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Hey there! We are Enfold and we make really beautiful and amazing stuff.
This can be used to describe what you do, how you do it, & who you do it for.
“First we eat, then we do everything else.”
News, Grassroots NewsEveryone needs to eat. But not everyone understands the complexities of producing the myriad of food options available to Canadians.
Our food comes from farms – Canadian farms, and faraway farms in distant lands. I’ve learned that spending time on a farm provides a much deeper understanding of where our food choices come from, how they are created, and by whom.
The latest Grassroots Greenhouse poll just confirmed that 70% of Canadians have never visited an operational farm:
Until recently, that number included me.
When I joined Grassroots Public Affairs in 2018, I started learning about issues impacting the Canadian agri-food industry, and visited various farm operations – fruits & vegetables, livestock, grains. All of them were fascinating in terms of scope, on-farm activities, and day-to-day management. I was repeatedly amazed by the integration of advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence and block chain. Until I witnessed it first-hand, I had no idea that a career in agriculture could be so interesting, innovative and important.
I suppose it shouldn’t come as too big a surprise that only 30% of Canadians have visited a farm, considering the vast majority of us live in cities, where opportunities to engage agriculture and food production are simply not as accessible as in rural settings.
Let me ask, have you ever really thought about where your food comes from – before it lands in the grocery store, or on a restaurant plate?
Think of travel for a moment (remember travel?…). After you visit a different place and experience different activities within a different culture, you feel a much stronger sense of understanding and connection to that place, and the lifestyle there, because you experienced it first-hand.
To experience food-production first-hand is to gain a meaningful appreciation for parts of Canada’s “farm-to-fork” supply chain, a critical network we now know is complex, and fragile.
Since COVID started, it seems every time I grocery shop there’s a shortage of something I need – items previously found in abundance are missing from the shelves, “expected next week”.
Without question, food prices are going up.
I once read some great advice, “Never ignore the writing on the wall…”
Living through a pandemic has taught me to appreciate many things, including the value of food. It’s the foundation for everything else we do – as individuals and families, as a country, as a world, and as a species.
In the interest of greater appreciation for Canadian food, and as part of the 30% of Canadians who have visited a farm – I highly encourage it!
Granted, due to COVID now may not be the time, but in due course consider adding ‘farm tour’ to the proverbial bucket list. Touring a modern farm is to witness the human ingenuity of age-old farming techniques, combined with the advanced technologies of the 21st century. Touring a farm is to experience food production first-hand.
While there may be a disconnect between food-production and the average grocery shopper, the 2021 Grassroots Greenhouse poll found the majority of Canadians (86%) endorse increased government support for the agriculture and agri-food sectors:
Good timing. Earlier this week, it was reassuring to see federal budget support for Canadian food producers. Representing hundreds of thousands of farm families across the country, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture was pleased with several key announcements in this week’s budget, outlined in their subsequent News Release.
Investing in domestic food production certainly feels right, given the events of the past year, and the uncertainty of the future.
As Canadians, we mustn’t take our food for granted – 100% of us need it, to “do everything else...”
Lindsay Yaciuk, Grassroots Communications
(PS: If you’re interested in Canadian agri-food, like we are at Grassroots Public Affairs, join us Wednesday April 28th for a complimentary: Presentation of Findings from the 2021 Grassroots Greenhouse National Agriculture Poll – register here)
Canada’s Agriculture & Food Sectors Continue to be Widely Supported by the Majority of Canadians from Coast to Coast
News, Grassroots NewsTORONTO, ON – April 13, 2021 – The third annual national Agri-Food public opinion poll by Grassroots Public Affairs finds that Canadians continue to maintain very positive views about the current and future state of agriculture and food in Canada.
In partnership with clients and other industry associations, Grassroots’s online survey measured attitudes, direction, and intensity of public opinion on a range of issues and policies affecting the domestic Agri-Food sector.
Some of the more interesting survey findings include:
New questions for the 2021 poll gathered public opinion about:
Grassroots Public Affairs continues to believe strongly in the growth potential in Canada’s domestic food system. We will be releasing more detailed findings including demographic breakdowns on a variety of questions in the coming weeks.
View the 2021 survey results.
Methodology and Sample Size
The Canada-wide survey was conducted via an online panel of 1,001 Canadians 18+. Fieldwork for the survey took place between March 23rd to March 30th, and the survey was available in English and French.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Lindsay Yaciuk
Communications, Grassroots Public Affairs
lindsay@grassrootspa.ca
905-715-2788
The Grassroots Greenhouse 2021
News, Grassroots NewsAn annual snapshot of public opinion about Canadian agriculture and food.
As enthusiastic advocates for the Canadian Agri-Food sector, Grassroots Public Affairs is pleased to release our third annual agriculture and food research public opinion poll.
