AgAnnex Talks
AgAnnex Talks: Connecting with consumers

GMOs, pesticides, livestock health and safety: it can feel like farmers and consumers are speaking different languages when hot button issues are discussed. What creates this communication breakdown?

In the 2019 Public Trust Research Report compiled by the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity, 91 per cent of Canadians said they knew little to nothing about modern Canadian farming practices, but 60 per cent are interested in knowing more about agriculture and how their food is produced. That first number presents the obstacle farmers have to overcome in speaking with consumers; the second shows the potential opportunity.

In this episode, Kelly Daynard, executive director of Farm and Food Care Ontario, discusses how everyone has a role to play in debunking myths and bad information, and that consumers are often asking “should we” rather than “can we.” John Jamieson, CEO of the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity, shares the importance of building public trust in agriculture as a way to improve the conversation. Both emphasize that sharing your story and your passion for agriculture will help make a personal connection with consumers.

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Show notes

Resources for the public discussed in the episode:

• Farm and Food Care;
  • The Real Dirt on Farming;
  • Farm Food 360;
• Canadian Centre for Food Integrity;
• Agriculture in the Classroom.