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By Alice McFarlane

Farm and Food Care Sask

Farm and Food Care celebrates 10th anniversary

Sep 24, 2024 | 5:24 AM

Representatives of the agriculture, food and science sector gathered Monday to celebrate ten years for an organization that improves trust and understanding in food and farming.

Its mandate then, as it is still today, was to build public trust in Saskatchewan-produced food and to help consumers make connections between the food they eat and the farms that grow it.

Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan (FFC SK) was created by the industry wanting correct information on agriculture was making its way to the public, according to Executive Director Clint Monchuk.

“A lot of the commodity groups and the Ministry of Agriculture said, you know what, there is a little bit of uncertainty taking place with the general consuming public and we need to do a better job of getting out in front of this and talking to them about what we’re doing,” Monchuk said. “We’re seeing it more and more that there are questions and we want to be that source for answers.”

The organization grew out of the Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan, which came together with several crop commissions and support from the Ministry of Agriculture. It followed a similar transition in Ontario’s agriculture sector in 2012.

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Monchuk said some of the milestones the group has achieved over the past decade include an increase in membership from 20 in its first year to 69 today, representing individual farmers, producer organizations, Hutterite colonies, rural municipalities and agribusiness companies.

FFC SK has hosted at least 26 different farm tours for food influencers, students and policy makers over the years. One of the most significant successes in the last ten years has been the creation of Canadian Food Focus, a national program that engages with almost a million consumers across the country every month on topics like recipes, what’s in season, sustainable farm practices, and health aspects of Canadian-grown foods.

While pleased with their progress, Monchuk pointed out there is still much to be done to connect consumers to food producers.

“Today, less than two per cent of Canadians have a direct connection to farming,” he said. “The need for accessible and credible information about food has never been greater.”

At today’s luncheon Monchuk reported that support for the organization has increased by $150,000 just in the last six months and additional growth is planned for the coming year.

The event also kicked off Global Biotech Week in Saskatchewan, which celebrates science and biotechnology and highlights Saskatchewan’s leading role in this area.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @farmnewsNOW