Celebrating Canada's Agriculture Day | Ontario Agricultural College

Celebrating Canada's Agriculture Day

Posted on Tuesday, February 23rd, 2021

"Let’s raise a fork to the food we love and the people who produce it! This February, celebrate Canadian agriculture and food both online and with friends, family and co-workers, and let everyone know how you feel about this awesome industry." -Canada's Agriculture Day website

Canada’s Agriculture Day 2021 is on February 23. To celebrate we asked our students about the importance of agriculture. Here is what they had to say:

Oresta Hewryk

Undergrad student, honours agriculture

Oresta in a barn with a dairy calf.

Why is celebrating Canadian agriculture important?

It is important to the celebrate Canadian Ag every day– not just today. Agriculture is a rich and crucial part of our country’s history and we need to do our part to bring awareness to the achievements of this Canadian industry. -Oresta Hewryk

E'layna Baker

Undergrad student, food, agricultural and resource economics

E'layna standing in the snow in front of a forest.

What does agriculture mean to you?

Agriculture means convening with our natural environment and discovering its unique ability to communicate with us through nourishing, healing and strengthening our bodies. Agriculture is the permanent reminder that we are capable of growth and excellence, just like our natural environment. It reminds us that providing the earth with the care and support it needs to thrive, is simply a fundamental responsibility of humanity. - E'layna Baker

Ibrahim Aburaneh

Undergrad student, environmental sciences

Ibrahim standing in a corn field, looking up at the tall corn with amazement.

What does agriculture mean to you?

For me, agriculture is life and can be the way we move forward in the world. Improving agriculture techniques and agriculture sciences can be the solution to increased global food security, nutrient management, and the climate crisis. On the local scale, agriculture helps us build stronger communities and makes us feel more connected to each other. After all, food is a language everyone understands. -Ibrahim Aburaneh

Victoria Huynh

Undergrad student, food science

Victoria holding a pumpkin in a pumpkin field.

What is your favourite thing about agriculture?

My favourite thing about agriculture is understanding the science between the environment and the organism itself. Especially as a Food Science student, a lot of the content that we learn is how to manipulate our raw material so that we can make it safe and accessible to those local and worldwide. But I think it’s really important to know where everything came from and how we can continue our traditional agricultural practices while providing food for everyone, in which we can proudly say is from Canada. -Victoria Huynh

Tatijana Vukovic

Undergrad student, landscape architecture

Tatijana smiles while reading a book, with plants behind her.

Why is celebrating Canadian agriculture important? 

It is important to celebrate Canadian agriculture because we rely on agriculture for the many necessities that we use on a daily basis. It is important to acknowledge that working in the agriculture sector is not an easy job. There are a variety of challenges that those who work in the Agriculture sector face everyday and often these challenges are ones that you can’t control like mother nature itself. Where there is a challenge there is change and there is a need to adapt to those changes. Farmers and those who work in the agriculture sector are constantly adapting to these changes while making the best decisions for themselves and those around them in order to feed the country and provide the many necessities not only locally but to many other countries around the world. It is important to celebrate these people who work everyday to serve not only Canadians across the country but people all around the world! -Tatijana Vukovic

Celebrating Canada's Agriculture Day 2020


Gabi Binkley

Associate Diploma student, horticulture

Gabi outside in snow with black dog

What is your favourite thing about agriculture?

Agriculture has advanced so far and continues to everyday. It's exciting to be able to participate in and learn about all of the different niches, jobs, and markets that all stem from agricultural backgrounds.
-Gabi Binkley

Kerry Houlahan

PhD candidate, animal biosciences

Kerry with a cow.

What does agriculture mean to you?

Agriculture to me means sustainable food production. It is using science to help produce food that is nutritious and affordable for people around the world. Now, more than ever, people are curious about where their food is coming from, and how it is being produced. Days like today are our chance to showcase all the amazing things that happen in Canadian agriculture, and appreciate the hard work and dedication of those who work tirelessly to make sure we have food on the table.
-Kerry Houlahan

Elaine Jeffs

Undergrad student, honours agriculture

Elaine with a group of pigs.

Why is celebrating Canadian agriculture important?

Celebrating Canadian agriculture is important because it is in everything from the food we eat and clothes we wear, to the medicine we take and fuel we put in our cars. I often find that agriculture is seen as simple and humble. However, it is complex, adaptive and innovative! The progressive changes that have been made in this industry are the reason why we continue to feed a growing population on less farm land. Agriculture is made up of a strong community of farmers, processors, transportation operators, veterinarians, quality regulators, researchers and more that should all be celebrated for their involvement in helping feed the world!
-Elaine Jeffs

Graeme Li

Undergrad student, B.Sc. (Agr.) undeclared major

Head shot of Graeme.

What is your favourite thing about agriculture?

The satisfied feeling of harvest, whether it be a single tomato in a backyard garden in the city, or an entire field of corn. It’s something that pulls deep at what it means to be human, the feeling of satisfaction to be feeding your family and community. Also, petting cows.
-Graeme Li

Alex McKay

Associate Diploma student, agriculture

Alex standing by a barn.

What is your favourite thing about agriculture?

Agriculture is a language that can be understood all over the world.
-Alex McKay

Dillon Muldoon

Master's student, environmental sciences

Dillon in a field.

Why is celebrating Canadian agriculture important?

When we celebrate Canadian agriculture we aren’t just celebrating agriculture. We are celebrating and  supporting Canadian families, Canadian innovation, the Canadian economy, Canadian rural communities and the future generations of Canadian farmers.
-Dillon Muldoon

Catrina Warner

Undergrad student, landscape architecture

Catrina outside in parka in the winter

Why is celebrating Canadian agriculture important?

I believe celebrating Canadian agriculture is important because it allows us to focus on the local industry. Everything around us is increasingly globalized, so knowing where our food comes from is becoming more mysterious. It is really refreshing to have the chance to learn more about the local agriculture industry and celebrate the people who work hard to serve Canadians everywhere!
-Catrina Warner

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