Celebrating the hard work of farm families in producing food and ag products
Staff Writer
Farms.com
Today marks the start of the 20th Ontario Agriculture Week (OAW), an initiative the provincial government launched in 1998.
From Oct. 1 to 7, Ontarians participate in OAW to acknowledge and appreciate ag industry members.
OAW is held shortly before Thanksgiving to celebrate the significant contributions farmers make to the province’s economy.
“The food and other agricultural products that sustain our lives are the result of the skill, hard work and dedication of Ontario’s farming communities and farm families. It is important to recognize and acknowledge this ongoing contribution by Ontario farmers to the quality of life of all our citizens,” Bill 37, the OAW
Act, states.
Ontario had over 70,000 producers and nearly 50,000 farms in 2016, says an OMAFRA
statistical summary of agriculture.
Mike Pasztor, a cash cropper from Norfolk County, says he hopes teachers and volunteers discuss OAW in classrooms to educate and increase ag awareness.
“I think (Ontario Ag Week) is more of an echo-chamber, something the ag community celebrates itself instead of getting out more to the people we should be reaching … if we involved OAW with schools and different (groups) in the local communities, it could be (even) more beneficial,” he said.
People are using such hashtags as #OntAgWeek and #ThankAFarmer on social media platforms to participate in 2018’s OAW.
OFA, for example, tweeted earlier this morning:
OMAFRA is also participating in the celebration:
pixdeluxe/Royalty-free/Getty Images photo