The Swift Current Chamber of Commerce held their 3rd Annual Farmer Appreciation Event last night. Federal Agriculture Critic David Anderson and Provincial Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart talked to the crowd of over 200 producers about the importance of agriculture to the economy.

The keynote speaker for the evening was Marty Seymour, Farm Credit Canada’s Director of Industry and Stakeholder Relations. He told the crowd that everyone in Agriculture has a role to play in telling their story and why they farm.

" One of the most common conversations we're having all across this country, every industry group from grain industry to cattle industry to horticulture is about public trust," he said. "It's probably the hardest thing to achieve, and it's the key element for agriculture to advance. If we don't have the public on our side we're going to continue to be inundated with questions and challenges about how we produce food." 

The local Chamber says it’s important to recognize and celebrate our farming community and what it means to the economy.

Seymour also told the crowd that in today’s society, it’s important to gain public trust.

"They want a future for their kids, and the products they use on their farms and the way we farm today, it's all about the sustainability of Canadian agriculture and insuring their businesses are here in the long-term," he said. "These are the things that regular people can relate to.

"Talking about increasing yield is great and it's important to Canadian agriculture, but the stuff that consumers want to hear about is the stories behind why you farm- the fact that it's a family business and you're proud of that, that's what people want to hear. "

He says with more and more people being further removed from the farm it’s important that farmers tell their story about what they do and why they do it.