GUELPH — Farm & Food Care officially unveiled the sixth edition of The Real Dirt on Farming, its flagship public-outreach publication, at its Harvest Gala on November 16, 2023.
The Real Dirt on Farming is a nation-wide initiative designed to help Canadians connect with their food and the farmers that produce it – who they are, what they do, and why they do it. Using both stories and science, the 60-page publication addresses common questions and misconceptions about Canadian food and farming, as well as other subjects that the general public has indicated are important to them.
The 2023 edition features farmer and researcher profiles from across the country – from the Yukon to Newfoundland and all points in between. It covers big topics being talked about currently in Canadian agriculture – from farmer mental health to the critical work done by seasonal agricultural workers; sustainability,food inflation, food insecurity and food waste, climate change, plant breeding, animal welfare and more.
The booklet is created through a partnership of the three Farm & Food Care organizations in Saskatchewan,Ontario and Prince Edwards Island and was written by freelance journalists Lilian Schaer and Matt McIntosh. An expert committee comprised of researchers, commodity and subject matter experts were also involved in reviewing and vetting content.