Province focuses on food literacy goals and targets

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Re: MPP wants to bring agri-food career information to the classroom

"The agriculture and agri-food industry in Ontario is a dynamic cornerstone for our economy. It contributes $34 billion to our GDP, employs over 760,000 and is full of opportunities.

In order to reach the Premier's target of 120,000 new jobs in the industry by 2020, we know that supporting and educating young people about careers in agriculture is essential.

Today, students from kindergarten to grade 12 benefit from agricultural education programs and resources offered through Ontario Agri-Food Education Inc. (OAFE). Providing nearly 16,000 resources across Ontario, including newsletters and teacher's guides, OAFE focuses on curriculum-linked materials that help young people explore careers in agriculture and agri-food.

But we know there is more to do.

That's why we worked across party lines to pass the Local Food Act, the first legislation of its kind in Canada. The Act supports the good things that are grown and made in Ontario. It also requires government to set aspirational food literacy goals and targets.

We have been actively consulting with a wide range of stakeholders to develop these targets and we look forward to speaking more about them in the New Year.

It's important for Ontarians - especially those starting to think about their future careers - to know about the bright future our agriculture and agri-food industry has to offer, including jobs in primary production, food processing and agri-business.

Working collaboratively, we want to ensure we give young Ontarians every opportunity to learn about the agri-food industry and the exciting career potential that it holds.

I thank members of the legislature, and all of those in the agriculture and agri-food industry, who are promoting agriculture and helping to position it for growth today and into the future."

- Jeff Leal, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs