I was impressed by the range of conversations that we had at the recent Know Before You Go on local food and the Calgary Stampede. It is important to have public discussions that delve into pressing social issues - local food is, I think, at the core of a series of debates that will emerge in the coming years.
One of the most pressing is the fate of the Farmer's Market at the Currie Barracks. As most people are aware, it is a popular venue for Calgarians. Its lease will expire in 2009, leaving a host of questions about its future: will it be relocated, and if so, where?
The Herald has been covering this recently, with a 'Sound Off' section for people to leave comments / concerns. While I think this is important, I am disappointed that our elected officials or even the Calgary Farmers Market have not been involved in providing information and soliciting citizen concerns about the future of our local food economy. Farmer's markets offer more than a place to buy sustainable produce; they are important sites for community building. Here, we have the brief opportunity to connect with those who raise our food: to hear their concerns, to share in their process. It is fundamentally important.
My first reaction when I heard that the market was closing was outrage because I love shopping there - but, on reflection, I need more information :
- What is best for the existing vendors? I would love to hear more of their perspectives - does the market serve them well? (check out Wade Sirius' blog 'at the root')
- if the market does stay where it is, but is forced to be more 'competitive' and go into operation 7 days a week, is it going to become too corporate?
- Should we be promoting smaller markets throughout the city (sustainable, cost effective, local) or is a central market more useful?
- Wouldn't a farmer's market that is situated by a transit system be better than one most people have to drive to?
Is it possible to use this as an opportunity to redefine what matters for us as Calgarians? Like most people, I would be very angry if we lost the CFM.
This does give us an opportunity to look at how land is being distributed, and who is making decisions about this distribution. Apparently, Canada Lands Company CLC Limited will make the decision about what will happen to the Farmer's Market. CLC is a federal Crown corporation that was created to optimize the financial and community value obtained from surplus properties no longer required by the Government of Canada.
Back to my original point: shouldn't the citizens of Calgary be the ones defining what makes our communities strong and competitive? Whether or not the CFM stays or moves, I think a bigger issue is who is making the decisions about what happens in the name of the public interest - are we supporting sustainable, small businesses and operations or are we allowing our city to become even more corporate driven? This doesn't even make good business sense, as more and more people want livable cities (walkable, local food, sense of community) rather than sprawl, roads and large stores. - we need more incentives to bring people here!
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Friday, July 4, 2008
Eating local at the Stampede
How serendipidous is this article? It's exciting to see a broader momentum and conversation around local food!
FFWD magazine, July 3, 2008
Where's the Alberta beef?
The shocking truth about Stampede eats
By Julie Van Rosendaal
The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth begins again this week. The event is almost synonymous with Calgary, and yet the majority of the food served there isn't local; most notably Alberta's signature agricultural product.
Beyond the 10 days in July when Stampeding takes over our city, the Calgary Stampede organization contributes year-round facilities, products, services and agricultural programs that cultivate an understanding of the agricultural industry. Stampede Park hosts over a thousand events a year, ranging from trade shows to conferences and weddings. Through its food and beverage department, executive chef Derek Dale frequently feeds up to 10,000 people in a day at Stampede Park functions. Outside the park, 46 volunteer committees work year-round, contributing to various groups and community events throughout Southern Alberta.
It was great news when the Calgary Stampede organization launched a new food service initiative back in February dubbed "Grown Right. Here." The program was designed to support Alberta growers and the agriculture industry in our province, falling right in line with the Stampede mandate to preserve and promote our western heritage and values. It means that wherever possible, local and regional products will be used: MacKay's ice cream; black-currant products from Kayben Farms; Fairwinds Farm goat cheese; oils and pancake mixes from Highwood Crossing; Dri-view Farms lamb; and Valta bison. Alberta-made foods are added to menus and fed year-round to the Stampede's external catering clients - not exclusively, but it is a forward-thinking move that prioritizes growth and sustainability in our city and province.
However, to the average Calgarian, the words "the Calgary Stampede" refer to the event, not the organization. The busiest and most celebrated time of year remains those 10 days in July when we receive over a million visitors from all over the world.
The new initiative is promoted as an opportunity for the Stampede to showcase local producers and their products to those million or so guests. (In 2007, the gate admission totaled 1.25 million.) Unfortunately, the average visitor to the Stampede
will see very few Alberta products. Those in premium seating areas such as Lazy S and Ranahans and owners of infield suites will be fed by the Stampede's food and beverage department and will see some of the aforementioned products on the menu.
The midway, however, which generates food-sales revenue in numbers second only to admissions, is where most of the Stampede's food vendors are represented.
