CK Mayor Darrin Canniff, Chatham Outreach for Hunger Executive Director Brenda LeClair, Major Stephen Holland with The Salvation Army, and CK Economic Development Officer, pose with donations during an annual food drive held by the Kent Federation of Agriculture. (Photo courtesy of Chatham-Kent Economic Development Services)

Farmers and local residents have stepped up to help those in need during the annual celebration of agriculture in Canada.

In honour of Canada’s Agriculture Day on Wednesday, the Kent Federation of Agriculture (KFA) held a food drive at The Salvation Army church in Chatham to support local food banks in Chatham-Kent.

All donations collected will be split between Chatham Outreach for Hunger and The Salvation Army.

“We’re local producers and we love to support local causes. The food bank is always in need and we’re fortunate in Chatham-Kent to have producers who have food all year,” said KFA President Brad Snobelen.

The annual KFA food drive during Canada’s Agriculture Day provides food producers with an opportunity to share their products and help consumers draw a closer connection to where their food comes from and the people who produce it.

“Agriculture is Chatham-Kent. We’re so ingrained in agriculture here,” said Snobelen. “We’re so diverse in the different crops that we can grow — everything from vegetable crops and greenhouse operations to field crops for feed for livestock.”

Chatham-Kent is home to a $4 billion agriculture and agri-food industry, responsible for more than 16,000 jobs.