Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Thank You Famers - Government of Canada Celebrates Food Day and the Best Food on Earth - What Do You Think? Do You Celebrate....

Ottawa, Ontario, July 29, 2010 – Food Day, July 31, 2010 is a perfect opportunity to recognize Canadian farmers’ hard work and dedication to producing the best food in the world. This Saturday marks the 8th annual national celebration of Canada’s culinary excellence, from farm to fork.

"Canadian farmers produce the best food in the world and we're not shy to say it," said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. "What better day than Food Day to celebrate Canada’s hard working farm families and their important contribution to our economy, our country, and the health of consumers at home and around the world."

Agriculture is a vital part of Canada’s growing and modern economy as it drives eight percent of our Gross Domestic Product. The industry is responsible for one in eight of jobs and last year its contribution to trade was more than $40 billion.

The Government of Canada has played a proactive role in promoting the world-class agriculture products that come from Canadian farms. In addition to leading dozens of trade missions to expand international markets for Canadian farmers, Minister Ritz has broken down trade barriers in important markets such as Russia, Hong Kong, Colombia and most recently China.

At home, Minister Ritz has hosted a breakfast together with Canadian farm leaders and high profile chefs at the Calgary Stampede and the 2010 Vancouver Olympics where they spread the word about the delicious, healthy and quality Canadian foods to international and domestic media.

Paired with strategic international market development, these events help tell the great story of Canadian food and pave the way for increased international demand to boost the bottom line for Canadian farmers.

"On Food Day and every day of the year, everyone is encouraged to cook, grill and savour Canada's safe, high-quality food," said Minister Ritz. "Our Government will continue to maximize every opportunity to highlight Canadian agriculture because increased international trade delivers benefits to all Canadians."

For more information about Food Day 2010 visit www.foodday.ca.

Message from the Minister

On Food Day Canada – this Saturday, July 31 -- I encourage everyone to use the finest ingredients grown and raised by Canadian farmers and savour Canada!

Our Government takes every opportunity to highlight the top quality food that our farmers produce because we know consumers at home and around the world will enjoy it. We are always working to promote Canadian food and agriculture products, knowing that increased international trade stimulates economic growth and delivers benefits to all Canadians.

Chances are, no matter where you are in the world, a Canadian food product or one made with Canadian ingredients is close at hand. People around the globe are now starting to recognize Canada for producing world-class food and we are hard at work to bring those products to their doorstep.

What better day than Food Day to celebrate Canada’s hard working farm families and their important contribution to our economy, our country, and the health of consumers at home and around the world?

On Food Day and every day of the year, everyone is encouraged to cook, grill and enjoy Canada's safe, high-quality food.

Thank you farm families! Bon Appétit!

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz

Views: 98

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

I have never heard of this initiative....Minister Ritz says this is the 8th year????

This is a terrible effort to encourage consumers to "cook, grill and enjoy Canada's safe, high-quality food."

Come on Minister Ritz, if you want to support Canadian Agriculture you will need to do a little better than a news release.

Joe
Well Gerry, if you are sincere in your words, it is high time to put your money where your mouth is or there will less of that "Canadian" content on that menu all the time.

"Celebration" of the Canadian farmer is a wonderful concept and gives me the warm fuzzies, but proper remuneration is actually essential for survival.

Reply to Discussion

RSS

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Ont. farmer Tony McQuail reflects on NDP leadership race

The 73-year-old farmer and political veteran ran on themes of representation, regeneration, redistribution, and redesign.

Corn Acres Slide, Soybeans Gain as USDA Releases 2026 Planting Intentions

New USDA reports show U.S. producers planning fewer corn acres and more soybeans in 2026, alongside higher grain stocks compared to last year.

Estimate the functional sustainability and true costs of packaging

For growers and packers, packaging decisions have become more complex now that Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislation is rolling out in key markets in Canada. Ontario legislation, for example, went into force as of January 1, 2026.

Canola Crush Falls for Second Straight Month in February

The Canadian canola crush slowed for the second straight month in February but remained above the year-earlier level. A Statistics Canada report Tuesday pegged the February canola crush at 951,353 tonnes, down 9.7% from January although still up 7.8% from 882,610 in February 2025. It also marked the first time in six months the crush has dipped below the 1-million tonne mark. The high for the 2025-26 marketing year occurred in December 2025, with the crush hitting 1.077 million tonnes. The cumulative year-to-date 2025-26 canola crush (August to February) now stands at 7.066 million tonnes, compared to 6.812 million for the same period last year. That is up 3.7% and represents about 58% of the full-year Agriculture Canada forecast of 12 million tonnes. According to the Canadian Oilseed Processors Association, total national canola crush capacity is expected to reach 15 million tonnes in 2026. Cargill’s new canola crush plant at Regina is estimated to process about 1 million ton

Preparing your farm for wildfire season

Considering that Canada borders three oceans, spans six time zones, and has diverse terrain, it’s no surprise that a range of natural hazards can affect farms across the country at any given time. While one part of the country may be in a severe drought, another may experience record floods. But regardless of the location, one hazard has become an all-too-common threat during the warmer months: wildfires. Just look at Canada’s 2023 wildfire season, which was the most destructive on record. By the end of 2023, more than 6,000 fires had burned 15 million hectares of land, which, to put it in perspective, is substantially more than the annual average of 2.5 million hectares. Which is why being prepared for wildfires, wherever you are, is essential. That’s exactly the message that FireSmart Canada, a national program that helps Canadians increase neighbourhood resilience to wildfire and minimize its negative impacts, wants to raise awareness about. Below are some of FireSmart Canada’s

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service