Agriculture Literacy in Children Influences Food and Career Choices, Op-Ed

NOTE: The following is an op-ed piece from Agriculture Minister Keith Colwell as part of Agriculture Literacy Week March 2-8.

We know that attitudes toward food start in childhood and influence food selection later in life. That's why it is so important for young people to understand that the food choices they make affect their own health, as well as the health of the community around them.

Agriculture Literacy Week, March 2-8, aims to increase food and agricultural awareness among elementary school children. As part of this initiative, Nova Scotia farmers and other agriculture representatives take time out of their busy days to visit classrooms across the province to read books about farming to students.

These personal visits are an opportunity for students to learn about agriculture, connect with a farmer, understand where our food comes from, and learn more about the role agriculture plays in our lives. In other words, the visits are a way for students to develop agricultural literacy.

By learning about our local farms and what they grow, we can all begin to make informed choices about food purchasing. When we buy local products, it impacts on the Nova Scotia farm community and the local economy.

Raising awareness during Agricultural Literacy Week can also provide the spark of interest needed for a young person to begin thinking about agriculture as a career choice. Agriculture plays a key role in our provincial economy and we want to encourage the next generation to explore the possibility of working in the industry so that it prospers into the future.

To support agricultural literacy, the Department of Agriculture is creating a book for children on farming in the province. The book, Explore Farming in Nova Scotia, is designed for nine and 10 year-olds and features 14 agricultural sectors. The imagery is recognizably Nova Scotian and it highlights the innovation and passion found throughout our agricultural industry.

The book will be read by members of the agricultural community during classroom visits and left as a gift, along with curriculum-related activities, so that students can further explore farming in Nova Scotia.