When you know where your food comes from, it's easier to make the connection from 'farm to table'.
On Nov. 2, the 2024 Government of Ontario’s annual Excellence in Agriculture Awards recognized farmers, processors, industry organizations, and businesses whose contributions strengthen growth across the province’s $50.7 billion agri-food sector.
This year's recipient of the centrepiece Minister’s Award is Farm & Food Care Ontario, a not-for-profit organization in Guelph that, for over 30 years, builds partnerships to raise awareness about food and farming in Ontario.
“The board and staff of Farm & Food Care Ontario are delighted to be receiving this award from the province,” said Crispin Colvin, chair of Farm & Food Care Ontario.
"Our work with farmers and food partners helps to reinforce trust and confidence in local farming and food production. This benefits us all. It is so rewarding to see the important work we do supported by our government partners.”
The non-for profit organization helps to foster meaningful connections through marketing campaigns and resources including 'The Real Dirt on Farming', while also hosting farm tours and events such as 'Breakfast on the Farm'.
Farm & Food Care Ontario also provides training to develop strong agricultural ambassadors to educate the public on where their food originates.
"As an agricultural outreach organization, we are funded by farmers, farm businesses and commodity groups with the mandate to try to connect people with their food, recognizing that we are less than two per cent of the population that now live on farms," said Farm & Food Care Ontario's executive director, Kelly Daynard.
"And a lot of people don't have a place to go for accurate information about where their food comes from."
Thirteen winners and 16 honourable mentions in agriculture excellence across 11 categories were honoured this year.
The purpose of the Excellence in Agriculture Awards is to recognize and encourage outstanding efforts that drive the agriculture and food sector forward and to raise awareness of Ontario’s agriculture and food sector and its impact on the provincial economy.
With over 871,000 people working in the Ontario agri-food industry, the awards event offers an opportunity to recognize agricultural employers and leaders.
Along with the Minister’s Award, Farm & Food Care Ontario also won the Award for Promotional Excellence.
Farm & Food Care Ontario is a whole-sector coalition made up of representatives from all farming types and associated businesses, and positions itself as the helpful expert on Ontario agriculture and is active in promotion, education, program development and consumer research.
"The beauty of Farm & Food Care is that one day we might be working on a dairy project. The next day we might be in the field, filming a greenhouse vegetable or ginseng project, and then the next day, it might be an egg project," Daynard said.
Staff stays current on issues related to farming, including animal welfare, environmental and food safety issues, activities by special interest groups, public attitudes, and government legislation.
"We continue to grow. I often say, we are tiny but mighty. We have a staff of nine in Ontario. We also have sister groups in Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island," Daynard said.
"The sky's the limit."
Daynard says the organization might be small, but it does some really big things every year.
"We do a series of virtual reality tours so that people can tour farms without leaving their computer. And most of those are filmed in Ontario. We do a series of events across the province called 'Breakfast on the Farm'. We feed up to 2,500 people breakfast on an Ontario farm, they an have a tour, and meet some amazing farming volunteers," Daynard said.
"And we do a booklet called The Real Dirt on Farming, which is kind of a one stop approach to answering the most commonly asked questions about food and farming in Canada."
Raised on a farm just outside Guelph, Daynard says she feels lucky to have had the experience of growing up in such an environment alongside relatives in the business.
"When I went to university, I quickly realized that none of my urban classmates had any idea where their food came from," she said.
"So now, being able to work in a career where we are able to help make those connections, it is incredibly rewarding."
The goal for Farm & Food Care Ontario is to continue to build public trust in food and farming in Ontario and across the country.
"Awareness continues to grow and people are genuinely interested in where their food comes from," Daynard said.
"So, if we can help answer any questions, we are thrilled to do it."
