Each year, Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan partners with the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition at the University of Saskatchewan to host a farm tour for future dietitians. The experience is meant to give these students a better understanding of the methods we use as farmers and ranchers to produce food in Saskatchewan. The tour this year involved twenty-one second-year students, with over half of them who had never been to a farm or only been a couple times in their life.
The tour started with a trip to Sixteen Grains located west of Saskatoon. The multi-generational grain farm showcased a variety of different crops that were grown as well as technology assisting farmers become more sustainable. In the afternoon, the group learned about modern livestock handling and new research underway at the Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence near Clavet. Dr. Scott Wright elaborated on how proper grazing is not only beneficial for the environment, but also helps rancher profitability. The final stop of the day was the Rayner Dairy Research and Teaching Facility on the U of S campus. Students were able to see cows freely use robotic milking, as well as ask questions about dairy cattle.
With every Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan tour, we like to gauge the level of change in participants’ minds. One measure of success is how much their knowledge of primary production increased. In this tour, students’ understanding of farming practices increased from just 10% “well or very well informed” prior to the tour to a whopping 79% after. One comment summed up the experience and benefit, “Farmers care so much and there is so much done to ensure the safety and comfort of livestock. They also put in a lot of effort to have healthy crops and make sure the soil doesn’t get too depleted of nutrients.”
These individuals will someday be advising Canadians on what to eat and answering questions about their food concerns. Having this opportunity during their education is one of many ways Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan is building trust in our food system through engagement.