Of course, food associated with the Stampede is most often midway food - corn dogs, mini doughnuts, barbecue beef on a bun, burgers, ice cream, cotton candy, anything deep-fried or on a stick. The gross-out, exceptionally-bad-for-you factor definitely comes into play when choosing new food products for the Stampede; new edibles on the grounds this year include deep-fried Oreos (made with U.S. Oreos, which are apparently crispier than our Canadian Oreos), deep-fried Twinkies, pizza on a stick, New-Orleans-style beignets, bubble tea and London broil (a different version of beef-on-a-bun that comes to us from a Florida concession).
The vast majority of these foods are served up by travelling vendors who come from the states; Calgary is just a stop on their tour of North American midways. Most vendors bring their product with them, so when the vendor comes from Florida, the
beef comes from their supplier.
Why then are there not more Alberta products and processors neighbouring the usual midway concessions? In many cases, local producers are unable to keep up with the demand (the Stampede sees almost 150,000 visitors a day), and often can't afford the average $125,000 it costs for a sufficiently lit-up and flashy midway booth. Other times there are conflicts between local products and official Stampede sponsors and suppliers (which often have exclusive rights) such as Breyers, Labatt, Bulls-Eye and Maple Leaf.
Downstairs in the Big Four building, local eateries such as Wicked Wedge, Billingsgate Fish & Chips, The Holy Grill and Palace of Eats do have outlets in The Range, a cool, licensed area built by a movie-set company to look like a town in the Old West. The Range is more accessible to local businesses than the outdoor midway because the booths have already been built - all they need to bring in is equipment and product.
At the back of the room is a Stampede-run concession that sells its famous burgers, which are by far the biggest sellers on The Range. These Official Calgary Stampede burgers are also sold by Stampede-owned concessions at Nashville North, the
Cookshack, the Corral, the Round-Up Centre and the Grandstand, and are available in frozen packages at Co-op, Zellers and other food stores so you can "take home the authentic taste of an Alberta tradition." The only problem is the official Calgary
Stampede burgers aren't made with Alberta beef; they are a product of Centennial /New Food Classics, who get beef from all over. While the manufacturer says that the Stampede burgers have been made with Canadian beef since the BSE scare a few years ago, the three beef providers it lists on its website are from New Zealand and Wichita, Kansas.
During Stampede, almost 77,000 hamburgers are consumed, about 27,000 beef on a bun and over 30,000 steaks. The other beef products are made by Bridge Brand, and are not necessarily from Alberta either. Lori Creech, communications manager for Alberta Beef Producers, was surprised to hear that the official Stampede burger products were not made with Alberta beef.
"The Calgary Stampede represents Calgary and Alberta and the very best we have to offer; likewise, Alberta beef has a very proud heritage and history," she says. "The Stampede has been very supportive of the beef industry in Alberta; the two have sort of been married to each other for years." She agrees that when most of the world hears "Alberta," beef is one of the most common associations. "It would be nice if the beef served at Stampede was Alberta beef."
I have always been a fan of the Stampede; it has created an award-winning brand and fostered lasting relationships with the community and with industry, putting it in a particularly strong position to promote Alberta beef (and bison) producers to a
world audience. While it does so from an agricultural perspective, it would seem that the best way to support such an industry would be to sell its products.
And from a moral standpoint, it simply seems sacrilegious to create an official Calgary Stampede burger made with anything but Alberta beef. Certainly there is enough in Alberta to meet the 10-day demand.
What does that say about our western values?
FFWD magazine, July 3, 2008
Where's the Alberta beef?
The shocking truth about Stampede eats
By Julie Van Rosendaal
The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth begins again this week. The event is almost synonymous with Calgary, and yet the majority of the food served there isn't local; most notably Alberta's signature agricultural product.
Beyond the 10 days in July when Stampeding takes over our city, the Calgary Stampede organization contributes year-round facilities, products, services and agricultural programs that cultivate an understanding of the agricultural industry. Stampede Park hosts over a thousand events a year, ranging from trade shows to conferences and weddings. Through its food and beverage department, executive chef Derek Dale frequently feeds up to 10,000 people in a day at Stampede Park functions. Outside the park, 46 volunteer committees work year-round, contributing to various groups and community events throughout Southern Alberta.
It was great news when the Calgary Stampede organization launched a new food service initiative back in February dubbed "Grown Right. Here." The program was designed to support Alberta growers and the agriculture industry in our province, falling right in line with the Stampede mandate to preserve and promote our western heritage and values. It means that wherever possible, local and regional products will be used: MacKay's ice cream; black-currant products from Kayben Farms; Fairwinds Farm goat cheese; oils and pancake mixes from Highwood Crossing; Dri-view Farms lamb; and Valta bison. Alberta-made foods are added to menus and fed year-round to the Stampede's external catering clients - not exclusively, but it is a forward-thinking move that prioritizes growth and sustainability in our city and province.