Our approach for 2021 includes COVID-19 pandemic-related food questions, as well as repeated questions from past years so we can measure any change in public opinion.
Key findings for this year’s research include:
Other key findings:
Special thanks to Food Banks Canada and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture for their participation.
View the ‘Greenhouse’ below:
Grassroots-Greenhouse-2021-Final-Report-compressedFor customized presentations on the findings, please contact us by email at info@grassrootspa.ca.
Ontario Budget 2021: A Blueprint for Recovery
News, ProvincialOn Wednesday afternoon, Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy delivered the much-anticipated 2021 Ontario budget. After the COVID-19 pandemic delayed last year’s budget until the fall, the government is likely eager to get back on track as it moves towards the 2022 provincial election. Here are the highlights:
Primary Themes
As was leaked last week, the primary themes of the budget were “Protecting People’s Health” and “Protecting our Economy”. While the Ford government campaigned in the last election on a promise the eliminate the $15B annual deficit inherited from the previous Liberal government, any plan to do that has been dismissed due to pandemic impacts on the provincial economy.
Minister Bethlenfalvy remarked that this year’s budget was similar to the one delivered by P.C. Finance Minister Leslie Frost in 1943, when Canada was in the midst of fighting the Second World War:
“COVID‐19 arrived on Canadian shores one year ago. At the time, few could have anticipated the devastating consequences, here at home and across the globe. Our loved ones, our economy, our education system, our main streets and our communities have all been impacted by the global pandemic. But from the first moments of this crisis, Premier Ford made clear that our government would protect the people of this province.”
Protecting People’s Heath – Commitments Announced
Protecting our Economy – Commitments Announced
Normally, economic priorities take precedence when it comes to conservative government budgets. This year, however, the budget will play a necessary supporting role in protecting the health and well-being of Ontarians. That said, the government did announce a significant round of investments to assist Ontario businesses to rebound from what has been a very difficult year.
Assessing the Numbers
While not surprising given the circumstances, the bottom line for this budget, and all budgets in the foreseeable future, is not pretty. As most people expected – Ontario’s budget deficit of $32B is much higher than the government would have anticipated when it was first elected in 2018. The good news is, that it’s estimated to be almost $5B lower than last year and progressively lower in years to come.
Interest on the province’s debt, despite all time low interest rates, will cost the government approximately $13B and the total debt will rise to $439B in the upcoming fiscal year, and as high as half a trillion by 2023-24.
Looking much further into the future, the government’s long-term projections suggest that balancing the provincial books won’t be achievable until the end of the decade; 7 years later than the PCs were aiming for in their 2019 pre-COVID budget.
Despite the rebound from the economic collapse a year ago when Ontarians were faced with the first lockdown, there are still more than 300,000 fewer full-time jobs in the province than before the pandemic hit.
And a final staggering metric is the province’s debt-to-GDP ratio, which is currently projected to be over 50% within 3 years.
Reaction
Reaction to the budget was mixed, with traditional allies to the PC government expressing support and those ideologically opposed to the government expressing disappointment in yesterday’s budget.
Business groups including the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and the Ontario Real Estate Association applauded the investments towards supporting business and making important infrastructure investments.
Official Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath was critical of what the NDP viewed as spending cuts in public education, long term care facilities and healthcare. Liberal leader Stephen Del Duca expressed his party’s outrage towards the government on reduced support for Ontario students compared to increased funding last year when the pandemic first arrived.
What This All Means
While the fundamentals of Ontario’s economy are still extremely shaky, the general public has largely supported the Ford government’s handling of COVID. There has been some concern and frustration over perceived mismanagement around vaccine distribution, but the PC government is giving Ontarians what they want and need in this budget: a path and plan that the government will support the province on the road back to recovery. Expect to see government ministers fan out across the province and engage in some significant PR to sell the benefits of the budget to Ontarians in the coming weeks. Moreover, expect opposition parties to continue hammering the government to do more in support of Ontarians.
For more information on budget details, visit the full 2021 Ontario Budget document.
Grassroots will continue to monitor government plans as we head into the summer months. The ongoing fight against the pandemic will remain the focus for some time, but it won’t be long until we see clear signs of electioneering in anticipation of next year’s scheduled provincial vote.
Observations Drawn from Polling on Agriculture
Grassroots News, NewsSince 2017, we at Grassroots have had the good fortune to partner with clients in the Agri-Food sector to measure Canadian’s attitudes towards our domestic food industry. Our findings have helped us advise organizations on how best to frame their messaging so that government and the general public are more receptive to their ‘asks’.
This month, Grassroots will be re-entering the field to once again measure Canadians attitudes towards a wide range of topics related to Canada’s vast and diverse Agri-Food industry. We are excited to offer the opportunity for outside organizations and commodity groups to participate.
Our Agri-Food Omnibus polls from the last two years have uncovered a wide variety of interesting data. Here are a few notable findings related to agriculture and the business of food:
Agriculture is a key driver of the Canadian economy.
