To celebrate Ontario Agriculture Week (Oct. 3 to 9), Farmers Feed Cities surveyed people in Ontario and discovered consumers are increasingly aware of the importance of farming – yet younger generations are relatively unaware of where their food is grown.
According to a recent survey, 97 per cent of Ontarians agree that farming is important to the province’s economic strength, health and wellbeing and sustainable environmental future.
While Ontarians are taking strides in understanding the relevance of farming and its impact on the province, the results illustrate a clear gap between generations. On average, only 41 per cent of the younger generation (age 18 to 34) claim to be aware of where their food is grown while 62 per cent of adults (35 to 54) and 68 per cent of adults (55 and older) are aware of their food’s origin.
Farmers Feed Cities is working to bridge that gap through education.
“With Ontario Agriculture Week underway, there’s no better time to understand your food’s journey from farm to fork,” said Jenny Van Rooy, campaign coordinator for Farmers Feed Cities. “The province’s older generation has a strong understanding of farming and the food process. It’s time to share the knowledge by bringing the farm story to the entire family.”
With fewer than 2 per cent of Canadians directly involved in farming, there is a significant misunderstanding among the Canadian public of farming and how food is produced. This school year, Farmers Feed Cities is taking action, launching the Friend a Farmer program in partnership with Ontario Farm Animal Council (OFAC), AGCare, and Ontario Agri-Food Education (OAFE).
The program provides an interactive opportunity for school children to learn about why farming in Ontario is important through building relationships with real farmers.
“Farmers Feed Cities wants to foster a generation of informed consumers,” said Van Rooy. “Children are filled with constant curiosity and we want to be there with the right answers to help revitalize the public attitude and perception towards Ontario’s farming community.”
The survey reveals Ontarians are ready to focus on the farm, finding respondents were overwhelmingly (93 per cent) interested in supporting Farmers Feed Cities – a campaign committed to increasing the understanding of the value that farmers contribute to Ontario’s economic, physical and social health; and to ensure a sustainable future for farmers in Ontario.
Farmers Feed Cities highlights how farmers grow food. The Farmers Feed Cities campaign was developed in 2005, and is an initiative of Ontario Grains & Oilseeds – a coalition of Grain Farmers of Ontario, Ontario Bean Producers’ Marketing Board, Ontario Canola Growers’ Association, Ontario Coloured Bean Growers’ Association and Seed Corn Growers of Ontario. Collectively those groups represent more than 28,000 farmers.
For more information, visit www.FarmersFeedCities.com.
