Food Banks Canada Urges Canadians to Join the Call for Change

Aug 27, 2024

TORONTO- Food Banks Canada released bleak new polling data today conducted by Pollara that shows 35% of Canadians feel worse off financially than they did three months ago.

Food Banks CEO Kirstin Beardsley says the new findings coupled with recent research from Statistics Canada, underscore the urgent need for action from all levels of government including the introduction of a Groceries and Essentials Benefit to stop Canada's growing hunger crisis and make sure that every person in Canada can afford their basic needs.

"If the newest StatsCan projections come true, the food bank system will not be able to support the tidal wave of people needing support," shared Beardsley, CEO, Food Banks Canada. "The food banking network was never meant to be able to support a quarter of people in Canada. It is a frightening scenario laid out by StatsCan, for so many people struggling to make ends meet, one that needs urgent attention from governments across the country."

Newly released Food Banks Canada poll conducted by Pollara Strategic Insights confirms:

More than a third of people in Canada (35%) feel worse off financially than they did 3 months ago.
Among those who report their financial well-being has worsened over the past three months:
- Almost half of all those with incomes below $50,000 a year (47%)
- 43% or people who identify as visible minorities
- 42% of Millennials

Together with its network of 5,100 food banks and community organizations, Food Banks Canada is encouraging everyone in Canada to use their voice and get involved in the fight against hunger and poverty – as demand continues to soar at Canada's struggling food banks.

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Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.