I recently heard a tagline from past issues of Small Farm Canada that rang true, ‘there is a small farm on every farm.’ Canada is celebrating agriculture on February 23rd and we have been reflecting about what small farmers add to the mix. Immediately I thought of innovation, but there are many large farming innovators too. Resourcefulness, yes large farms are resourceful too, hard-working, yup! Small farms share so much with all farms, but here are some small farm trends in Canada that may be of interest:
- There are fewer farms creating more crops and livestock yield. Studies suggest that on small farms the production per acre is more effective and healthier when compared to large scale farms.
- Sheep and goats are one of the few areas in small farming that is on the incline with increases in their revenue and small growth in number of farms in production.
- Fertilizers, pesticides as well as seeds and plant costs have been steadily dropping from 2016-2018 suggesting adoption of more regenerative and organic practices.
No matter the farm size FCC’s Agriculture More Than Ever initiative, will be hosting a virtual Ag Day event to celebrate on Tuesday February 23rd at 11:00 am. Agriculture Day began in 2016 to celebrate farmers, to bring attention to agriculture and to express pride in Canada’s agricultural industry. The event led by Agriculture More Than Ever will take place virtually with a fireside chat with industry leaders. It will begin with welcomes from FCC. Followed by remarks from Canadian Federation of Agriculture President Mary Robinson and Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Marie-Claude Bibeau.
The event will also include Michael Hoffort, FCC President and CEO, and Dominic Barton, Canada’s Ambassador to China as they discuss global trade opportunities. As well as a panel discussion featuring industry experts providing their thoughts on global growth prospects in food and how the industry can be a powerful tool in the economic recovery.
Organizers are encouraging everyone to celebrate the day safely, in their own way, and to share photos of the celebrations on social media. Happy Agriculture Day Canada! To share your images on social media be sure to use #CDNAgDay and #SmallFarms.
FCC’s Agriculture More Than Ever, free virtual session is scheduled for Tuesday, February 23rd, 11 a.m. -12:20 p.m. EST. To register or see the agenda, please follow this link: https://agriculturemorethanever.ca/cdn-ag-day-event/.