A new national initiative is bringing a celebration of agriculture to the entire country.
The first Canada’s Agriculture Day is on Feb. 16 and farming operations and organizations across the nation are invited to host events, and all Canadians are encouraged to attend sessions and learn more about the industry. The initiative is headed by Agriculture More Than Ever.
In Ottawa, a luncheon, afternoon session, and evening reception are scheduled. The afternoon session, entitled “The Future of Agriculture is Bright,” will feature Zenia Tata, executive director of global development of XPRIZE and be streamed live at www.agriculturemorethanever.ca
Kaley Segboer, marketing and communications co-ordinator for Agriculture for Life in Alberta, said the first year of Canada’s Agriculture Day is exciting, and offers something a little different that Alberta’s Open Farm Days, which takes place each summer.
She said celebrations like Agriculture Day provide a platform to talk about the importance of agriculture in our lives.
“We forget when we’re eating our bowl of cereal in the morning that there’s been a farmer who’s been up since three hours earlier than that to milk the cow,” said Segboer. “Plus there are the other people who are involved and the impact it has on the community in terms of economic, food supply, and all of those things that are part of agriculture that happen in the background and we take for granted because in Canada, food is so easily accessible to us.”
She said Ag for Life has put together a digital book with more than 100 photo submissions from producers across the province, as well as a few from Saskatchewan and Manitoba, that highlight not only farm operations but some behind-the-scenes work.
From berry farms to a bison farm, she said the photos highlight the diversity of Alberta’s agriculture industry.
“There’s some highlighting some of the fact that you’re doing work but you’re also enjoying it,” said Segboer. “I think that’s why so many people are passionate about agriculture and farming and ranching, because there’s joy in the work.”
She said the digital book provides some context to the majority of Albertans, who live in urban centres, and may not understand or identify with agriculture. For example, some people may not know the yellow fields contain canola, which in turn makes oil used for cooking, she said.
It also shows Canadians how many people are involved in the process and how high-tech the industry can be. There are photos of drones being used on farms, and highly technical equipment that breaks the stereotype of plows and small open-air tractors, she said.
“It’s really trying to draw those connections and also show the fact farmers don’t look like Old MacDonald,” said Segboer.
Ag for Life decided to create the digital photo book because February weather wouldn’t necessarily be conducive to farm visits like Open Farm Days, she said. It’s another way to introduce people to the real faces of ranching and farming without having to brave the cold, she said.
She said anyone involved in agriculture is welcome to join the celebration and put together an event for Canada’s Agriculture Day in 2018.
“It doesn’t have to be experiential because you have the weather as a limiting factor,” said Segboer. “So that’s why you’re seeing things like our book, some lunches and dinners and speakers, those types of things going on, that seems to be more of the fit.”
For more information visit www.agriculturemorethanever.ca.
