Guelph, ON (November 2, 2005) -The link between healthy living, healthy eating, and the role the agri-food industry can play in actively promoting that lifestyle is being strengthened through a combined effort of federal and provincial agencies and producer organizations at the upcoming Royal Agricultural Winter Fair (RAWF). The ‘To Your Good Health’ initiative will be a feature at the 2005 Royal which runs November 4-13 in Toronto.

The project is led by the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), which recently received $368,000 in CanAdvance funding for the initiative, part of a total project cost of more than $500,000. The Royal provides a unique opportunity to create an informative and interactive display on the key role agriculture can play in building awareness and promoting healthier living through healthier eating.

The display, located in the heart of the Royal’s most popular exhibits, will provide visitors with the chance to see and hear live presentations, engage in question and answer sessions, take part in interactive displays and surveys, and gather interesting facts and figures on agriculture’s contributions to society and the economy. After the Royal, the information presented will be used by Ontario Agri-Food Education (OAFE) to update resources for use in classroom programs through the Toronto Board of Education.

Neil Currie, general manager with the OFA, speaks in glowing terms about the opportunity for agriculture, and the OFA in particular, to provide good information to the more than 300,000 people that regularly attend the Royal Winter Fair.

“We’re happy to be able to facilitate this, and make it happen,” says Currie, noting the importance of having such an opportunity to bring good news stories and facts and figures to people who are not directly connected to farming. “It’s interesting to be able to incorporate the notion of what agriculture actually does for people, and get them thinking of that.”

“We congratulate the Agricultural Adaptation Council on the "To Your Good Health" initiative,” says Andy Mitchell, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. “Our rural and urban communities are also healthier and stronger when our agricultural sector is successful.”

“The message that agriculture can be that link to better, healthier living is such a positive, and it’s time we in agriculture work to bring that message forward,” says Bob Bedggood, AAC chair. “The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair gives us the perfect opportunity to serve-up that message like you would a wholesome, nourishing meal.”

The fact that classrooms will enjoy the added benefit of the display materials through OAFE is just one more reason to welcome and acknowledge the efforts of the OFA and the Royal in creating this timely program.

The Agricultural Adaptation Council is a non-profit, grass roots coalition of 62 agricultural, agribusiness and rural organizations dedicated to providing financial resources to help Ontario’s agriculture and agri-food industry remain profitable, grow and maintain its economic strength. The AAC receives the funding for the CanAdvance program through Ontario’s share of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s five year, $240 million Advancing Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food (ACAAF) program.

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Nadine Buitenhuis
Communications Coordinator
Agricultural Adaptation Council
Phone: 519-822-7554 Fax: 519-822-6248
E-mail: nbuitenhuis@adaptcouncil.org
Website: www.adaptcouncil.org