It’s that time of year again! The sun is finally shining, fields are planted, crops are getting cut, you’re putting in long hours and may find yourself thinking about what’s next. Falling in line with harvest season is Open Farm Day. A chance to educate and excite visitors by showcasing the hard work and dedication it takes to run your operation and produce the food/products that reach their homes across the province.
According to the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity’s (CCFI) 2018 Public Trust research, only 36% of Canadians believe that our food system is on the right track. This is down 7% from 2017. Studies show that people trust farmers but not farming – trusting the person not the process – it’s time we change that.
There is a push for industry led public trust initiatives, at our Annual Meeting back in November public trust was ranked as the number one issue facing our farmers today. Open Farm Day is one key component of this approach – offering a hands-on experience and the chance to connect with consumers face to face.
Over the last 17 years, you have welcomed the public onto your farming operations, we hope you will join us for the 18th Annual Open Farm Day, September 15th 2019. Registration forms can be found inserted in this News & Views issue or online at https://nsfa-fane.ca/projects/open-farm-day/
As a participating farm you must offer activities that will provide an opportunity to educate the public on how agriculture impacts their daily lives. For a full list of requirements, see the registration form. To ensure your farm is included in promotional material, please speak with Katherine by July 18th. A signed copy of your liability/insurance sheet must be submitted by August 2nd.
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to:
Katherine Doyle: kdoyle@nsfa-fane.ca or (902) 893-2293
Lindsey Burgess: student@nsfa-fane.ca or (902) 893-2293