NOVEMBER 2017 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC
Farmers must take lead in building public trust Producers are trusted sources of information, but keep a low profile
by MYRNA STARK LEADER CALGARY, AB – Two-thirds
of Canadians consider farmers as trusted sources about the state of Canada’s food system says a new report by the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI), but farmers need to be more accessible if they want their stories to get through. The average farmer has a
circle of friends and a circle of influence, whether they talk to them via social media or at the coffee shop, but CCFI president Crystal Mackay says farmers need to find new ways to share their information – and more of it. “The first step is to be part of the conversation. Share information. If you’re a grain farmer, don’t just take a picture of your harvest,” she says. “Say, ‘Look at the Doritos I am producing’ or ‘Check out the crackers I am making.’ Talk about the pasta. Turn your acres into plates!” The next step is reaching new audiences, something that’s difficult because farmers are the low-key stars of the food sector. “The chance of these folks being profiled in the
top Google search on animal welfare is very slim so this is something our sector needs to invest in,” Mackay says. “We need to create platforms for credible sources – farmers, researchers at
too small. We’re not shaping a grand narrative. We’re telling many, many small stories,” Mackay explains. “If we are going to reach 16 million Canadians who are unsure, one person at a time is great and I believe that is where this needs to start, but we need to turn it up to the millions.” Mackay likens the food
MYRNA STARK LEADER PHOTO
universities or environmental engineers – to share and reach the volume of Canadians that they need to.”
Mackay says many farm associations are having success putting a face to farming. The fact that major retailers are using a cranberry producer or a rancher in their campaigns reflects this. “But despite all our efforts, if you divide them up by commodity, by province, by company, they’re
system to hockey. There’s the peewee league, the regional and provincial leagues, but there’s no NHL of agriculture – at least not one that’s industry-driven. CCFI aims to encourage collaboration across the entire Canadian food system to do long-term planning, talk about issues and messages and get everyone around a table talking – the farmer, the retailer, the grocer, food processor, equipment dealer, the food service person, the seed processor and so on. Co-ordinating the
conversation is part of what it sees as its role. “We all need public trust in the food system, so what can we do bigger and better together?” Mackay asks. “It’s a big challenge, not for the faint of heart or inexpensive. This is a 25-year plan, not a one-time ad campaign.” Right now, CCFI claims 31 members and an
See COUNCIL on next page o
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