On June 3 the Fergus Agricultural Society hosted the Agriculture Education Day for Grade 5 students for the second time ever at the Centre Wellington Sportsplex.
Organizer Rebecca Hannam said there were 28 stations which the students would rotate through, ensuring everyone gets a taste of everything.
The event is possible due to the large team of roughly 65 volunteers, including those tending the stations, giving their time to educate kids all about agriculture.
Hannam said a lot of work went into planning, preparation and the execution.
Sheep and alpacas were also in attendance | Mik Horvath
Topics touched on almost everything to do with food in the agriculture industry, including how food is brought to people’s tables.
AgScape, a non-profit organization focused on educating school children on agriculture, was presenting all the different careers within the industry.
Susan Dueckman is a retired geography teacher and has been working with AgScape for about seven years.
Dueckman started her presentation by asking “how many of you want to become a farmer when you grow up?”
No hands in this group were raised in response to the question.
Based on data compiled in 2023 by the Canadian Agriculture Humans Resources Council (CAHRC), the agriculture industry has been experiencing a steady decline in workers, partly due to the established workforce aging out.
Dueckman said at this age kids are starting to apply their skills and interests into what might be a good career fit, so establishing there are many career options in agriculture is an important message to deliver.
Data from Statistics Canada ranging from 2019 to 2023 indicates the number of students graduating with a degree in agriculture, natural resources and conservation has been steady, while other fields such as mathematics, computer and information sciences have near doubled in that timeframe.
The CAHRC data is based on a survey with a sample size of 2,002 Canadians aged 18-65 who are not retired or employed in the agriculture, food & beverage, restaurant or market research industries with a margin of error of +/- 2.2 per cent and was conducted between April 25 and May 24, 2023. The total sample size is 2,604 Canadians including those aged 16 and 17.
Based on the survey, about 54 per cent of Canadians “are unable to identify a job in the agricultural industry that is not a farmer.”
Deuckman said there are countless careers in the industry and farmers are just the beginning of the supply network.
She also said many positions in the agriculture industry require a university education and are greatly beneficial to the farmers.
Andrew Elgersma was an agronomist on-the-scene that day and was teaching kids about the significance of crop care.
Part of Elgersma’s presentation was centred around how many products are derived from corn, such as corn syrup, which is used in many store-bought candies | Mik Horvath
Elgersma works with farmers to enhance crop protection and improve sustainability.
The significance of food was also presented by Jackie Fraser, one of the founding partners of Fraberts Fresh Food, and said not many kids these days know where food comes from.
Fraser’s booth was also discussing local food week, which runs from June 1 to June 7. | Mik Horvath
Fraser said the kids were very responsive to the presentation and their curiosity was reassuring.
Heavy machinery was also a popular station with a sprayer and combine on display for kids to climb on and get a close look.
Clayton Rowbotham of Premier Equipment said the kids are really fascinated by the complexities of the equipment.
Kids climbing on the near 20-tonne John Deere S7 700 combine | Mik Horvath
Rowbotham said it’s important to give the kids a close look because it’s not every day they get the opportunity to inspect a million-dollar-machine.
In regards to livestock, beef cattle is a significant portion of local farms in Wellington County.
Andrew Orok and Adam Bott of Beef Farmers of Ontario both have beef farms and were clearing up misconceptions on the beef industry.
Bott said he feels lucky to be in this position; educating the future generations on how beef farming can be done effectively and sustainably.
Bott and Orok have toured around the area attending events and visiting schools to teach kids about beef farming.
Bott said the kids were a little shocked to hear some of the insider information regarding beef farming, however Andrew Orok is impressed by how over the years more kids are seemingly interested in keeping beef cattle.
Orok said farming is challenging, but fulfilling.
The Fergus Agricultural Society wants this event to continue thriving | Mik Horvath
