b'FROMOUR DESK Ashley Robinson Summer 2020 - Vol. 17, No. 3The magazine of the Canadian potato industry.PUBLISHED BY:6327435 Canada Ltd.403-313 Pacific Ave., Winnipeg, MB R3A 0M2Phone: 204-453-1965, Fax: 204-475-5247Email: [email protected] Precarious Food Chain PUBLISHERShawn [email protected] EDITORAS WE WATCHED the world as we know it dis- eating more fresh potatoes. I have lots ofAshley [email protected] while the global pandemic unfolded, Ifriends who have told me how much their found myself dumbfounded. I grew up on a farmcooking skills have improved. Most of themMANAGING EDITORMichelle [email protected] have worked in the agriculture industry asused to moan about not knowing how to cook. a reporter for years now, but I honestly had noAs people have discovered the joy of cooking,ADVERTISING SALESCraig [email protected] idea how much it all depended on the restauranttheyre branching out into new recipes and areDean [email protected] new ways to prepare potatoes. ThisSam [email protected] still have roughly the same amount ofat home cooking trend could continue past theMARKETINGpeople on this globe and all of those people stillpandemic. Theresa [email protected] to eat, even if they are doing so at homeTheres also hope those disconnected fromAndres [email protected] of out at a restaurant. Wouldnt this meanfarms will have a new appreciation for agri- CREATIVEthe agriculture industry could just continue alongculture and the food supply system. For yearsLesley Nakonechny, Kyle Dratowany, Theresa Ramsoomairproducing the same amount of food as before?people have taken it for granted how easy itCIRCULATIONThat would be the easy answer, however it turnsis to obtain the food they want and enjoy. TheDean [email protected] it isnt that simple. pandemic has shown us all how easy it is forCONTRIBUTORSOver the last century weve developed a highlythat freedom to be taken away. Mark Halsall, Shel Zolkewich, Eugenia Banksadvanced food supply chain. Weve built factoriesFor myself it has made me rethink aboutEDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARDwith machines which are either designed to processwhat I know about food supply and process- Khalil Al-Mughrabi, Benoit Bizimungu, Robert Coffin, Nick Hubbard, and package food individually for families or ining. Growing up on a farm I firsthand sawJason Kehler, Keith Kuhl, Kevin MacIsaac, Bill Moons, Rick D. Peters, Janet Porchak, Tracy Shinners-Carnelley, Bert Tupling, Peter VanderZaagbulk for the restaurant industry. Farmers haveraw product, but the processing side was a branched out from selling to processors and havemystery to me as all our grain and beef would developed individual supply relationships with localleave the farm on trucks to be processed. ISUBSCRIPTIONSrestaurants. Theyve also sold directly to customersknew what the processed end product lookedSpud Smart is published four times a year. To subscribe, please email through farmers markets and similar services. like though from the grocery [email protected] subscription rate is: $45.00/year plus GST. This spring it seemed as if overnight the entireIve covered agriculture for years now as aInternational subscription rate is CDN$110.00/year.food supply system was flipped upside down.reporter and over time processing has become Restaurants across North America were forced toless of a mystery. But as I said at the start PRINTED IN CANADAPlease recycle where facilities exist.close their in-dining operations to help stop theof this column, I was still shocked when theNo part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written spread of COVID-19. Grocery stores were forced topandemic led to crops being destroyed andpermission of the publisher. limit the amount of people in stores. And farmers,fries piling up.Spud Smart makes no expressed or implied warranties of mechantability who had cultivated those personal relationships,Ive learned the whole industry is moreor fitness for a particular purpose or otherwise, concerning the use of any product and assumes no liability for any injury or damage, direct either saw demand completely disappear or wereclosely connected than we realize, and we allor consequential, incurred from the use of such products or services forced to redesign how they deliver food safely. need each other in order to function correctly.therein. Federal, provincial and municipal laws and regulations This led to unused processed and raw foodWe need farmers to grow the raw product,supersede the information contained within. products piling up. French fry processors acrosshealthy and safe workers to process thePublications Mail Agreement No. 40030841.North America found their refrigerators packed toproduct, restaurants to cook and serve it, andReturn undeliverable Canadian addresses to:Issues Inkthe brim as restaurant demand, which accountsgrocery stores to sell it. If a small problem403-313 Pacific Ave.for around 70 per cent of their market, evaporated.occurs at even one of these steps, were allWinnipeg, MB R3A 0M2In some cases, farmers started destroying cropsgoing to suffer.PRIVACY CODEin the fields or throwing potatoes out, farmers whoFood is something we all need, and we allTo view our privacy policy, visit spudsmart.com.were able to do so gave away what they could. need to support the safe supply of food fromSPUDSMART.COMIt hasnt all been doom and gloom though.field to plate.People are cooking more at home and therefore SPUDSMART@SPUDSMARTMAG2 SPUDSMART.COM SUMMER 2020'