Libro Credit Union and AgScape Team Up For the Future of Food & Agriculture Education in Ontario
November 27, 2020
ONTARIO – AgScape’s Ontario-wide food and agriculture education program receives a $45,000 investment from Libro Credit Union, aiming for a bright future for the agri-food community.
Libro’s investment will be directed over a three-year period to fund 195 agri-food lessons for over 4,200 southwestern Ontario students, furthering AgScape’s mission to increase awareness of our agri-food systems and ignite interest in related careers.
Today, less than 14% of Ontarians live in rural areas and nearly 18,000 farms have been lost over the past 20 years. With urbanization, many people, especially today’s youth, have lost their connection to how food is grown, processed, and distributed.
Libro’s investment will also support three AgScape interactive Career Competitions where students will have the opportunity to learn directly from experts in the agri-food community.
“We are grateful for this ongoing partnership with Libro. Especially during these challenging times, as we are reminded of the importance of a safe, resilient, and reliable agri-food system, and economy,” said Taylor Selig, AgScape’s Executive Director. “Libro’s multi-year commitment to AgScape is a significant investment that provides just that – sustainability for our programs, allowing us to focus on longer term goals and map out a strategic plan for connecting with students across Ontario with everyone’s future in mind.”
“The Teacher Ambassador Program and AgScapes’ education programming are critical to help close the food literacy gap and build a more resilient food system,” John Kiser, Commercial & Agricultural Relationship Manager with Libro Credit Union explains. “At Libro, we understand the importance of educating new generations about this progressive industry and we are very proud to continue partnering with AgScape to help empower students with agri-food knowledge and inspire them to make food-related career choices.”
Local Food Accessibility is one of Libro’s key focus areas and one of the biggest challenges in the region. Libro Credit Union has deep roots in agriculture and continues to support more than 3,200 farm and agri-business owners in southwestern Ontario.
Libro Credit Union has previously contributed $10,000 for AgScape’s teacher ambassador program where Ontario Certified Teachers provided more than 850 students across Ontario with curriculum-based learning about food and agriculture.
The value of Libro’s investment in Agriculture Education can be seen from the glowing reviews from students impacted by AgScape’s teacher ambassadors. An eighth grade student at Hugh Beaton Public School in Windsor, said: “Before being taught about this, I honestly had no idea what working on a farm or working in agriculture was actually like. Now, I can understand it more than I could before.”
Selig adds: “With funding provided generously through organizations like Libro, or the general public like you, AgScape can continue to provide food and agricultural lessons to students across Ontario for free.”
“Ontario students deserve to be given the tools and knowledge necessary to make informed decisions about the foods that they eat, and understand their connection to our food system, and how their spending and support drives our entire industry. If you care about the food you eat, and where it comes from, we encourage you to support us, too.”
To learn more about AgScape and to donate to their education programs visit agscape.ca/
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About Libro Credit Union:
Libro Credit Union is a full-service financial institution serving more than 106,000 member-Owners through a network of digital service and 36 physical locations. As a certified B Corporation®, Libro invests 100 percent of profits into the people, businesses and communities across southwestern Ontario. To learn about becoming an Owner and what it means to bank with purpose, visit Libro.
Mike Donachie, Communications Manager
C: 226-926-4068
E: Mike.Donachie@libro.ca
About AgScape:
AgScape is a charitable organization providing objective, fact-based and curriculum-linked resources to Ontario schools on agriculture, food production, environmental sustainability, and related topics. AgScape was created in 1991 with the mission to empower Ontario students with impartial and accurate information to increase awareness of the agri-food system and ignite interest in related careers. For more information, visit agscape.ca, follow us on Twitter @AgScapeON, Instagram @AgScape_ON and like us on Facebook @AgScapeON.
Taylor Selig, Executive Director, AgScape
E: Taylor.Selig@agscape.ca