Farming is one of the most dangerous occupations, but research shows that agricultural journalists are better at reporting the unfortunate results of such danger “ rather than how to prevent it.
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A tug-of-war is underway in the U.S. right now between two federal departments about who will have the oversight of genetically modified plants and animals. Currently it’s the Food and Drug Administration, but the U. S Department of Agriculture believes it should be at the fore, as do most farmers. No matter which agency prevails, it will be the consumer who has the final say in this controversial market. Photo: TorontoSun.com
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March is Agricultural Literacy Month. What does that mean? Thanks to government-funded programs, the agencies that deliver them and some benevolent donors, students are learning the facts about agriculture in Canada. If tomorrow’s consumers are discerning and well informed, that’s something to celebrate. Photo: Agscape.
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Jan Kielstra, a 21 year-old dairy farmer from Saskatchewan, has developed an astounding YouTube following. SaskDutchKid, as he calls himself, has amassed millions of views of his videos that portray the highs and lows of everyday farm life.
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Take a dairy farmer with kids in 4H and a kindergarten teacher looking for remote learning opportunities, and you get an exciting, new farm-based program for school kids called ‘Adopt A Cow’. Modelled after a similar program in the U. S., farmer Heather Peters and teacher Melissa Pearce were overwhelmed by the response of local dairy farmers willing to participate.
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Owen Roberts is an agricultural journalist and communications instructor based in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. He is a trustee on the Global Foundation for Agricultural Journalism and an associate editor (communications) for the Journal of Agromedicine. Previously, Owen was president of the International Forum for Agricultural Journalists, an agricultural communications faculty member at the University of Illinois, and research communications director at the University of Guelph. His programs and research papers have been recognized through awards from the Journal of Applied Communications, the National Agri-Marketing Association, the Association for Communications Excellence and the Canadian Farm Writers' Federation.