2023 Agriculture Awareness Summit Examines Public Perceptions of Industry

Feb 15, 2023

Agriculture communicators and leaders are coming together in Saskatoon for the 2023 Agriculture Awareness Summit to explore how the industry is adapting to changes in public perception and connecting with consumers.

The summit, which takes place February 14 and 15, comes a decade after the ministry's inaugural Agriculture Awareness Summit in 2013. This year's event, funded by the federal, provincial and territorial governments through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) and co-hosted by Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, will examine the progress made over the past 10 years and how consumer trends continue to drive public trust considerations regarding agriculture.

"Canada's producers and processors are world leaders in growing nutritious food sustainably," said Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. "As more people seek to better understand where their food comes from, this summit will help producers connect with consumers and showcase our outstanding agriculture industry."

"Agriculture is a rapidly evolving industry that impacts everyone," Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister David Marit said. "As technologies change and consumers become more interested in food production, it's increasingly important that we help inform the public on what we do, how we do it sustainably, and why."

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Video: How Can We Grow More Food With Less Impact?

For over two decades, Dr. Mitloehner has been at the forefront of research on how animal agriculture affects our air and our climate. With deep expertise in emissions and volatile organic compounds, his work initially focused on air quality in regions like California’s Central Valley—home to both the nation’s richest agricultural output and some of its poorest air quality.

In recent years, methane has taken center stage in climate discourse—not just scientifically, but politically. Once a topic reserved for technical discussions about manure management and feed efficiency, it has become a flashpoint in debates over sustainability, regulation, and even the legitimacy of livestock farming itself.

Dr. Frank Mitloehner, Professor and Air Quality Specialist with the CLEAR Center sits down with Associate Director for Communications at the CLEAR Center, Joe Proudman.