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Sixth annual Manitoba Farm and Food Awareness Week kicks off

Manitobans are encouraged to learn more about where their food comes from and how their food is produced, says Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development Minister Blaine Pedersen, as the sixth annual Farm and Food Awareness Week officially kicks off today.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we are rolling out Farm and Food Awareness Week this year, allowing for the creation of educational materials that will be available online year-round,” Pedersen says. “Now, more than ever, it’s important that we continue to celebrate the importance of agriculture in Manitoba and the role it is playing in our economic recovery.”

Since 2015, Farm and Food Awareness Week has launched on the third Monday in September. The purpose of Farm and Food Awareness Week is to encourage activities to promote Manitoba farms, Manitoba food and other products of farming carried on in Manitoba.

The theme for this year’s Farm and Food Awareness Week is “150 Years of Agriculture in Manitoba,” highlighting Manitoba’s rich agricultural history, the resilience of Manitoba’s agricultural industry, and innovation and opportunity in the sector. Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development will be launching five new videos this week focusing on 150 years in agriculture that can be accessed on Twitter at @MBGovAg.

Today is the first day of Farm and Food Awareness week 2020! Join us daily until September 25th to celebrate #FarmFoodWeek! pic.twitter.com/hTnON03RgS

— Manitoba Agriculture (@MBGovAg) September 21, 2020

Other virtual resources being made available during Farm and Food Awareness Week include:

• The Bruce D. Campbell Farm and Food Discovery Centre has launched a number of unique at-home learning resources that are available online. More information can be found at umanitoba.ca/faculties/afs/discovery_centre/.
• Farm to School Manitoba has developed a series of hands-on videos launching this week with a focus on Manitoba grown vegetables. Visit farmtoschoolmanitoba.ca/ for more information.

“We look forward to celebrating Farm and Food Awareness Week every September, but this year we had to change how we celebrate,” said Kristen Matwychuk, acting manager of the Bruce D. Campbell Farm and Food Discovery Centre. “Instead of public events, we are hosting a week-long online Farm and Food Awareness Week by releasing resources, activities, videos and fun facts online every day. With daily themes from food and family to sustainability, it is sure to be a fun week.”

Nearly 40,000 Manitobans work in the agricultural industry, contributing significantly to Manitoba’s economy. To learn more about agriculture in Manitoba, visit gov.mb.ca/agriculture/.