News release
PROVINCIAL FARMS TO HOST PUBLIC ON OPEN FARM DAY
CHARLOTTETOWN, Prince Edward Island, September 19, 2006 – Residents of Prince Edward Island looking to experience life on the farm are invited to drop by the 19 farms across the province taking part in Open Farm Day on September 24, 2006.
Canada’s new government is pleased to be a partner in presenting this annual event, now in its fifth year.
“Open Farm Day is a great way to learn more about agriculture straight from the source,” said the Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board. “It is a chance to see how our farm producers provide the public with the safe, high-quality food they consume every day.”
“In a time when people want to know more about where and how their how their food is produced, Open Farm Day provides an excellent opportunity to bring producers and the public closer together,” said Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Jim Bagnall. “Prince Edward Island producers can take great pride in demonstrating their responsible production practices.”
Open Farm Day is sponsored by Sobeys Inc., with additional support from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the P.E.I. Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture and the P.E. I. Agriculture Awareness Committee. The event is an early launch to the Canadian Agriculture and Food Celebration held annually to recognize the importance of agriculture and the food industry.
The agri-food industry in Prince Edward Island includes more than 1,800 farms which account for some $350 million in farm cash receipts. The industry provides roughly one in every four jobs in the province, and more than 75 percent of exports to international markets.
A list of Open Farm Day locations in Prince Edward Island is available at www.gov.pe.ca/go/peiopenfarmday.
Maps showing participating farms will be available in Sobeys, Price Chopper and Foodland stores prior to the event.
A total of 112 farms are participating in Open Farm day across Atlantic Canada.
-30-
For more information, media may contact:
Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa
613-759-7972
1-866-759-7972
Wayne MacKinnon
Communications
P.E.I. Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture
Charlottetown
902-368-4888
Jennie Palmer
Open Farm Day co-ordinator
P.E.I. Ag-Awareness Committee
Charlottetown
902-675-4351
 |
 |
 |
News releases index: and .