MARCH 2018 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC


39


Successful farm tours pay attention to detail Opening your farm is a chance to educate consumers and build trust


by MYRNA STARK LEADER


ABBOTSFORD – Farm tours can help educate those unfamiliar with agriculture and promote the industry to everyone, but opening the farm gates requires serious preparation – from Band-Aids to addressing guests’ tough questions. Clinton Monchuk, a grain, egg and beef producer who serves as executive director of Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan, says 93% of Canadians know little to nothing about farming. However, 60% want to know more. They demand safe food and they don’t want to feel guilty about their food choices. To learn more, 27% go online and 24% go to family and friends. These facts provide a great


opportunity for the industry, Monchuk says. “Every Canadian needs a farmer because less than 3% of Canadians have a direct connection to the farm,” he explained during a half-day seminar at the Pacific Agriculture Show in Abbotsford at the end of January. “We produce food so others don’t have to. If you need legal advice, you search out a lawyer friend, but if you need advice about food, most don’t know a farmer. This is different from the developing world. … Even the language farmers use is a barrier. Does the average person know what a Holstein is?” To help close the gap in


Saskatchewan, Farm & Food Care has taken food influencers out to the farm –


chefs, TV personalities, food bloggers and others – through an influencer program and annual Farm to Fork tours. “Once they have the ability to see a farm, it changes the perspective,” says Monchuk. He shares the story of one television reporter who learned on a tour that there is no nutritional difference between a GMO and non- GMO food and why farmers use them, and shared that with viewers.


How you talk matters One of the most


challenging jobs for hosts is responding to questions from guests about controversial farm issues. Monchuk said farmers need to be ready with answers they’ve given thought to in advance. He says producers need to talk about their processes in a way that’s appropriate to the audience. He encourages farmers to speak the truth but in terms that the person or audience can understand. If the answer can be related to a shared value, even better. “Our natural instinct is to fight back, but don’t try to fight back because it closes down the discussion,” advises Monchuk. “Doesn’t your milk have hormones?” is one example. The answer could be that milk in Canada doesn’t have hormones except those naturally occurring in the cattle, Monchuk says, and the producer could point out that the whole family drinks the milk.


When climate change or protecting the environment


Farm tours can bridge the gap between the huge percentage of Canadians who no longer have a relationship to the farm and producers, says Clinton Monchuk, right, of Saskatchewan. CLINTON MONCHUK PHOTO


comes up, he suggests discussing how new technology and farm practices help protect the soil and plants, and often uses less water than in the past. Monchuk says farmers need to get in front of issues like animal abuse so that the public understands that the cases they see online are not the norm. Producers can do this by walking the guest though the birth-to-death life cycle of livestock. He suggests


No detail too small


Clinton Monchuk offers several tips for a successful farm tour, starting with knowing who will speak. If you can show multiple generations, that’s helpful. An expert, such as a local agronomist or veterinarian can be helpful and add to the tour. Tour leaders and speakers should be dressed so they’re identifiable – whether with farm-branded hats, shirts of one colour or bandanas. Monchuk uses a Bluetooth speaker that allows his phone to be a microphone, so that those talking can be heard. Consider chronological order to tell the


story of the farm, or a day in the life of the operation. Choose speaking locations that offer great photo ops. If you work with livestock, follow safety


protocols but, if you can, let the guests get up close with an animal. A dairy can let guests feel how the milking machine feels on their finger. Visual examples are also helpful, such as showing how many litres of milk a cow produces in a day with milk jugs. Talk about the challenges and risks you and other producers face. Invite the media, but get releases if the tour is with minors.


Think about signage to explain processes, challenges and to prevent people from entering off-limits areas. Give-aways, such as samples of farm


produce, are a great way for guests to experience the farm. Monchuk suggests a pizza snack since it typically contains many food groups which can lead to discussions about production and where the ingredients originate. Be prepared for bad weather, mechanical


breakdowns, volunteer support and illness. Health and welfare planning includes having water, common pain relievers and a first aid kit, plus numbers to call in case there is an emergency. Knowing where to shelter in the event of inclement weather, or in the Lower Mainland, an earthquake, is also important. Washrooms and hand sanitizer are essential. Dress codes should be communicated prior to the event and guests should be reminded of it before they begin the tour. Bus and other parking should facilitate the arrival and departure of guests. —Myrna Stark Leader


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producers also talk about the science of growing, production and economics. When a Christmas tree


grower asked Monchuk how best to respond to a comment about the waste of a tree for a holiday, Monchuk suggested speaking about agro-forestry and that trees are a renewable resource when properly managed. “How much do you make on the farm?” “How profitable are you?” or “How much is


your farm worth?” are other questions that often arise. “I don’t think it’s fair for us not to talk about the profit we make on our farm,” says Monchuk. “To have a sustainable farm, we need to be profitable.” Talking about the risks farmers face can add to the discussion as well as pointing out that farming needs to be profitable to attract people to


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