In the latest episode of The Food Professor Podcast, our special guest live from Winnipeg is Paul Hagerman from the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, sharing insights from his extensive experience in agriculture and food security across various regions, including Canada, Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. In the news, we address the escalating global health problem of obesity, now surpassing global hunger, AI in agriculture, the unfortunate destruction of the Covered Bridge Potato Chips factory in Hartland, New Brunswick and the portrayal of food costs, shrinkflation and consumer behaviour through characters like Tony the Tiger and the Cookie Monster.
In the latest episode of The Food Professor Podcast, our special guest live from Winnipeg is Paul Hagerman from the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, sharing insights from his extensive experience in agriculture and food security across various regions, including Canada, Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean.
The episode covered a range of pressing topics, starting with the Bank of Canada's decision to pause interest rates again. It also addressed the escalating global health problem of obesity, now surpassing global hunger. A significant focus was placed on integrating AI in agriculture, probing its potential to enhance productivity. The conversation shifted to the notable departure of Oprah Winfrey from WeightWatchers, alongside her decision to donate her shares to the National Museum of African American History, which coincided with a decline in the company's stock value. This move came against the backdrop of WeightWatchers' acquisition of Sequence, a telehealth company, indicating a strategic shift for weight management.
The episode also highlighted the unfortunate destruction of the Covered Bridge Potato Chips factory in Hartland, New Brunswick, by fire, emphasizing its impact on local employment and tourism and the supportive response from government officials. Further discussions included the comparison of Canada's GDP productivity to the U.S., the portrayal of food costs and consumer behaviour through characters like Tony the Tiger and the Cookie Monster, and the looming disappearance of plastic bagged milk, reflecting on the evolving landscape of dairy and dairy substitute consumption and production practices.
About Paul
Paul Hagerman joined the Canadian Foodgrains Bank in 2007 and now oversees advocacy work on food security issues within the organization. Prior to his work with the Foodgrains Bank, Paul worked in agriculture for over 20 years in Canada, Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. While most of this time was spent in agricultural extension, he has also been involved in agricultural education and research.
Paul has a Masters in Agriculture degree from the University of Guelph in combined agricultural pest management with rural planning and development. Paul is a member and music leader at Knox United Church in Winnipeg.