There are multiple ways to enjoy the agriculture industry this year
By Jennifer Jackson
There will be no shortage of celebrations for Canada’s Agriculture Day this year on Thurs., Feb. 16.
What better way to celebrate the country’s bountiful agricultural industry than in Canada’s capital city? Agriculture More Than Ever is hosting a luncheon followed by two industry sessions, “The Future of Agriculture is Bright” and “Celebrating the Food We Love,” in downtown Ottawa on Feb. 16.
The Agriculture More Than Ever luncheon will provide the opportunity to connect and network with industry representatives from across the country, according to a release.
The day will include presentations from an array of industry leaders, including Michael Hoffort, president and chief executive officer for Farm Credit Canada, John Betts, chief executive officer for McDonald’s Canada, and Zenia Tata, executive director of global development for XPRIZE.
“The day is an opportunity for farmers, individuals who work in ag, consumers, and industry organizations to celebrate together,” says Candace Hill, manager for Agriculture More Than Ever. “We created the Ottawa event as one way to bring people together to celebrate and engage in conversations about agriculture and food. The Ottawa event has attracted people and groups from across the industry and it’s going to be a great opportunity to celebrate, network and learn.”
Photo Source: Agriculture More Than Ever
Can’t make the drive to Ottawa? Not to worry – the sessions will be available to stream online for free on Agriwebinar’s website.
Also celebrating Canada’s Agriculture Day are the students of the University of Guelph’s Ontario Agricultural College. The university’s U of G Ag Days will include a day full of student-made displays. These displays will promote agriculture education amongst students and other visitors.
For those who do not want to brave the wintery roads, there are also a number of ways to participate in Canada’s Agriculture Day online.
Beef Advocacy Canada is celebrating the day by hosting a live broadcast on Facebook as they visit a beef cattle operation in Alberta. Online viewers are encouraged to ask the featured producer questions.
Agriculture in the Classroom Canada is celebrating Agriculture Day, as well as Canadian Agriculture Literacy Month in March, on Twitter. The organization is encouraging all producers to use the hashtag #MyFoodStory to accompany a live Twitter video that highlights “their food story.”
One video from each region (west, central and east) will be selected at random as a winner. The farmer who posted the video will earn prizes for their favourite charity or school. The contest will run from Feb. 16 to March 31, 2017.
Overall, there are numerous ways for both producers and consumers to celebrate Canada’s agriculture, according to Hill.
“Canada’s Agriculture Day is an opportunity to showcase our ag pride and create a closer connection with consumers about where food comes from and the people who produce it,” she says. “We look forward to all of the events and activities that will be happening coast-to-coast.”
Agriculture More Than Ever’s website has an extended list of Canada’s Agriculture Day activities across the country.