A recent poll has confirmed what many people already knew. Farmers are a generous bunch.
An Ipsos Forward Research survey found nearly half of Canadian farmers have given part of their production to local or international food banks.
Sixteen percent of farmers contribute on a yearly basis, six percent give regularly and 25 percent donate from time to time.
Prairie farmers are running approximately 85 Canadian Foodgrains Bank growing projects this year on more than 12,000 acres. The foodgrains bank supports aid projects around the world, with farmers and community groups growing crops and making donations.
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“It speaks to a high degree of generosity,” said Ipsos Forward Research senior vice-president Marinus Van Dijk. “Farmers are food producers and proud of that and this speaks to them wanting to feed the world and help people.”
The results are based on findings from 1,048 on-line surveys done in May with members of Producers’ Perspectives, Ipsos’s Canadian AgriForum. It is the first time Ipsos has studied farm donations and it has no plans for further polls.
Van Dijk found the highest percentage of donations came from those in horticulture, viticulture, poultry and hog operations. British Columbia, which includes a high number of horticultural farms, reported the highest number of donations. In 2008, more than half of its farmers expect to donate to a food bank.
Jim Cornelius said the poll reflects what he already knew from his work with volunteers at the foodgrains bank. Farmers recognize many people cannot go the local store to buy food, he added.
“People in farming see what they’re doing as not just a job or business, but they have this sense of vocation that what they are doing and producing is vital to the well-being of the community and people’s health,” he said.
“They want to find ways to share that.”
Cornelius said demand for aid has increased at the same time as supply costs have escalated, causing a major strain on the foodgrains program.
It has now approved twice as many aid programs as last year.
The foodgrains bank is owned by 13 Canadian church agencies that work with international partners to distribute aid. Its proceeds are matched four to one by the Canadian International Development Agency.
The group will focus much of its work this year in Ethiopia and Zimbabwe.
