FEATURE KAP COMMODITY GROUP
Focus on the
berry sector
Members of the Prairie
Fruit Growers Association
put a positive face
to agriculture
BY ROSALIE I. TENNISON
Urbanites who travel
outside cities and
towns to u-pick operations
across the province
likely don’t equate
what they are doing as
coming face-to-face with agriculture.
They are motivated by thoughts of
future pies or jam, but they are also
meeting members of a small but
committed sector of the industry.
As such, members of the Prairie
Fruit Growers Association put a face to
food production and offer an insight into
how the industry works.
“Our industry sector offers fresh
fruit through u-pick operations
and at farmers’ markets,” said PFGA
co-executive director Angie Cormier.
Along with her husband, Darren,
Angie oversees the organization that
fluctuates between 60 and 70 members
annually depending on how many
retirements or new start-ups occur.
With most members in Manitoba, and
a few in Saskatchewan, the association
offers public education on its website
(www.pfga.com), listing which farms
are open, offering recipes, and posts on
social media.
Members of the association adhere
to a code of practice that includes
producing high-quality and nutritious
food, serving customers with courtesy
and integrity, and adhering to the
production and food safety requirements
of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
and Health Canada.
However, meeting consumers faceto
face is perhaps the greatest public
relations exercise the members undertake.
“With the eat-local trend, our
members are seeing an increase of people
to their farms,” Angie said. “New immigrants
want to come to the farms for the
experience. All this activity is exciting
for our industry.”
In Manitoba, most operations are
close to urban areas, but they aren’t all in
proximity to Winnipeg as the association >>
Manitoba Farmers’ Voice § Fall 2019 § 21
/(www.pfga.com)