Overwhelming, the general public sees agriculture as one of the key drivers of the Canadian economy.
Agriculture is important to Canada’s national security and critical infrastructure.
When compared with other major sectors of the Canadian economy, agriculture is seen as one of Canada’s most important industries, coming second only to health care, with respect to the role it plays in guaranteeing Canada’s national security and critical infrastructure. This bodes well for a sector that routinely feels ignored by government.
The pandemic has changed the way Canadians act or think about shopping for food, but public trust in domestic food is high.
In last year’s poll, conducted just as the first lockdown was imposed, we learned that Canadians began thinking differently about how and where their food comes from. The pandemic exposed Canadians to the possibilities of food shortages and barriers to accessing food. More than six in ten Canadians believed food availability at grocery stores had worsened after COVID, and a third report experiencing greater difficulty affording food.
Trust in home-grown food is high.
In comparison to other major global agricultural producers, Canadians trust food grown or produced domestically significantly more than food grown or produced elsewhere.
Quebecers are most optimistic about the future of the sector.
Another interesting regional insight is just how the Agri-Food sector is viewed differently across the country. According to last year’s survey Quebecers were by far the most optimistic and supportive about the future of the sector, while Ontario and Alberta residents were more pessimistic. The culture of food and firsthand connection to the industry matters significantly when it comes to public support.
As anyone involved in the agri-food industry knows, there have been many positive PR campaigns launched by industry stakeholders to help educate and influence consumers. These initiatives are needed, as the majority of Canadians increasingly have less direct exposure to farming and agriculture in general.
We look forward to releasing the findings of our poll in April. There is still time to participate and include a question or two focused on specific sectors of the industry in our poll. Check out the information on our website or email info@grassrootspa.ca for more information.
Smile, spring is just around the corner!
New Year, New Opportunities
Grassroots News, NewsPeter is the Principal & Senior Consultant at Grassroots Public Affairs and is based in Toronto. Peter can be contacted at peter@grassrootspa.ca.
As we begin the first quarter of 2021, with lockdowns in place and government struggling to combat a virus that just doesn’t want to go away, it may be challenging to stay optimistic. To say the recent holidays were abnormal would be understatement, and here we are, staring down the runway of a New Year with the impacts of COVID-19 still the primary focus on everyone’s mind.
Whether you feel ready or not, there is work to be done with your organization’s advocacy and government relations plans for the coming year. The pandemic has changed the playbook on how we move forward, so here are some opportunities to keep in mind:
Get your plans in order and manage expectations for the first quarter.
This winter is going to be challenging as government at all levels remain focused on dealing with the pandemic. The continued inability for us to do business face-to-face, meet socially at events, or look forward to the annual winter getaway you normally take, will make the cold, dark months of January, February and March particularly challenging this year. Yet, things will eventually start to improve when the snow melts, so now is a great time to review your advocacy plans for the entire year.
At Grassroots we are taking time to re-evaluate the strategies our clients are using to engage government in a very different environment. Last year we were forced to adjust on the fly, not knowing what the next month or two would bring. We now know that communicating with government is likely forever impacted by the pandemic. This is a good opportunity to review your internal digital systems, marketing materials, and the overall tone of how your message may be received by government and other outside stakeholders, given the times we are in.
Smile, you’re on camera! Meetings are here to stay.
Understanding how to properly utilize video communications is now a must. Mastering it and using it to its full advantage may require an investment of time and money, but we believe this will pay off. Since the pandemic hit last spring, we at Grassroots have helped clients with many different projects, including livestream video events, and we are learning more and more about the do’s and don’ts of virtual communications. Throughout the recent holidays I saw some very creative seasonal greetings on social media. High quality professionally produced videos will help your message stand out.
Videos can be easily filmed and uploaded via smart phone, but that isn’t always the best approach. There are many great videographers and production experts out there who can turn a good message into a fantastic message. At Grassroots we’ve had opportunities to work with several experts in the field that have helped us deliver enhanced value to our clients.
Schedule time to check in with people regularly.
As we focus on project objectives and deadlines, it is important to remember that every person we come in contact with is dealing with their own unique challenges related to the changes in lifestyle forced upon us. From staff and colleagues, to clients, to people working within government – everyone has experienced some level of disruption in the past 12 months. I find that regular check-in calls go a long way to strengthen relationships. While virtual meetings on Zoom have become common, old-fashioned phone calls seem to work best for check-ins like this, as people may not want to be seen when they aren’t feeling 100%. Make time to schedule check-in calls for the people that are important to you and your business.
Grassroots remains committed to supporting our clients through the challenging year ahead. By thinking creatively together, we can ensure advocacy messages are heard by the right people, within the right level of government.
Happy New Year from all of us at Grassroots – here’s to health, happiness and success for you and your business in 2021!