However, to the average Calgarian, the words "the Calgary Stampede" refer to the event, not the organization. The busiest and most celebrated time of year remains those 10 days in July when we receive over a million visitors from all over the world.
The new initiative is promoted as an opportunity for the Stampede to showcase local producers and their products to those million or so guests. (In 2007, the gate admission totaled 1.25 million.) Unfortunately, the average visitor to the Stampede
will see very few Alberta products. Those in premium seating areas such as Lazy S and Ranahans and owners of infield suites will be fed by the Stampede's food and beverage department and will see some of the aforementioned products on the menu.
The midway, however, which generates food-sales revenue in numbers second only to admissions, is where most of the Stampede's food vendors are represented.
Of course, food associated with the Stampede is most often midway food - corn dogs, mini doughnuts, barbecue beef on a bun, burgers, ice cream, cotton candy, anything deep-fried or on a stick. The gross-out, exceptionally-bad-for-you factor definitely comes into play when choosing new food products for the Stampede; new edibles on the grounds this year include deep-fried Oreos (made with U.S. Oreos, which are apparently crispier than our Canadian Oreos), deep-fried Twinkies, pizza on a stick, New-Orleans-style beignets, bubble tea and London broil (a different version of beef-on-a-bun that comes to us from a Florida concession).
The vast majority of these foods are served up by travelling vendors who come from the states; Calgary is just a stop on their tour of North American midways. Most vendors bring their product with them, so when the vendor comes from Florida, the
beef comes from their supplier.
Why then are there not more Alberta products and processors neighbouring the usual midway concessions? In many cases, local producers are unable to keep up with the demand (the Stampede sees almost 150,000 visitors a day), and often can't afford the average $125,000 it costs for a sufficiently lit-up and flashy midway booth. Other times there are conflicts between local products and official Stampede sponsors and suppliers (which often have exclusive rights) such as Breyers, Labatt, Bulls-Eye and Maple Leaf.
Downstairs in the Big Four building, local eateries such as Wicked Wedge, Billingsgate Fish & Chips, The Holy Grill and Palace of Eats do have outlets in The Range, a cool, licensed area built by a movie-set company to look like a town in the Old West. The Range is more accessible to local businesses than the outdoor midway because the booths have already been built - all they need to bring in is equipment and product.
At the back of the room is a Stampede-run concession that sells its famous burgers, which are by far the biggest sellers on The Range. These Official Calgary Stampede burgers are also sold by Stampede-owned concessions at Nashville North, the
Cookshack, the Corral, the Round-Up Centre and the Grandstand, and are available in frozen packages at Co-op, Zellers and other food stores so you can "take home the authentic taste of an Alberta tradition." The only problem is the official Calgary
Stampede burgers aren't made with Alberta beef; they are a product of Centennial /New Food Classics, who get beef from all over. While the manufacturer says that the Stampede burgers have been made with Canadian beef since the BSE scare a few years ago, the three beef providers it lists on its website are from New Zealand and Wichita, Kansas.
During Stampede, almost 77,000 hamburgers are consumed, about 27,000 beef on a bun and over 30,000 steaks. The other beef products are made by Bridge Brand, and are not necessarily from Alberta either. Lori Creech, communications manager for Alberta Beef Producers, was surprised to hear that the official Stampede burger products were not made with Alberta beef.
"The Calgary Stampede represents Calgary and Alberta and the very best we have to offer; likewise, Alberta beef has a very proud heritage and history," she says. "The Stampede has been very supportive of the beef industry in Alberta; the two have sort of been married to each other for years." She agrees that when most of the world hears "Alberta," beef is one of the most common associations. "It would be nice if the beef served at Stampede was Alberta beef."
I have always been a fan of the Stampede; it has created an award-winning brand and fostered lasting relationships with the community and with industry, putting it in a particularly strong position to promote Alberta beef (and bison) producers to a
world audience. While it does so from an agricultural perspective, it would seem that the best way to support such an industry would be to sell its products.
And from a moral standpoint, it simply seems sacrilegious to create an official Calgary Stampede burger made with anything but Alberta beef. Certainly there is enough in Alberta to meet the 10-day demand.
What does that say about our western values?
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
A report we should all be aware of....
In April, 2008, the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production released a condemning report of the meat and dairy production industries in the US, arguing that the trend towards animal farming has become increasingly industrialized and that this is putting the environment, human health and animal welfare at risk. The close confinement of animals increases the risk of the spread of disease, forcing producers to use antibiotics, that in turn lead to resistant strains of microbes. Large scale livestock operations also contribute to 18% of greenhouse gases. The report recommends a ban on the nontherapeutic use of antibiotics, new disease monitoring, new ways to deal with animal waste, and an enforcement of anti trust laws to encourage smaller farm operations.
