The most recent Saskatchewan lesson in the importance of optics came from the Grade 5 class at the Outlook Elementary School.
Students in the classroom had been learning about the impact of farming on oceans, and they were given the chance to apply what they learned to the sign at the front entrance of the school. It seemed innocent enough.
But rather than send a message about sustainability, they opted for the following statement: 鈥淔arming affects oceans; chemicals hurt habitats and species; they also decr (decrease) oxygen levels.鈥�
If you鈥檙e going to go after an industry in Saskatchewan, farming should be at the bottom of the list, especially if you鈥檙e a school in rural Saskatchewan.
My guess is that at least one student in that Grade 5 class lives on a farm, and that more than one student has strong agricultural roots, whether it be through their grandparents, or an aunt and uncle. Six degrees of separation? For most of us in Saskatchewan, it would likely be two or three degrees of separation when it comes to farmers.
Farming built this province. Some of the finest people I'll ever have the pleasure of meeting are farmers.聽
Perhaps the only surprising part about this story is that the outcry took as long as it did. The massive social media backlash didn鈥檛 begin until the following day. But once it started, it was unstoppable.
There was no spinning this situation. No claims of misinterpretation when it comes to the statement above.
The school division was quick to apologize and tried to rectify the flap. The critical statement was yanked and replaced with a quote from George Washington that praised farming as the 鈥渕ost useful and most noble employment of man.鈥�
But there鈥檚 another perspective for this issue: the need for better education about the agriculture sector 鈥� the work it does, the impact it has and the efforts it makes to respect the environment.
Farming hasn鈥檛 always done a great job of informing the public. This is not a complaint that鈥檚 unique to Saskatchewan or even Canada; farmers everywhere have often lagged behind the information spread by Internet trolls.
Nor is farming the only industry that鈥檚 faced with this issue. So many different professions, from energy to healthcare to law enforcement to hospitality, have to fight the never-ending battle of contending with online liars.
And there鈥檚 no shortage of people out there who will believe (and share) anything when it fits their agenda.
So it鈥檚 important for agriculture to get its truths out there, not only in the schools, but to the public as a whole. Yes, school students need to hear this message, and have it reinforced constantly, but there are so many others out there who need to know what really happens in farming.
聽After all, when you talk to a farmer about the food they grow, you鈥檒l realize a simple truth: they won鈥檛 grow anything for us that they wouldn鈥檛 serve to their families.
And when we talk about essential services and employers, you won鈥檛 find many that are more important than those who grow the food we eat.
There are a lot of great organizations out there who are doing great things to educate the public about modern farming practices. But when you see a situation surface like the one in Outlook, it鈥檚 clear that a lot of work remains.
It鈥檚 time for critics to realize that the modern farmer is working with cutting edge, modern technology, using the most advanced business practices out there, and doing all that they can to be effective stewards of the land and water. And they do it all with a razor-thin margin of error.
Yes, there are those who are incapable of shelving their preconceived notions about farming, but most fair-minded and reasonable people are willing to learn.
Some used this controversy as a chance to take shots at teachers, but most teachers I鈥檝e encountered are fair-minded and reasonable.
The sign at Outlook elementary is also a reminder of the need for common sense. Schools, like everyone else, need to be cognizant of their regions. You can鈥檛 be based in a rural community and take a shot at farmers. If you鈥檙e based in southeast Saskatchewan, then don鈥檛 go after farming, mining, or oil and gas.
We shouldn鈥檛 have to have policies about the messages we post on school signs, or about school plays, or about social media posts. We should have an understanding about common sense and optics of situations.
Just remember your surroundings, think through the situation and remember that most farmers are great.
