Land, Food and Faith: The Values at Stake in Canada's Agriculture Industry

Read a report on this event by CFORE co-chair James Miller

Read an article on this event by Simon Appoloni

Saturday, October 30, 2004, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm
Harcourt Memorial United Church, 87 Dean Ave, Guelph, ON

Since the 1970s, the production of food in Canada has experienced one crisis after another, from BSE to potatoes, to hogs and grain. At the same time, the number of farmers has declined by at least 75%, and farming has become a stressful occupation in which the young cannot or do not want to enter. The best foodland in Canada is being paved over by the growing suburban areas and the farmer is most often blamed for being inefficient and slow at adapting to new technology. The production of food has become a global industry. The net result is that urban consumers enjoy cheap food but at the cost of being far removed from its source: there is no relationship between the consumer and the farmer, nor the land that produces the food.

Recently farmers, scientists and theologians have been considering the moral and spritual implications of the way consumers relate to the way their food is produced. Questions include:

To discuss these vital issues for all Canadians, the Canadian Forum on Religion and Ecology (CFORE) announces a public dialogue forum on Land, Food and Faith in Guelph, Ontario on Saturday October 30 from 2-4pm. We invite you to take part in this dialogue about the values at stake in Canada's food and agriculture business. The dialogue will follow presentations by distinguished experts in theology, agricultural science and farming:

ann clark

Ann Clark is a professor of plant agriculture at the University of Guelph and an expert in grazing management, organic farming and GMOs. Her research in organic farming seeks to understand the ways in which livestock and enterprise diversity may be essential to ecological sustainability.
Jim Profit is a Jesuit priest, agricultural activist, and director of the Ignatius Jesuit Centre of Guelph. He has been instrumental in the battle against a Wal-Mart superstore in Guelph.
sallie mcfague

Sallie McFague is a world-renowned eco-feminist theologian and author. She recently retired as Carpenter Professor of Theology at Vanderbilt Divinity School and is currently distinguished theologian in residence at the Vancouver School of Theology. Her books include: Metaphorical Theology, Models of God, The Body of God, and Super, Natural Christians. Her work on theology and ecology is evident in her most recent book Life Abundant: Rethinking Theology and Economy for a Planet in Peril.
  Ted Zettel is an organic dairy farmer, and president of Organic Meadow Inc. a business that markets products from Ontarbio, an organic agriculture co-operative. Ontarbio values "strong sustainable family farms united in providing wholesome organic food."

This event took place at Harcourt Memorial United Church, 87 Dean Ave, Guelph, ON from 2:00 to 4:00 pm on Saturday, October 30, 2004.

Download a poster (11x17 pdf format)

CFORE is grateful to Cristina Vanin (St. Jerome's University) and Jim Profit (Ignatius Jesuit Centre) for their hard work in organizing this event. We also express our gratitude to Harcourt Memorial United Church, the Ecology Project, the Institute for the Blessed Virgin Mary (Loretto Sisters), St. Jerome's University and the Guelph Seminar.