How agriculture education has influenced me
I never used to really think about the food I was buying.
Sure, I’m a dietitian and mother and I do care about the food I feed myself and my family. But the details on where my food came from and how it was grown never concerned me. I never really thought twice about whether I was buying organic or conventional, GMO or non-GMO; I didn’t check the label to see if the meat was antibiotic- and hormone-free. I truly believed and trusted in our Canadian farmers and agriculture system that the food I was buying was safe and nutritious. And I assumed, somewhat naively, that everyone else shopping felt the same way.
Then, about four years ago, I had my first opportunity to see firsthand how our food gets from the farm to the plate. I traveled to rural Manitoba and visited my first bison farm, canola farm and grain farm. I spoke with farmers, producers, scientists, and leaders in the field of agriculture. I heard how they face massive amounts of criticism every day about the food they grow to feed their own families and all Canadians, and I was shocked. Shocked that people could question these honest, passionate, caring, and hardworking Canadians who have dedicated their lives to ensuring we have an abundant food supply in Canada.
Since that day, I’ve been so lucky to visit various farms and biotech facilities all over Canada and the U.S., like a tour of biotech facilities in North Carolina this past spring hosted by CropLife Canada. And each time I leave, I am filled with a renewed sense of passion and dedication to spread the word about our fantastic and safe Canadian food supply. I want to help answer those questions that many individuals have every day when they enter a grocery store.
Working with CropLife Canada to create engaging and educational live videos has been the perfect culmination of my agriculture education thus far. Our aim has been to educate consumers about our Canadian agriculture system and dispel some of the misconceptions surrounding food and farming. This opportunity has provided me with the perfect platform to showcase the hardworking Canadian farmers and our agriculture system on a larger scale. As I continue to learn from and connect with Canadian farmers and other leaders in food and agriculture, I look forward to continuing to spread the love for our affordable, nutritious, and delicious Canadian food.
Dara Gurau,
Registered dietitian, How To Eat
If you want to connect with Dara and continue the conversation about Canadian-grown food, here’s how you can reach her: