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October 20th, 2021 – Fredericton, NB – More than 6,500 people took part in the first-ever
hybrid Open Farm Day in New Brunswick on Sunday, September 19th, 2021. This year marked
the 21st anniversary Open Farm Day in Atlantic Canada.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, participating farm owners were able to decide what
format would better suit them while considering the health and safety of their families and
workers. Farmers had the option to either host in-person farm visits or create videos and
Facebook Live events. Members of the public also had the option to celebrate the event by
participating in in-person farm activities or watching YouTube videos and Facebook Live videos
produced by the farmers themselves. Both formats offered the opportunity for the public to get a
better understanding of how their food is produced. Twenty-one farms in New Brunswick and 70
farms across Atlantic Canada participated in this important event.

“The NB Ag Alliance is very pleased with the success of OFD 2021. Producers and consumers
were able to connect both virtually and safely in person, allowing everyone to participate at their
comfort level in these challenging times. These opportunities to showcase the wonderful variety
of farms in our region and engage in meaningful conversations about what we do on a daily
basis are both fun and educational. I would highly encourage producers to consider taking part
in Open Farm Day 2022. Whether you create a video or open your doors to the public; you can
help spread awareness about the great things we are growing here in NB.” – Lisa Ashworth,
President of the Agricultural Alliance of New Brunswick

“Open Farm Day is a perfect way to get out with your family, have fun and learn something at
the same time! Being able to visit a working farm is a great opportunity to engage young people
and show them where our food actually comes from. It also allows the public to see first hand
the labour, innovation and technology involved in modern farming. And having the virtual aspect
this year made the events even more accessible to folks. I thank the participating farms that
were kind enough to open their doors to educate the public and provide an experience that
many will never forget.” – Honourable Margaret Johnson, Minister of Agriculture, Aquaculture
and Fisheries.

This year’s event was organized in collaboration with all four Atlantic Province’s, including
Prince Edward Island’s Agriculture Sector Council, Nova Scotia’s Federation of Agriculture,
Newfoundland’s Federation of Agriculture and the Agricultural Alliance of New Brunswick.

The goal for the event is to connect the public with their local farmers and to showcase the wide
range of exceptional farm products across Atlantic Canada. This year’s farm participants
included egg and livestock, wineries, maple, sheep, haskap, alpaca, dairy, various produce
growers, and many more. The accessibility of a hybrid event online made for a more diverse
group of participants and made connecting with the public more efficient and meaningful.

“It really was a remarkable day with an amazing turn out it was so fun to answer all the
questions from kids wondering about the pieces of equipment and what they all do , to the
adults realizing the amount of work that goes into strawberry and apple season. Will definitely
participate again next year. I had so much fun!”– Melisa Gilbert, Gilbert Farm Ltd.

Viewers were also able to visit farms from outside New Brunswick. The joint Atlantic Open Farm
Day YouTube channel allowed Canadians to virtually visit farms from across Atlantic Canada
without even leaving home. They were able to participate in online discussions about the local
food industry and understand the importance of buying local and supporting the local economy.

“I could visit the whole province and even other provinces without leaving my home.” – Open
Farm Day Survey Respondent.

Open Farm Day was a highly advertised event, utilizing primarily digital advertising such as
Facebook and radio ads. The public was able to locate the participating farms and farm videos
on the new Atlantic Open Farm Day website, launched on August 28th, 2021. The website
allowed the public to view participating farms, farm social media pages, farm activities, maps,
and contest information.

The event was made possible with the support of the Province of New Brunswick and
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

For more information, please contact:
Agricultural Alliance of New Brunswick
506-452-8101
www.fermenbfarm.ca
https://atlanticopenfarmday.ca/