Twenty Prince Edward Island farms will be open to the public on Sunday, September 15, for Open Farm Day.
“Open Farm Day puts a face on an industry that goes beyond the grocery store,” said Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. “The event showcases Prince Edward Island’s hard-working farm families while giving visitors the chance to learn more about where their food comes from.”
The agriculture and agri-food industry is Prince Edward Island’s leading industry with 1,400 farms employing 4,700 farm workers. In 2012, farm cash receipts totaled $467 million.
“Open Farm Day is an opportunity to build a greater awareness and understanding of the importance of agriculture to our province,” said Agriculture and Forestry Minister George Webster. “I encourage everyone to visit the participating farms to see what life is like on a modern farm operation and to meet the people who make their living producing high-quality food.”
A total of 107 farms in Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are participating in this year’s Open Farm Day.
The event is being supported by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, provincial governments and agriculture awareness committees in the region.
“Open Farm Day gives the public a chance to get to know their local farmers and to see first-hand the advancements being made in agriculture across P.E.I.,” said Julie Mutch, Open Farm Day Coordinator for Prince Edward Island.
A list of Open Farm Day locations in Prince Edward Island is available at: www.gov.pe.ca/af/openfarmday .