There are times we look at the current economic upswing in Saskatchewan and see something which was created on the economies of oil and gas and mineral exploration and expansion.
It's hard to discount the effect a billion dollar investment in a potash mine expansion has on the economy.
Locally we know about that well with the work taking place in the Rocanville and Esterhazy area to expand existing mines. The dollars invested there certainly have a ripple effect in our city.
The exploration being undertaken by BHP Billiton south of Yorkton also impacts the local economy, both directly in flow through dollars but also by boosting local interest in the city in terms of establishing other business here.
While it is extremely positive both locally, and provincially to see the new economic activity we cannot lose sight of the continued importance of agriculture.
That was brought into focus again recently when Juanita Polegi, Executive Director of the Yorkton Chamber of Commerce made a request of Yorkton Council to declare Nov. 4-10, as Agriculture Week in the city.
At the Oct. 15 meeting Polegi pointed out agriculture accounts "for one third of Saskatchewan's exports and one quarter of the jobs in the province."
In 2011 the activity lifted Saskatchewan to become Canada's top agri-food exporting province.
And as it goes provincially it goes locally, noted Polegi.
"The agriculture industry significantly impacts the economy of the City of Yorkton with over 60 businesses directly involved in servicing the farming and ranching community," she explained.
The importance of agriculture was a theme picked up on by Paul Martin, a keynote speaker at Canola Day part of the Grain Millers Harvest Showdown in the city last week (see related story this issue).
Martin also had a positive message for the farmers who made up the majority of the audience at the Canola Days seminar with a presentation entitled "Agriculture: Saskatchewan's economic catalyst is back".
At times, as you drive around Saskatchewan and see all the fields of grain it is hard to imagine where it goes, offered Martin.
"Go stand on a street corner in China and you'll understand where it goes," he said.
"Go over there and get a sense of what they're about. Your world will be rocked."
But as important as agriculture is, even in Saskatchewan there is a growing disconnect between the general public who consume food but know little about the farm sector which produces it.
We might drive by a field of canola in bloom and recognize it, but have little understanding of how that field relates to the margarine on our table.
Or, how a cow in a field relates to the fast food burger we had for lunch.
And that is where the Yorkton Exhibition Association (YEA) does something each year as part of Harvest Showdown which is to be commended.
Student education is a huge part of the event with more than 711 Grade 4 and Grade 7 students from 21 schools from as far away as Invermay, Norquay, and Kamsack touring through a number of stations which gave information on various aspects of agriculture, including a scale threshing machine and elevator, a dairy cow milking demonstration, and information on grains, oilseeds, alpacas, goats, sheep, pigs and beef cattle (see related photos Page B1).
For many it was a rare opportunity to touch a sheep, and realize that is where wool comes from for winter mittens.
Or to see where the milk they pour on their breakfast porridge comes from before it is put in a plastic bottle.
The YEA does many things in our community each year, but none are more important than trying to educate the next generation on where our food comes from, and the importance of agriculture to all of us.
Farming was the foundation which this province was built on, and its importance remains. Our children need to know that, and too appreciate what farming means to all of us.
