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Agriculture in the Classroom welcomes new executive director

Agriculture in the Classroom Canada (AITC-C) has appointed Denise Schmidt as its new executive director. With deep roots in agriculture and a career dedicated to collaboration and community-building, Schmidt steps into this role ready to strengthen the foundation of agricultural literacy across Canada.

Raised with a deep appreciation for Canadian agriculture, Schmidt brings decades of experience connecting industry, producers, associations and government. Most recently, she served as senior director of North American Canola Business and Industry Affairs at Cibus, Her background in agronomy, marketing, and business development positions her well to guide AITC-C’s next chapter of support—anchored in the values of education, collaboration, and community.

“Canada’s future food and ag sector depends on our ability to engage our youth—not just as consumers, but as informed citizens, innovators, and future leaders,” said Schmidt. “It’s an honour to lead an organization that supports both our educators and larger industry by helping students see where their food comes from and the people who make it possible. Together with our partners, we’ll continue to build meaningful connections between classrooms, the farm gate and the larger value chain.”

Agriculture in the Classroom Canada is a charitable organization dedicated to helping students across Canada understand and appreciate the role agriculture plays in their lives. With a strong focus on educational tools that reflect the realities of today’s producers and communities, AITC-C is committed to ensuring every student feels connected to our food systems—and to the people who grow and raise our food.

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Canada's Agriculture Day 2025

Video: Canada's Agriculture Day 2025

Let's celebrate Canadian agriculture.

Well, number one, you don't eat without farmers. Farmers put food on the table. And what could be more important than that?

Well, I think it's important that Canadians understand exactly what takes place, what happens to produce this food, no matter what sector you're talking about.

An awful lot of work goes into that. It's important to understand that meat does not come out of a showcase, and milk does not come out of a bottle. It's produced by farmers and hard work.

Canada has the best farmers in the world. And agriculture is vital to Canada.

In 2024, our agriculture and agri-food sector represented $150 billion of Canada's GDP, nearly $100 billion of our exports, and one in nine jobs.

From grains to fruits to dairy and beef, we are truly blessed with an incredible bounty. Having spent my whole life in agriculture, I see so much potential for the sector.

This time last year, I was proud to open our first-ever agriculture and trade office in the Indo-Pacific, the world’s fastest-growing economy, to cement our presence in the region and grow our exports even more. We've also been making historic investments to help our farmers to boost their yields, protect the planet, and earn a fair living.

The world wants more top-quality, sustainable food, and I know our Canadian farmers can deliver. And it's so important that you do that with pride. We need you.

Quite simply, you eat the most top quality food in the world. You do that because of the quality of farmers and ranchers you have in this country.

Just say thank you to a farmer or a rancher. They work very hard, yes, for a living, but also with a sense of pride in what they produce.

That's what Canada's Agriculture Day is all about.