Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

BASF Invites Some Urban Consumers To The Farm. Sustainability Video Series.

 

 

 

Conversations On Sustainability online video series captures the
dialogue when urban consumers meet the farmers that grow their food.


MISSISSAUGA, ON - BASF Canada (BASF) today launched an online
video series called Conversations On Sustainability on its AgSolutions YouTube
channel. The videos feature highlights from the conversations five urbanites had
with five Canadian farmers when they travelled from the city to the farm to see
how food is grown, and how the industry can sustain it.

"We invited
average urban consumers, who had some not so average questions and opinions
about food, to speak openly with the farmers who grow it," says Scott Kay,
Canada Business Director at BASF. "When it comes to food supply, we're all in
this together. Whether you're the consumer, the grower or the innovator, it's
really about us all working together. Through the video series, these urban
consumers had the opportunity to speak openly and connect with growers like
never before."

Each of the five consumers got a tour of a Canadian farm
- in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario - to see the field, the
machinery and the crops close up. They spoke one-on-one with growers and asked
them questions like how much it costs an acre to run a farm, to how growers
apply their herbicides, to how and why growers select particular seed varieties.


"I'm from downtown Toronto. I have no idea what life is like on a farm,"
says Ron Schlumpf, a banker.

Schlumpf spent a day with Dan Ronceray on
his farm in Somerset, Manitoba, where the two were able to share their
perspectives.
"We have nothing to hide," says Ronceray. "We produce a good
crop and quality products, and if they [consumers] need to know every step of
the way, I'm happy to open my farm and show them how we do it."

Other
participants included Humphrey Banack, a grower in Camrose, Alberta who met with
Detlev Kloss, an inventory control manager from Whitby, Ontario; Curt Gessell,
who operates a farm in Delisle, Saskatchewan who met Marie Duggan, an
administrator from Tottenham, Ontario; Brian Vandervalk, a producer in Fort
McLeod, Alberta, who met Mike Reid, a recent university graduate from Toronto;
and Steve Twynstra, a grower in Ailsa Craig, Ontario, who met Gerry Johnston, a
registered nurse from London, Ontario.

Views: 90

Comment

You need to be a member of Ontario Agriculture to add comments!

Join Ontario Agriculture

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

Amanda Ellis, flax crop committee

Amanda Ellis farms near Wawanesa, MB, with her husband Simon and his family at Ellis Seeds. The Ellis family has farmed the homestead where Amanda and Simon now live since 1919, and the operation continues to run with support from both sides of the family and close friends. They grow wheat, oats, soybeans, peas, flax and canola. What motivated you to get into farming? I fell into farming with my husband’s family to fill a need. I came from a business and finance background and started by taking on some casual bookkeeping for the farm. I enjoyed being part of the farming work and, over time, became more involved in the day-to-day operations. I’ve always enjoyed working with numbers, being outdoors and being part of something that contributes to our communities. This role allows me to do all those things. One of my favourite parts of farming is the constant learning. What motivated you to get involved with Manitoba Crop Alliance (MCA)? I wanted to better understand the research, mar

CCGA Statement on Bill C-273 Supporting Innovation

Canadian Canola Growers Association (CCGA) welcomes the introduction of Private Member’s Bill C-273, the Facilitating Agricultural Regulatory Modernization Act (FARM Act), by MP David Bexte. The bill represents an important step toward modernizing Canada’s regulatory system and reducing unnecessary red tape that has impeded the timely adoption of innovative agricultural products. Farmers have consistently called for more timely access to new tools and technologies that improve productivity and competitiveness. By enabling a 90-day provisional approval process for products already vetted in trusted jurisdictions, this bill supports innovation while maintaining regulatory integrity. CCGA also recognizes the foundational work of MP Kody Blois, whose earlier bill helped shape this approach. Bill C-273 builds on that effort and reflects a growing, cross-party understanding of the need for a more efficient and responsive regulatory system that supports faster access to new products for far

EMILI collaborates with 24 innovators on 33 unique projects in 2026

As EMILI celebrates 10 years of driving agriculture innovation, we are proud to announce 33 unique projects taking place on Innovation Farms powered by AgExpert in 2026. This includes commercial and pre-commercial solutions that EMILI is testing and demonstrating in crops and storage bins across 10,000 acres on its two Innovation Farms sites in Grosse Isle and MacGregor, Manitoba.  As an industry-led non-profit, EMILI is in a unique position to provide innovators with access to leading-edge equipment, technology, and production practices along with unbiased feedback on how their innovation works on a full-scale farm. This is more important than ever, as Canada’s agriculture sector navigates climate volatility, global tensions that cause transportation and storage constraints, price instability, and shifting consumer expectations. “Technology is evolving and reshaping the industry at a rapid pace, allowing producers to do more, and in a more productive and sustainable way. But produc

Census of Agriculture opens next month

Canadian farmers will have from May 4 to July 31 to complete the census

The Rural Ontario Institute announces the Community Well-being Dashboard in Canada’s two official languages

The Rural Ontario Institute (ROI) is pleased to announce the Rural Community Well-Being Dashboard and supporting factsheets are now available in Canada’s two official languages.

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service