Saskatchewan pork producers celebrate Canada's Agriculture Day
Canada’s Agriculture Day returns on February 22 and Sask Pork is encouraging the Saskatchewan pork industry to participate. The yearly national event was created to showcase what’s happening in the agriculture industry, show consumers where their food comes from, and introduce them to the people who produce it. Last year, the agriculture industry shared its pride, opened the door to new food conversations and trended nationally on Twitter. And the industry is aiming to do it again this year.
How you can get involved:
*Encourage your friends and family to show off their culinary talents using Saskatchewan pork and other all-Canadian ingredients.
*Take a “forks up” selfie with some pork on your fork!
Share your photos on social media using the hashtag #CdnAgDay and tagging @SaskPork on Twitter or @PickPorkSK on Facebook or Instagram.
“We encourage pork producers to share their knowledge and stories with others,” said Mark Ferguson, General Manager, Sask Pork. “Teach someone something new about the Saskatchewan pork industry or agriculture in general. And get active on social media to share the story of agriculture with those across the province and country.”
The Saskatchewan pork industry will also be highlighted during Farm & Food Care’s virtual peek inside three different types of Canadian farms. Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan has teamed up with provincial counterparts in Ontario and Prince Edward Island to bring the event to life. Sarah Heppner, a farm girl and marketing manager with Fast Genetics, a pig breeding company will give the public a chance to learn what it’s like on a typical pig farm in western Canada. What does it look like inside a modern pig barn? What do pigs eat? How do farmers look after their pigs? Sarah has shared her knowledge about the Saskatchewan pork industry through her support of the Saskatchewan Pork Industry Symposium, Agriculture in the Classroom Saskatchewan, and Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan.
“The distance between producers and consumers has never been more significant while at the same time consumers are demanding that they know where their food comes from and how it was produced. Organizations like Farm and Food Care, Ag in The Classroom, and Sask Pork are fundamental in ensuring that Canadian consumers learn from and interact with those that know the industry the best, producers. Regardless of where we fall in the production chain, it is our responsibility to tell the pork industry’s incredible story,” said Sarah Heppner, Marketing Manager at Fast Genetics.
To learn more or register, please visit: farmfoodcaresk.org.
To highlight the agriculture industry, Saskatchewan Agriculture is also hosting a photo contest. You can vote for your favourite photo online from February 16-21. The photo contest has five different categories to submit photos: livestock and farm animals; crops; landscape; people and farming families; and history of farming. The winner will be announced on February 22, Canada’s Agriculture Day. The winning photo will also be highlighted in an issue of Agriview.
Another major initiative taking place is “The Future of Food”, a national virtual conference, which will explore how to create long-term growth in agriculture and food while leaving a positive impact on society and the environment. The event will feature a panel with Charlie Angelakos from McCain Foods; Alanna Kosh from the Global Institute for Food Security at the University of Saskatchewan; Casper Kaastra from Sollio Agriculture; and Samara Foisy from Loblaw Co. Ltd. Special guest Terry O’Reilly, host of CBC Radio’s Under the Influence, will take attendees on a journey to understand how organizations and businesses can achieve outstanding results when they apply “out-of-the-box” thinking. Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Food and Mary Robinson, President of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture will also be joining.
Pre-registration is required. Register here.
To learn more, please visit AgDay.ca.