within the last few months - no charges laid for that one either. I would bet it is the same in the US of A even though many may want to wear the flag and argue the point.

Food inspections in the US of A are little better with call backs coming from various companies on a regular basis.

In the end agriculture in Canada is in serious decline

Once a country cannot feed itself it no longer has control of its own destiny or self determination

And .... it will pay to other countries what it has to eat - because it no longer produces food.

COOL and OT - it is the OT example of a puppy tugging on a blanket - it cannot let go - I get tired of the one track - it is much more involved - and the biggest thing is the actual decline of agriculture. I wish for once you would stop looking at life through a gawd dammed straw and realize that this is far larger than your COOL - which you know I support.

If the borders of the US of A were closed there would also be food riots - the US of A can no longer feed themselves either

Agriculture of all types is in serious danger and the average person on the 10'th floor of a chicken coop built for people does not (a) know or (b) usually give a flying fox fart because it is ALL based upon price - Mrs. Joe Six Pack is still trying to pound a penny into a dime so she can feed her 2.654 kids plus herself and her husband - and she cannot do it on high priced food that we produce - so she buys imported food.

My comment is simply backed up by the fact that imported food stuffs are growing and home grown food stuffs are decreasing - it is that simple.

Both countries are in trouble

Stimulate agriculture - how?

COOL? Bull Schitte! - All that does is tell someone that they are buying food produced in a certain country. PRICE is the determing factor - two cans of stew - both appear on the label to be what Mr. Joe Six Pack needs - one is $4.50 per can (domestic) and the other is $2.25 (imported).

Which one will she (and the vast majority of us all) buy?

If you say the high priced one you are living in a dream world - the vast majority of consumers disagree with you and tell us this with their wallets.

I do not know what the answer is, for companies will definitely do it in a manner that profit reigns supreme - that is business.

However - when someone stops feeding you after you have become dependant upon that source - you are in trouble - it takes time to ramp up and grow crops. Worse in the long run than taking crack from an addict

I have written this often but will say it again:

1. Canada and the US of A trade - but they do not import enough from each other to feed either country - much of the food comes from far off shore.
2. Systematic destruction of food growing areas through paving and housing developments, plus shutting down food production and processing ability by moving off shore weakens both countries.
3. Neither country can feed itself now - should the borders be closed.
4. Once the entire international system is in place food costs will rise dramatically.
5. Pricing of commodities, taxes, regulations and much more have combined to commence the destruction of domestic ag.
6. Agriculture today - domestic ag - is in serious financial trouble and that is a fact. Ag as we know it may very well disappear in the next generation unless something stops the decline.

Finally - China and Saudi Arabia have bought or leased control of farm lands all over the world totalling an area larger than France according to an article I recently read in the Western Producer - they are both moving into an area we are not even looking at and generating the ability to produce excess food - China will be the new power house someday and it may very well happen through the ability to control food.

Food is a strategic resource and that will come into play - it has already happened with man made famines in Etheopia and Sudan - two wonderful places (not) I have had the opportunity to work in.

Close the supply lines today and the grocery stores would be empty within a couple of weeks - probably less.

Regards

Bez+

[MO_cows]

Bez, I'm sorry that your glass has run empty. Mine is still half full.

Lucky me, I have been the one responsible for grocery shopping for 30 years now. Seen a lot of changes in that time. NEVER thought I would see the day where 'organic', 'hormone free', 'cage free', 'BST free', vegetarian, etc. would be all over the grocery store, produced and marketed by corporate mega ag. But that day is here. It's not just a bunch of hippies at the farmers market or specialty grocery store anymore. So the only logical conclusion is that the average shopper DOES care where their food came from and how it was produced. More so now than any time in the last 30 years.

The COOL labeling really stands out at the seafood/premium meat counter. There is the "farm raised, product of Thailand" shrimp right next to the "wild caught, product of USA" shrimp. The USA shrimp are twice as big and twice the price. The clerk told me they are selling more of the USA shrimp.

I think the video HD posted and other educational advertising can have an impact. And that most people do care what they feed their kids. And that they are willing to pay a cost differential for the domestic product as long as 1) their household isn't in desparate trouble and 2) they perceive it to be better. That video made a big impact on HD or she wouldn't have posted it with umpteen exclamation marks. It showed her things she didn't know before and she's way more educated about food production than Mrs. average consumer. So this type of education is important and effective.

[Alberta farmer]

Most of the food recalls in meat in both the USA and Canada come from US and Canadian plants. I suspect meat coming in from other countries than the home country get a fairly good looking over...probably more than domestic production? Personally I don't have a lot of faith that the US and Canadian companies are much better than anyone else.
When people say "we have the safest system in the world", how do we know that? I think Europe probably has a much safer system?
How do you know that "product of the USA" label on beef is really true? Can you trace it back to the place it was born? Without mandatory traceback COOL is nothing more than a marketing tool and protectionism.

[HOSS]

The best jam I ever had in my life I bought in Canada. It was raspberry and it came in a can. I can't remember the name but if I could I would import that stuff into the US......great stuff