Imagine if the Alberta government took this report seriously (okay, I know, stretch your imagination a bit)- what would it do to Alberta beef?
Ref: http://www.pewtrusts.org/news_room_detail.aspx?id=38438
Imagine if the Alberta government took this report seriously (okay, I know, stretch your imagination a bit)- what would it do to Alberta beef?
Ref: http://www.pewtrusts.org/news_room_detail.aspx?id=38438
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Is industrial agriculture here to stay?
Here's a thought provoking quote, from an equally interesting article in the Guardian. Unfortunately, this misses entirely the role that governments can and do play in regulating / subsidizing our food supply. I think arguments like this will win the day only if we neglect to consider the impact of agricultural policy, and only if we get caught up in the idea that the market consists solely of supply and demand.
"For those who can afford it, there will always be a place for the artisanal farmer, who harks back to a mythologised rural British past and whose touchy-feely methods are as much about marketing as agriculture.
For the rest of us, who are trying to work out how to fit our thin budget to the financial realities, there are tough choices to be made. And it looks like deciding to embrace efficient if ugly industrial-scale food production may be one of them."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jun/22/food.biofuels?gusrc=rss&feed=science
"For those who can afford it, there will always be a place for the artisanal farmer, who harks back to a mythologised rural British past and whose touchy-feely methods are as much about marketing as agriculture.
For the rest of us, who are trying to work out how to fit our thin budget to the financial realities, there are tough choices to be made. And it looks like deciding to embrace efficient if ugly industrial-scale food production may be one of them."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jun/22/food.biofuels?gusrc=rss&feed=science
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
The most important invention of the 21st century...
Last week, I gave a guest lecture on Food Politics for a regularly offered Food Culture course at the university. I argued that the Haber Bosch process, which fixes nitrogen to produce ammonia, was the most important invention of the 20th century. Why? Because it allowed for the mass production of fertilizer which, depending on your perspective, has either been our biggest blessing or curse (or both).
We were collectively wondering what the 'big' invention of the 21st century would be that would transform food and agriculture. I said that heritage seeds were a contender - all agricultural products are technological but they force us to redefine what we mean by the term. One student said that she thought it would be the internet. Why? Because it allows for a plethora of voices, perspectives and ideas to 'meet' and interconnect.
I think she's right (even though it took form in the late 20th century). It's not just about what we're eating, but the ways in which we're talking about what we're eating - how we connect food to bigger issues like environmental sustainability and social justice. And, what we can do about enabling those big ideals in concrete, practical and manageable ways.
We were collectively wondering what the 'big' invention of the 21st century would be that would transform food and agriculture. I said that heritage seeds were a contender - all agricultural products are technological but they force us to redefine what we mean by the term. One student said that she thought it would be the internet. Why? Because it allows for a plethora of voices, perspectives and ideas to 'meet' and interconnect.
I think she's right (even though it took form in the late 20th century). It's not just about what we're eating, but the ways in which we're talking about what we're eating - how we connect food to bigger issues like environmental sustainability and social justice. And, what we can do about enabling those big ideals in concrete, practical and manageable ways.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Envisioning a New West...
I love western landscapes - the smells, the dry air, the crazy climate, the intense sunlight. But, western landscapes are some of the most contested regions in North America. In less than 50 years, they have been transformed from rural to urban centers. Indeed, Calgary, Edmonton and surrounding cities are marked by explosive growth - urban, suburban . These urban centers are also car dependent, and have sprawled over and into productive agricultural land.
The west is also marked by oil and gas, but also the livestock industries. We are endangering, perhaps irreversibly, our water and air quality by virtue of these industries.
Unfortunately, they are so bound up with Albertan identity that to criticize them is akin to being a traitor to the region.
Sigh.
Luckily, groups are forming to revision the West, not as a greedy, capitalist, 'take what you can and destroy the rest' region, but as an environmentally sound and socially just region.
The Quivira Coalition is one: http://quiviracoalition.org/Radical_Center_Invitation/index.html
The west is also marked by oil and gas, but also the livestock industries. We are endangering, perhaps irreversibly, our water and air quality by virtue of these industries.
Unfortunately, they are so bound up with Albertan identity that to criticize them is akin to being a traitor to the region.
Sigh.
Luckily, groups are forming to revision the West, not as a greedy, capitalist, 'take what you can and destroy the rest' region, but as an environmentally sound and socially just region.
The Quivira Coalition is one: http://quiviracoalition.org/Radical_Center_Invitation/index.html
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