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Canadians remain confident in ag sector meeting demand, survey says

Dec 13, 2022 | 2:04 PM

The majority of Canadians are confident that the country’s agriculture sector will be able to keep up with demand.

That’s according to Climate FieldView and Angus Reid Forum which released the “Perceptions of Canadian Agriculture Survey” on Monday.

It suggests four-in-five Canadians are confident in the sector with around 84 per cent of people in Saskatchewan falling into this category.

“I have total confidence,” Kerry Peterson, a Shellbrook area farmer, said.

Saskatchewan’s confidence percentage is actually a big drop from last year where 99 per cent of respondents believed the sector could match the country’s demand.

The main reasons why many changed their answer don’t appear to be about the farmers themselves but things out of their control like severe weather, climate change, and resource limitations.

However, the big drop was still a surprise for Peterson who explained many of the same problems aren’t new.

“I don’t know why people would be less confident this year than last year,” he said.

A big positive is just how many more Canadians are fully appreciating what the agricultural sector does for the country.

Over 60 per cent claimed they have more respect for the sector after dealing with all of their challenges, especially severe weather.

Peterson believes this is because more people are starting to become more educated about the sector as demand and supply issues impact the country.

“Everyone’s realizing we’re the top producers in the world, and we can sustain this,” he said.

Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow