Fisheries, Forestry and Agrifoods
September 14, 2016

Supporting the Agriculture Industry

Residents Invited to Participate in Open Farm Day

Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are invited to meet their local farmers and find out what�s happening in agriculture in the province during Open Farm Day in Atlantic Canada on Sunday, September 18.

�With more than 20 farms participating in Open Farm Day in Newfoundland and Labrador there are a number of opportunities for residents and families to learn more about a very unique industry. I congratulate the farmers who are inviting local residents to visit their farms during one of the busiest times of the year, and I encourage residents to take advantage of this opportunity.�
- The Honourable Steve Crocker, Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agrifoods

Twenty Newfoundland and Labrador farms are participating in this year�s annual event, featuring vegetables, herbs, fruit, berries, greenhouses, honeybee products and livestock operations.

�Agriculture doesn�t start at the grocery shelf. Open Farm Day is a great opportunity to see first-hand the dedication and pride our local farm families take in producing the highest-quality food and products and the contribution they make to our economy and way of life.�
- Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Open Farm Day is funded by the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture and through Growing Forward 2, the five-year (2013-2018) policy framework agreement between the federal and provincial governments. Last year, participating farmers in Newfoundland and Labrador hosted 4,400 visitors on Open Farm Day.

�This event provides a unique opportunity for the public to experience farm activities and get a small glimpse into the day-to-day operations that go into running a farm. It will give them a new appreciation for the farm products they use every day as a part of their lives. People will have a chance to see first-hand where their food comes from as farmers showcase their hard work and dedication to our province�s food security.�
- Melvin J. Rideout, President, Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture

The Newfoundland and Labrador agriculture industry provides approximately 6,500 jobs and has primary and value-added production worth approximately $500 million. There are more than 8,500 farms and more than one million hectares of farmland in Atlantic Canada.

A complete list of participating farms is posted on the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture website: www.nlfa.ca  External Link.

QUICK FACTS

  • Open Farm Day is funded by the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture and through Growing Forward 2, the five-year (2013-2018) policy framework agreement between the federal and provincial governments.
  • Last year, participating farmers in Newfoundland and Labrador hosted 4,400 visitors on Open Farm Day.
  • The Newfoundland and Labrador agriculture industry provides approximately 6,500 jobs and has primary and value-added production worth approximately $500 million.
  • There are more than 8,500 farms and more than one million hectares of farmland in Atlantic Canada.

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Media Contacts:

Vanessa Colman-Sadd
Director of Communications
Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agrifoods
709-729-3733, 682-6593
VanessaColmanSadd@gov.nl.ca 		Lesley Cowan
Communications Advisor
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
709-772-0461
Chelsea Foley
Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture
Open Farm Day Coordinator
709-747-4874

2016 09 14                             3:10 p.m.