Honourable senators, I rise today to highlight the work of Agriculture in the Classroom, or AITC, across Canada and to congratulate AgScape on their thirtieth anniversary.

I spent the first 15 years of my working career with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, known as OMAFRA, long before I was appointed to the Senate. At that time, OMAFRA had started Agriculture in the Classroom, which I am proud to say, here in Ontario, has grown into AgScape. AITC is a cross-country effort wherein 10 provincial members work to empower students and educators with accurate, balanced and current curriculum-linked programs, resources and initiatives focused on agriculture and the food industry.

It’s been a real pleasure to watch the AITC/AgScape programs grow into the organizations they are today. The teams, along with other AITC provincial members, work tirelessly to enhance the visibility of agriculture in the eyes of young Canadians and to prove that it is a viable career path.

It is important for our future generations to understand that our farmers work hard to produce good food. As a parent and a grandparent, I speak from experience. Kids need to see for themselves that our farmers care about the land and the animals they grow, and it’s critical that we help them understand that there is so much to learn about agriculture in our community and around the world.

As I mentioned earlier, AgScape will be marking their milestone anniversary at their annual general meeting tomorrow. While we won’t be able to gather and celebrate the occasion as we would have liked, I am looking forward to participating in tomorrow’s virtual event and reconnecting with many familiar faces.

Honourable colleagues, this pandemic has made many Canadians more interested in learning about where and how their food is grown. I hope that, if given the opportunity, you will take some time to learn more about the Agriculture in the Classroom programs available in your home provinces.

Food connects us all to agriculture. In our complex and changing world, it is more important than ever to inspire the next generation to care about the food they eat, know where it comes from, know the farmers who grow it and how it gets to their plates. Agriculture in itself is a complex and changing industry, and it is in Canada’s best interests to continue to enhance, strengthen and grow the sector. We do rely on it three times every day. Thank you. Meegwetch.