Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan is very pleased to see a significant increase in support from our members over the past year. First, we’ve seen an increase in the number of members at FFC SK, with new organizations becoming members across our membership levels. Second, several of our Principal Members have increased their support for our public trust work—some increasing their support by 50% and others actually doubling their annual investment. We would like to especially thank Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, Saskatchewan Wheat Development Commission, Chicken Farmers of Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan Oilseeds for their confidence in the work we are doing to build consumer awareness and trust in food and farming.
Much of this investment is going to support Canadian Food Focus, a national consumer outreach initiative. Canadian Food Focus includes a robust website and social media presence that engages consumers’ interest in food and answers questions they have about farming. It is a one-stop-shop that provides information on all kinds of Canadian-grown foods from coast to coast. Canadian Food Focus also provides outreach and education to influencer groups like dietitians, food professionals and policymakers.
This national initiative is making a difference in consumers’ perceptions about food and farming, with more than three quarters of a million engagements every month, primarily from Canada’s largest urban centres. This is the first time an agriculture-based program has been able to reach consumers on such a large scale. Our members want to support and expand this important work.
In addition to our efforts on national consumer engagement, we are also working to engage consumers here in Saskatchewan. In 2024, the first Open Farm Days took place in our province, with an estimated attendance of 3,000. This now-annual event connects the public with local farms, promotes agri-tourism, and celebrates local farm products. At the same time that it helps people understand how food is produced, Open Farm Days also serves as an incubator for agri-tourism and rural sustainability and economic development.
The third pillar that member investment is supporting is industry development, which includes member support, communications training, collaborations with other organizations, and industry alignment. Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan is developing resources to serve members such as images and videos, presentations, training seminars, newsletters and opportunities to connect with others in the industry. All of these help to strengthen the ag sector and better prepare us all to engage with consumers and build trust in agriculture.
All of this work also requires investment in strategic visioning and staff capacity.
The work we do to build consumer awareness and confidence is more important than ever because without public trust, we will lose our ability to farm sustainably. Thank you to all of our members. Your support is an investment in the future of our industry and farmers’ ability to grow food.
See our current members: https://farmfoodcaresk.org/about-us/members-and-sponsors/