Much of what children know about the world comes from what is taught in school. Yet schools on the Prairies teach little about how food is produced and about opportunities in agriculture despite the importance of the agriculture sector in the region. Reporters Robert Arnason in Brandon and Barb Glen in Lethbridge visited schools and talked with educators, students and agricultural education promoters. They found the emphasis on agricultural education often depends on teacher interest, and found a need for accurate, balanced information.
Rural and urban high school students tend to agree on the importance of agriculture, but they have different opinions about a number of agricultural issues, an informal survey reveals.
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In an experiment to gauge urban and rural students’ attitudes to common agricultural practices,Western Producer reporters Robert Arnason and Barb Glen compiled a 10-question survey (PDF format).
They administered it to 33 Grade 11 and 12 students at Westwood Collegiate in Winnipeg and 44 students at Livingstone School in Lundbreck, Alta., and Noble Central School in Nobleford, Alta.
The strongest agreement between rural and urban students was found on the importance of agriculture.
Ninety-one percent of students in Manitoba said agriculture was the most important industry in their province and 71 percent of Alberta students saw it as most important in their home province.
The most obvious difference between urban and rural students involved farmers defending their livestock from predators.
Ninety-five percent of rural Alberta students agreed farmers should be allowed to shoot predators to protect livestock, compared to 59 percent of urban Manitoba students.
The majority of students rejected the notion that it is realistic to eat only food grown within 100 miles of their homes, a question designed to gauge support for the 100-mile-diet idea that has gained attention in recent years.
Eighty-four percent of urban students and 82 percent of rural students rejected that notion.
As well, most students from both provinces do not think modern farming is a major cause of global climate change.
Among urban students, 71 percent rejected that idea, as did 68 percent of rural students.
Support for the use of pesticides on crops was stronger among rural students, with 87 percent in agreement with the practice. Urban students were 66 percent in agreement.
On the statement that large corporations own and operate most of the farms in North America (they don’t), 41 percent of rural students agreed compared to 63 percent of urban students.
Urban students were more inclined to agree that food labelled organic is just as nutritious as food without an organic label.
Fifty-six percent of urban students said they were equal, compared to 32 percent of rural students. Sixty-eight percent of rural students do not think the two types of foods are equally nutritious.
Most students think farmers care about the environment, although Alberta students showed slightly less confidence in that statement.
Most also believe that food from a small farm is better than food from a large farm. Among urban students, 57 percent agreed with that statement, as did 64 percent of rural students.
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Alberta36%32%28%25%
4) Food that comes from a small farm is better than food from a large farm.
25%25%23%Alberta25%Alberta32%Alberta30%Alberta41%27%
36%
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Manitoba29%Manitoba30%44%Manitoba36%29%
28%
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43%
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Alberta
61%
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32%Alberta25%
30%
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Alberta27%25%
23%
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30%
24%
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strongly agree
agree somewhat agree somewhat disagree disagree
