More than 100 people attending the first Agriculture Awareness Summit in Regina Feb. 6 agreed that maintaining the meeting’s momentum is their next challenge.
The breadth of the industry — and the country — doesn’t make it easy to establish a national campaign that suits everyone involved.
However, the consensus seemed to be that something more should happen.
“We need to get organized around this subject and communicate,” said facilitator Kim McConnell as the meeting concluded.
For months, Saskatchewan agriculture minister Lyle Stewart has said the industry has a great story to tell but doesn’t do a good job of telling it.
Read Also
August rain welcome, but offered limited relief
Increased precipitation in August aids farmers prior to harvest in southern prairies of Canada.
The province was the first to sign on to the Agriculture More Than Ever campaign spearheaded by Farm Credit Canada, and the summit was held to bring together industry and government leaders to gauge where individual efforts are at and how to better educate the public.
A survey of the attendees showed 80 percent were already involved in awareness initiatives.
Deputy agriculture minister Alanna Koch said a combined effort is needed for the industry to show people further removed from the farm what farmers do and how.
Public perception and trust in the industry was a theme running through several presentations.
Sara Shymko, executive director of Saskatchewan’s Agriculture in the Classroom program, said agriculture shouldn’t shy away from the tough questions.
“The questions critics are asking are driving innovation,” she said. “Through our research we’re going to find (answers).”
Lyndon Carlson, FCC’s senior vice-president of marketing, said his biggest concern going forward was whether it was possible for the industry to agree on its messages.
He said FCC committed three years of funding for its campaign and intends to hand it off to its partners, which now number about 125.
