Our office received an inquiry this past month as to whether or not Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan is involved with university students. Based on the email, it was evident that they felt this was an audience that needed to be considered to build overall trust in the food industry. I was happy to respond indicating that yes, we do engage with university students and in fact we had just completed a farm tour with nutrition students from the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition at the University of Saskatchewan.
There are two main factors to consider when attempting to increase overall public trust in food and farming when we plan different activities and events: (1) will these individuals have influence on a broader audience and (2) will this engagement be meaningful. Let’s tackle the individuals first!
We have long known that dietitians have a direct impact on consumer’s food choices. When we have an ailment in our bodies, the first step is to determine what is going on, which typically means a trip to the doctor who is an expert in that field. In a similar manner, dietitians are the experts in understanding what foods and diets are needed to keep our bodies running optimally and preventing certain issues from happening. We also know that there is a lot of misinformation spread through social media and other sources, which is why it is important to have a personal connection with these nutrition students to form a bond and level of trust that can be drawn upon later on in their careers.
The second factor we consider is ensuring that we can have a meaningful engagement with the group. Numerous studies show hands-on engagement in real life situations has a higher level of impact. Speaking to farmers and ranchers where food is being produced creates an increased level of trust in an open, honest and transparent setting. In fact, our 2025 Saskatchewan Open Farm Days survey showed that 82% of those who attended it increased their understanding and perception of agriculture in Saskatchewan. As with all our farm tours, we want to create a learning environment where questions can be asked about anything pertaining to food and food production.
We take a very targeted approach to what we do and ensure we’re reaching those who will be food influencers in the future. In addition to the farm tour, Clinton Monchuk also serves as a guest lecturer for these nutrition students throughout the year, adding to the engagement. We have received numerous questions and comments from these students over the years showing that this linkage is beneficial and look forward to continuing down this path into the future.