Organizers are grateful for all those who raised a fork on Canada’s Agriculture Day

A lot has changed in the last year, but the enthusiasm Canadians have for celebrating the nation’s agriculture and food industry remained strong on the fifth-annual Canada’s Agriculture Day.

“Whether we are online or in person we can still celebrate the amazing women and men who make our agriculture and food industry the best in the world. Today we say, ‘thank you’ to all of them,” said Marie-Claude Bibeau, minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, speaking virtually during a fireside chat that included agriculture and food industry leaders during Canada’s Agriculture Day on February 23.

“Despite all the challenges farmers and food processors faced throughout the pandemic, they still found the time and energy to help their neighbours and other Canadians in need.”

2021 marks five years since Canada’s Agriculture Day started a mission to celebrate the industry. This event has helped shine a light on the people who bring the agriculture and food sectors to life. It has given consumers a way of connecting with where their food comes from and has helped to reinforce the importance of Canada on the world food stage.

“We simply set the stage and Canada’s Agriculture Day comes to life because of the producers and consumers across the country who embrace it,” said Isaac LeClair, spokesperson for Agriculture More Than Ever, one of the driving forces behind Canada’s Agriculture Day. “It was rewarding to see #CdnAgDay trend on Twitter again this year with people sharing the real ways agriculture and food positively impact their lives.”

While getting together in person was limited this year, agriculture and food groups weren’t deterred, instead hosting online events. From ag and food webinars to virtual farm tours and universities hosting virtual events. We also watched dieticians sharing favourite Canadian-food focused recipes on morning TV programs, helping to make this year’s event a huge success.

Hundreds of people signed up to watch the virtual fireside chat event featuring agriculture and food leaders like Michael Hoffort, FCC CEO, Dominic Barton, Canadian Ambassador to China, Chantelle Donahue (Cargill), Daniel Vielfaure (Bonduelle) and Murad Al-Katib (AGT Foods). They reached a national audience with important conversations around the future of food in Canada.

LeClair said agriculture is an industry built around community and bringing people together to share ideas and celebrate everything it offers is a natural fit.

“We’ve watched Canada’s Agriculture Day grow into a much-anticipated day on the calendar. While this past year has taught us how unpredictable life can be, we look forward to planning for another day of celebrating our agriculture and food community in 2022,” he said.