1. The food self-sufficiency gradient of farm families in three Canadian provinces Dr. Lynn McIntyre Krista Rondeau University of Calgary Canadian Public Health Association 2008 Annual Conference Halifax, NS June 3, 2008

2. Food Provisioning Study Food provisioning includes: acquisition, preparation, distribution, and consumption of food that draws on personal, family and community resources and supports. It is a lens into the daily lived experience. Self-sufficiency draws upon acquisition & preparation

3. Characteristics of farmwomen regardless of level of self-sufficiency Strong support of local markets Many have a personal agricultural exchange network for acquiring food The majority consume the commodity they produce (dairy exception)

4. OBJECTIVE: To examine the food acquisition strategies of farmwomen in the context of food self-sufficiency

5. Methodology Purposive sampling of farmwomen on a beef, dairy or other commodity farm and who had at least two children under the age of 18 years living at home. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 22 farm women: 6 in Alberta, 6 in Ontario, and 10 in Nova Scotia. NVivo7 iterative coding

6. Participants Type of farm - Beef / Bison (7) -Dairy (7) -Mixed, incl beef (4) -Other (4) Ave. age of women -41.7 (25 – 50) Y -64% post-sec ed Children living in household < 18Y -10.0Y, n = 2.4, 0–5 Farms with off-farm income - 13/22 (59%)

7. Results

8. Self-sufficiency gradient – Acquisition strategies Grocery store Local market: farmer’s markets, fruit stands, U-pick; money exchanged Agricultural exchange network: barter Garden:personal garden, fruits Commodity: farm’s Advanced food prod. – animal: raises/hunts/fishes animals for family’s consumption Advanced food prod – processing: canning, freezing, preserves, bread, maple syrup

9. Food acquisition strategies Grocery storeLocal market Agricultural exchange network GardenCommodity Advanced food production - animals Advanced food production – processing 363 189 SS 799 SS 809 319 292 422 545 SS 158 SS 894 SS 680 SS 931 SS 723 SS 360 SS 453 SS 188 SS 169 SS 218 738 SS 691 606 SS 123 SS Totals22201711+4181217 AlbertaOntarioNova Scotia

10. Agricultural exchange network NS: People who hunt on their land give them some wild meat - Family members share if they go hunting - Use space on daughter's property to raise fish - Bee hives on land; get honey in exchange ON: Trades sweet corn for beef with neighbour AB: Small garden on her property that is cared for by mother-in-law and daughter; - canning and pickling done by daughter and mother-in-law

11. Garden 11+4 Having a garden is strongly associated with having enough time to plant and tend the garden. Lack of time is reported as a reason that many have having stopped a garden. Lack of time may be due to: having children children leaving the home loss of extended family who helped out off-farm employment (farmwoman)

12. Garden as Transition As children grow up and start to leave the home, there appears to be a reduction in gardening and advanced food production strategies due to the loss of children’s help in maintaining the garden.

13. Alberta, N = 6 (n) Ontario, N = 6 (n) Nova Scotia, N = 10 (n) Advanced food production – animals 147 Advanced food production – processing and preservation 248 Both137 Advanced Food Production

14. Factors related to self- sufficiency Nova Scotia > Ontario > Alberta Farmwomen who have a GARDEN and WHO ENJOY GARDENING Have a strong arsenal of FOOD SKILLS available to them, including personal and family/extended family. Strong BELIEF that locally produced foods (self- or local farmer) and cooking from scratch is better for you.

15. Factors unrelated to self- sufficiency Off-farm employment Type of farm (mixed vs. single commodity)

16. Other determinants of food self-sufficiency: perception of relative cost savings, physical environment (climate, land, space, and equipment), and government regulations concerning personal food production

17. Conclusion Subsistence agriculture is uncommon among Canadian farm families although many demonstrate components of food self-sufficiency in a gradient. A number of social and physical determinants influence farm families’ ability to provide food for their households.

18. Thanks to the women who participated and to Bonnie Anderson, NS interviewer This study was partially funded by PrioNet and APRI through a grant received by Co-Principal Investigators Wilfreda Thurston and Carol Amaratunga.