Global National special series 'Table Matters' examines food politics and production

A prolonged cold snap in Florida wipes out 70 per cent of the tomato crop in the Sunshine State. Fast food chains struggle to find affordable tomatoes to put on their burgers; some of them have to cut back altogether. Meantime, in California, a battle is brewing over who gets to use water: farmers in that state's agricultural heartland, or residents further along the coast? Throw in food recalls and pest infestations, and Canadians are left with a food system that is among the most stable in the world, but one that is also highly vulnerable to variables beyond its control.

Whether it is fruits or vegetables, nuts or olive oil, Canada's food system is highly dependent on trade and in particular cross border trade with the United States. Agricultural trade between Canada, Mexico, and the United States grew at an average annual rate of 8 per cent in the years between 1993 and 2006. Cutting off that trade means less supply, particularly of the non-seasonal fruits and vegetables Canadian consumers are accustomed to. That lower supply, in turn, can quickly translate into higher prices for consumers. In the case of the frostbitten tomatoes, Canada can make up for some of the shortfall with domestically-produced hothouse tomatoes; Canadian consumers will not always be as lucky. That same cold snap in Florida put a damper on this year's supply of oranges, and all that volatility has the potential for generating significant price spikes at checkout counters north of the border.

Globalization, economics, health and environmental forces make food a complex and timely topic and Global National will dive headfirst into the politics of food in the five-part series "Table Matters," which started Monday.

“Food is a topic that certainly hits home for every Canadian,” comments Global National anchor Kevin Newman. “In this series we take a look at some of the concerns that are impacting the food supply not only in Canada but abroad as well, because this is a subject that ultimately affects everyone.”

Canadians benefit from some of the best food security in the world, but dig a little deeper and one finds a system that can be much more efficient for producers and consumers alike.

Global National’s Table Matters explored the following:

Part I: Food Safety

Is all that importing and exporting keeping Canadians' food safe? In the first part of Table Matters, reporter Mike Le Couteur looked at an issue that is of concern to three quarters of Canadians: how safe is the food we eat? An outbreak of listeriosis at Maple Leaf Foods in 2008 prompted the government and the industry to adopt a new approach for keeping processed food safe. New guidelines were put into place, standards were raised, and in some cases, the industry felt compelled to go over and beyond the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's own minimum safety requirements. Better technology and more effective reporting are catching bacterial outbreaks -- the biggest threat to food safety -- sooner. Still, a recent study by Deloitte, a consulting firm, reveals that over 80 per cent Canadian consumers can remember a product that was recalled in the past two years. What is more, the union representing inspectors at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency says Ottawa needs to take much more proactive action particularly in terms of the training and technology available to food inspectors. The union also points to a chronic shortage of inspectors, even though the number has been steadily rising in the past 10 years. Union leaders warn another crisis is imminent. Who is to be believed?

Some food producers are much less confident over the two-way flow of product coming in and going out of Canada. They call for more stringent regulation to protect Canada's food producers. A salmonella outbreak in the United States, pest-infested tomatoes from Albania, and melamine-laced milk from China are evidence, they say, that Canada needs to clamp down on how much food comes into the country from abroad. Policies designed to protect Canadian producers from external factors go a long way toward ensuring Canadian prices are steady and that food meets the highest safety standards. Dismantling the Canadian Wheat Board, watering down some of the safeguards built into the dairy industry, and loosening regulation in other sectors of Canada's food system will ultimately hurt farmers and Canadian agriculture. Not so, say others, including the Conference Board of Canada, an Ottawa-based think tank that released a scathing report last fall on Canada's dairy industry.

The extent to which Canada's food system relies on free trade and open competition cannot be understated according to most food economists. For starters, Canada simply does not have a year-round climate that is amenable to natural production of some of the fruits and vegetables we enjoy in the winter months: strawberries, oranges, bananas, and lettuce. The elimination of tariffs, quotas, and cumbersome rules and regulations could go a long way to streamlining our food system and bringing down the price consumers pay for food.

Part II: California Water Shortage

California’s vast and fertile Central Valley is the ‘food basket’ for the US and Canada. Now a water shortage has severely affected the area and that could result in higher fruit and vegetable prices. And it could worsen. Paul Johnson visited the area and talks to farmers and suppliers.

Part III and Part IV: The 100 Mile Diet and the Debate Over Foreign-Grown Food

The popular '100-Mile Diet' is a compelling example of how eating locally-grown foods can support the Canadian economy, protect the environment, and lead to a generally healthier lifestyle. But Canadians so far have not been told the full story about the economic benefits and pitfalls of eating locally grown fruits, vegetables, grains and cereals. First, transportation is only one part of the environmental footprint left by food production. Agricultural runoff, for example, can have a much more lasting impact particularly on our lakes, rivers, and streams.

Then, there is another problem: sometimes, a 100-mile diet can turn into a 200, 300, even 400-mile diet. That's because, as Global National's Christina Stevens uncovered, food consumers believe was grown locally sometimes has to travel large distances from farm to distribution centres, and back to the grocery store. Some farming cooperatives have tried to overcome the challenges of large-scale food distribution by offering food directly to consumers; their model has yet to prove itself capable of meeting consumer demands on any large scale.

Part V: The Canadian Beef Industry

Canada would be faced with daunting challenges were it not able to ensure the security and stability of its food system through international trade. Agricultural trade between Canada, Mexico, and the United States reached nearly $50 billion in 2006; maintaining open borders with our biggest trading partners is a vital part of the health of Canada's food system.

Yet our system is far from perfect: there are broken spokes. Nowhere is that more evident than in Canada's cattle industry. Industry experts call it a "perfect storm of market forces," one in which Canada produces enough cattle to meet overseas demand, but then cannot sell product as effectively as it might want to because of complicated trade restrictions. A high Canadian dollar and fewer bidders for live cattle are further eating into producers' bottom line. Oddly, the price consumers pay for beef is not coming down in any commensurable way. There is a gap, somewhere.

Is it time for a re-think of Canada's food policy? Many agricultural economists contend Canada's food system cannot be governed by rules that hark back to a time when food production was principally a local affair. Is there a balance between adequate regulation and discernible trade? Francis Silvaggio reports from Calgary, the heartland of Canada’s beef industry.