ANDY WALKER: An agricultural success story

As Prince Edward Island’s No. 1 industry, agriculture is never far from the headlines.

Unfortunately, those headlines are often bad news. Whether it is damage to crops from a changing climate, or a shifting marketplace due to an ever-changing trade rules or consumer preferences, the challenges present a constantly moving target.

As the editor of a farm newspaper for over two decades, it was my job to write about how the industry met those obstacles and I confess the task wasn’t always pleasant. I have talked to producers who had their crop wiped out by factors largely beyond their control and I’ve attended farm auctions and watched producers look on as their life’s work goes to the highest bidder.

However, I also got to see something else in abundance — hope and passion. A phrase that I heard often was “farmers are by nature a positive bunch.” For me, that’s not an opinion — it’s a well established fact.

One thing I also saw develop was a realization the industry needed to do a better job of telling its story. Even in a rural province like P.E.I., the majority of people no longer have a direct connection to farming or even know a farmer.

Those efforts are manifested in events like Open Farm Day, where thousands of Islanders travel to participating farms to learn more about how their food is produced. This event has been around for over 25 years but the turnout remains strong — an indication that people want to learn more and support local food production.

There was also a quick realization that one of the keys to producing lifelong agriculture champions was to “teach them young.” This is a well established fact in the advertising industry as anybody who has children or grandchildren knows.

A national organization called Agriculture in the Classroom Canada developed to introduce agriculture into schools and they quickly determined Grade 3 was the optimum place to start. The Island component of this effort is led by Laurie Loane and the industry could not have a more passionate and effective organizer.

Programs like Little Green Thumbs (which allows students to grow a garden in the classroom) or the Egg to Chick Program that allows students to watch as eggs hatch into chicks before their eyes, give young Islanders a chance for hands-on learning. The organization has branched out to offer more programs geared to different grade levels.

My job allowed me to see many of these programs develop from scratch and, when retirement came, I knew I wanted to help in whatever way I could to make sure these programs not only survived but thrived. I admit my motives were selfish because I want to ensure my three grandchildren have the opportunity to participate when they reach that age.

For the last two years, I have had the privilege of helping out on a farm hosting Grade 3 students on the Friday before Open Farm Day. Since its humble beginnings in 2015, when 164 students visited four farms, this year saw more than 1,400 students collectively tour 34 farms from one end of the province to the other.

For many of these students, it was their first time on a farm. Their enthusiasm was infectious as they toured the barns and asked so many questions those leading the tour often had a hard time keeping up.

Abe Buttimer, whose family operates a dairy farm in New Glasgow, has been involved with hosting and organizing the event since its inception. He loves the questions and excitement from the students and admits he usually ends the day with a renewed passion for his industry

“It’s my favourite day of the year,” he once told me. “Better than Christmas.”

While most of the youngsters probably wouldn’t go that far, they likely had a story for their parents that evening about where the milk came from or how the vegetables on their plate were grown. Hopefully that appreciation will last them a lifetime.

Andy Walker is a P.E.I.-based political commentator and freelance writer. He can be reached by email at andyangelawalker@gmail.com.