Food for thought?

We do little in this country to support our farmers. Our municipalities have gobbled up prime farm land until there is now a fraction of what there once was in southern Ontario. Unlike some countries we provide little financial support as our farmers fight rising input costs and diminishing returns.


Today is Food Freedom Day. It's time to thank a farmer for the endless hours spent raising and growing the quality food we demand. We include the press release below sent to us by reader Pat Johnston which heralds the day when we have earned enough to pay for our food bills for a year.

On February 12, 2010, the average Canadian will have enough income to pay his or her individual grocery bill for the entire year.

"Farmers are very proud of their role in providing high quality food produced at the highest food safety and environmental standards," said Laurent Pellerin, Canadian Federation of Agriculture President.

Food Freedom Day is occurring on the same day as it did in 2009, which is slightly later than in previous years, due to the effects of the recession on disposable income and an increase in the price of food. The calculation is a simple comparison of Canadian’s disposable income and the amount they spend on food.

For Food Freedom Day 2010, the CFA looked back at food prices over the past 30 years at both the farm gate and retail levels. This research highlighted the hard work farmers do in ensuring Canadian’s receive great value for their food dollar.

“While the prices Canadian consumers pay for food has been steadily increasing over the past 30 years, the amount that returns to the farm gate is relatively small,” said Pellerin.

The Farmers' Share, a recent study commissioned by prairie members of the CFA, showed that, on average, only 27 per cent of the cost of an entire week's worth of groceries for a family of four goes back to the farms where the food is produced.

To ensure that consumers are able to identify Canadian food products and support our agriculture sector, the CFA will continue to advocate for effective ingredient-based 'Product of Canada' guidelines that are both informative to the consumer and practical to the agri-food sector.