Canada Agriculture Day events celebrate the essential industry
Two Moose Jaw district events were among nine Saskatchewan celebrations of Canada Agriculture Day this year.
The second annual day set aside nationally to observe the importance of agriculture was Feb. 13
In Assiniboia, the Agricultural Health and Safety Network presented a safety workshop for farm and ranch women with speakers discussing life balance, future planning, stress, raising children on the farm, older farmers and safety. Near Craik, a Grade Five class of 28 students visited the Riskan Hope Farm on Highway 11. The Luther family farm sign on the barn near Aylesbury is a landmark. A food evolution screening by the Agricultural Producers’ Association of Saskatchewan was held in Regina at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum.
The Chico Hills Range Farm near Shellbrook held a kitchen party with cake where guests could see farm animals. A farm trade show with guest speakers on soil, weather and markets was held at Arcola.
Melfort area agrologists held a daylong conference/trade show on Feb. 8 featuring speakers like weather forecaster Drew Lerner.
The Hometown Co-op at Broadview held an ag day celebration with beef on a bun and displays of local farm products. Farm Credit Canada information technology members in Regina had a pie day with trivia questions and encouraged other FCC locations to do something for Canada Agriculture Day.
Federated Co-op in Saskatoon held a private potluck event, encouraging other Coops to do an event. Twenty-nine events from Newfoundland to B.C. observed the day, including a food conference in Ottawa. The day is intended to better connect consumers with agriculture and make them aware of some facts like:
• one is eight jobs in Canada is in agriculture;
• beef cattle are 99.9 per cent free of antibiotics when they enter the food chain;
• Canadians eat more than 1.5 billion pounds of beef a year — equal to the weight of 108,000 elephants;
• by 2022 there will be 74,000 job opportunities a year in agriculture; • sales at Canadian farmers’ markets exceed $1 billion annually.
Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@ sasktel.net