Marc Fawcett-Atkinson

Reporter Vancouver English

food security, Agriculture, fishing, toxins, shell fish industry, farming, climate change

About Marc Fawcett-Atkinson

Marc Fawcett-Atkinson is a reporter and writer covering food, climate, plastics and the environment for Canada’s National Observer.

His ongoing investigations of the plastic industry in Canada won him a nomination from the Webster Awards this year in environmental reporting.

Marc has previously written for High Country News, the Literary Review of Canada, and other publications on topics exploring relationships between people and their social and physical environments.

He holds an M.A. in journalism from the University of British Columbia and a B.A. in Human Ecology from the College of the Atlantic.

Marc's reporting on food security and agriculture is highly valued by farmers and the academics who study agriculture as unique in Canada.

231 Articles

New rules announced by Health Canada last week will exempt some genetically engineered crops like wheat or soy from government safety reviews.Photo by Dietmar Reichle/Unsplash

Why you probably won't know if you're eating gene-edited food

Canadians could soon be unknowingly eating gene-edited foods that have not been assessed for safety by Health Canada.

Food Insider

News, Food Insider | May 24th 2022

In January, Katia and Brendan Holmes were forced to shut down their farm because PFAS, a toxic chemical, contaminated their dairy herd. Photo provided by Robin Kerber/Misty Brook Farm

Canada fails to test for all toxics on farms and in food

PFAS, a group of chemicals linked to health problems and used in everything from takeout containers to raincoats, is finding its way into American fields and food. Could Canadian farmers be facing the same danger?

Food Insider

News, Food Insider | May 20th 2022

Forget COVID. Canada’s chicken farmers are dealing with a hidden pandemic

First detected in Canada last year, the H5N1 virus has killed over 1.7 million of the country's domesticated fowl and wreaked havoc on poultry and egg farms.

Food Insider

News, Food Insider | May 16th 2022

Three years ago, Saskatchewan potato farmer Joel VanderSchaff planted a 60-acre field with Kernza, an experimental perennial grain closely related to wheat. Photo by Liam Richards/National Observer

When wheat never dies

Why a grain that lives for years could solve the climate crisis.

Farming for the future

News, Food Insider | May 16th 2022

Global food prices are soaring, and shoppers are grocery stores across Canada — and around the world — are feeling the pinch. Photo by Marc Fawcett-Atkinson/National Observer

War, geopolitics, and capital markets driving food costs to the moon

Pundits and farming lobbies are blaming sky-high food prices on shortages, but a new report argues wealthy investors are fuelling the crisis.

Food Insider

News, Food Insider | May 6th 2022

Meat in moderation can be part of the climate solution, regenerative ranchers say

Regenerative farming promotes raising crops and livestock together along with other methods to promote soil health.

Farming for the future

News, Food Insider | May 2nd 2022

‘The worst of the worst’: Pending changes to Canada’s environmental law don’t solve toxic pollution problem

Emissions of over 40 highly toxic chemicals in Ontario, Alberta and Quebec have significantly increased in recent decades, potentially exposing millions of Canadians to harmful groundwater and air pollution, a new analysis shows.

Canada's plastics problem

News, Food Insider | April 28th 2022

Days when I’m worn thin by the climate crisis, I try to recall the joy of Yves and Céline’s farm

Céline Caron and Yves Tessier devoted their lives to protecting soil health long before regenerative farming became mainstream.

Farming for the future

News, Food Insider | April 18th 2022

Regenerative agriculture can combat climate change and keep food on our plates. Here’s how it works

The past decade has seen exploding interest in an approach to farming focused on soil health called regenerative agriculture, which proponents say can help fix the climate crisis. The problem? No one agrees on what regenerative agriculture actually means.

Farming for the future

Explainer, Food Insider | April 4th 2022

How to check who’s posting ads to your local Facebook page

Earlier this month, a Canada's National Observer investigation uncovered links between a half-dozen self-professed grassroots Facebook pages across the country and Canada Proud founder Jeff Ballingall, a prominent right-wing political strategist, and his associates. Here's a quick guide for those who want to figure out who is running political ads on their community Facebook pages.

Democracy and Integrity Reporting Project

News, Politics | March 31st 2022