Ag for Life helps people connect what grows in the field to the dinner plate
Anyone driving by a field who has ever wondered about what’s growing in it now has an answer. Agriculture for Life, or “Ag for Life,” for short, has been running a program called “What’s in the Field?” designed to help people connect what they see in the fields to their dinner plates.
Luree Williamson, CEO for Agriculture for Life, said the program rose out of a recognition of the growing interest in food sourcing.
“I think there’s always been a little bit of interest as people drive around and wonder what’s going on and what’s growing in the fields,” she said.
The goal of Ag for Life is to better inform Albertans about the depth and opportunities in agriculture. The organization works with stakeholders to provide educational programming to school-age youths and beyond.
The “What’s in the Field?” campaign showcases all facets of agriculture in Alberta in the field. The goal is to provide a showcase for ag operations that can benefit people as they travel by, often wondering “What’s in the field?”
At a producer’s request, signs are provided identifying a crop or livestock operation currently operating in a field.
The signs provide a link back to the Ag for Life website where visitors can learn more about specific crops.
“We’ve got some overall info,” Williamson said.
“We really want to show Albertans the whole picture around food. What are we growing around the province? How do we utilize it? (And what) are ways it connects back to the food that’s on their table?”
Between 30 and 40 signs were put up this year, from canola and wheat to sugar beets and livestock.
“Rather than just saying ‘it’s a cow in the field,’ we’re talking about the different breeds in the field,” Williamson said. “We’ve got some identifying different barns, and different aspects from the dairy side.”
Melody Garner-Skiba, executive director for Alberta Sugar Beet Growers, said producers are interested in having the public more informed when it comes to ag matters.
“It’s really important for the agriculture industry to have more conversations around how we are growing people’s food,” she said.
She noted there is more interest in how food is being grown, including safety and pesticide issues, are all topics being discussed. And initiatives such as Ag for Life add information to those discussions.
“This is a great way to start that conversation, through a project like this,” she said.
“It’s amazing, in southern Alberta, how we just don’t realize what we have here,” she said.
“We need to talk about that more. We’re a gem down here, and we don’t just celebrate that enough.”
Arnie Bergen-Henengouwen, a sugar beet farmer in the Picture Butte area and president of the ASBG, said the efforts of Ag for Life are helping raise the profile of sugar beet crops.
He pointed to the number of families who have settled in southern Alberta due to sugar beet farming as an example of the crop’s regional importance.
“It’s a big piece of the puzzle here in the south,” he said, noting no one rotated crop can completely dominate the ag landscape.
“We produce some of the highest-quality beets in North America, and the most sugar per acre in North America, and we hope to keep it viable.
“We have to engage with the public and let people know what we’re doing,” he said. “That’s our goal.”
“Agriculture is a main driver in our province, from an economic standpoint,” said Williamson. “But it’s also relative to everyone’s lives. Everyone eats. Understanding food and where it comes from is very important when it comes to being able to sit down and enjoy your dinner every night.”
Producers interested in being involved with the program are encouraged to visit agricultureforlife.ca to order a sign based on what they have in the field. Signs are produced and shipped at no charge to the producer.