YORKTON - If there is one economic sector which deserves a day where we all perhaps pause for even a few minutes over a cup of coffee to reflect upon, it is agriculture.
That reflection of course would be easily triggered since the beans that led to the cup of coffee come from a farm.
The sugar and cream in the coffee do too.
And if you are one of those who likes sneaking a cinnamon bun with coffee, well the flour and eggs for the bun dough, the cinnamon for flavouring and the raisins – you need raisins in a good cinnamon bun – all come via agriculture.
That’s what sets agriculture apart from other economic sectors, its importance goes far beyond the dollars it generates, or the jobs the sector creates.
We all need to eat, and that food needs to come from somewhere – the farm.
Certainly we could do more to feed ourselves, but at least here in North America we have largely abandoned self-production of food.
Where once backyard gardens were common place, they are now largely concrete pads and lawn grass, neither which would make good soup even if one were hungry.
And while a few people in forward thinking cities allow backyard chickens, a source of eggs for breakfast at least, others such as Yorkton said no to the idea, citing concerns from the Protective Services Committee at the time. Apparently an escaped hen is far more alarming than a large dog and its teeth should it hop the fence.
While most of us have given up even the most basic food production, and the skill to garden may actually be one that is soon lost among generational urbanites, we still want to see three meals a day on the plate.
We head to the grocery store to fill the menu.
Some may think milk actually originates in a plastic jug, and bread magically appears, that of course is not the case. Food comes from a farm somewhere, and we should never lose sight of that even as many of us become more distanced from farms.
That is why there being an Agriculture Day in Canada – which happens to be next week on Feb. 22 – is important.
It’s good to pause and ponder about where our food comes from, and just as importantly about those who produce it.
In a release about the day the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food stated, “as we approach Canadian Agriculture Day, I want to recognize the hard work of agricultural producers and all agri-food workers across the country. I encourage everyone to take this day to thank these people who, despite the many challenges of the past two years, remain committed to providing us with healthy, nutritious and high-quality food. It is through the dedication of our farmers to their land and their animals, their concern for the environment and their commitment to our rural communities that Canada is known for its sustainable agriculture.”
That about captures the importance of the day, so let’s all just thank a farmer on Feb. 22.
