By Peggy Brekveld, Vice President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture
OFA Commentary: May 31, 2018 We’re almost there. Election day looms for Ontarians as both candidates and party leaders vie for our votes. We, as Ontario voters, have watched the debates, read party platforms and talked to local candidates to see for ourselves who will represent us at Queen’s Park. And, if you haven’t already, it’s soon time to make a decision. The 2018 provincial election has been a bit of a roller coaster, in regards to who is leading in the polls, but one important question still remains – who will represent Ontario agriculture and our rural communities? And who will work with us to produce prosperity across Ontario? The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), along with our county federations and local members, have been working hard to raise the importance of Ontario’s agri-food sector and rural communities with party leaders and candidates throughout the election. We’ve been explaining our Producing Prosperity in Ontario campaign. We’re calling for necessary public investments to permit affordable energy access for farms and rural residents. We need improved infrastructure, such as proper roads and bridges, secure social infrastructure such as local rural schools and health care. And we need reliable internet that will keep farms, local businesses and communities better connected and competitive in today’s digital world. OFA has made it clear – a little attention and public investment in agriculture and rural Ontario will go a long way. We’re talking about real pay-offs for the entire province. New jobs will be created. Affordable energy will lead to significant income savings that can be invested back into our communities. Solid roads and bridges will allow goods, services and trades to travel easily through our communities. And, reliable broadband will see new rural education and employment options. Rural Ontario and our agricultural industry have the potential to produce prosperity for every Ontarian. And there’s still time to tell our candidates. OFA is asking all members to visit actnow.ofa.on.ca to send an electronic letter directly to their local candidates and each party leader. The letter clearly explains OFA’s Producing Prosperity in Ontario campaign and why agriculture and rural Ontario matter. It’s important that election candidates understand the potential agriculture and rural hold because the successful candidate will form the next government. Visit actnow.ofa.on.ca and speak up. And, to all of our members who have been so active engaging with MPP candidates throughout the election, talking about the benefits of Ontario agriculture to the entire province, on behalf of OFA, many thanks! -30- For more information, contact: Peggy Brekveld Vice President Ontario Federation of Agriculture 807-707-2814 Neil Currie General Manager Ontario Federation of Agriculture 519-821-8883
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Mississauga, May 29, 2018 – Building on their shared values and a relationship forged over many years, Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS) and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to formalize their commitment to work together to address key safety issues affecting Ontario farmers, agriculture employees and farm families.
“Safety is a priority and should be everyone’s responsibility on a farm,” says Keith Currie, OFA President. “This MOU strengthens the long-standing relationship OFA shares with WSPS – formerly Farm Safety Association. Together we’ll continue to develop safety materials to raise awareness and help keep our farm communities safe.” As part of the agreement, OFA will continue to sit on the WSPS Agriculture Horticulture Advisory Committee to provide insight and guidance on agricultural matters. OFA will also utilize their Member Service Representative network and regional county federations of agriculture to assist in the distribution of farm safety resources. In turn, WSPS will leverage its resources, including the Farm Safety Gazette newsletter and rural agricultural volunteers, to disseminate farm safety resources across Ontario. Together they will increase advocacy and promotion of each other’s services, events, products and information, as well as develop new co-branded materials of value to the farming community. WSPS President Lynn Brownell looks forward to the benefits the MOU will bring. “The Ontario agriculture and farming community is vibrant and diverse, with very specific health and safety needs. This partnership is a fantastic opportunity for us to work together to increase health and safety awareness across the province.” The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is the largest general farm organization in Ontario, representing 37,000 farm families across the province. As a dynamic farmer-led organization based in Guelph, the OFA works to represent and champion the interests of Ontario farmers through government relations, farm policy recommendations, research, lobby efforts, community representation, media relations and more. OFA is the leading advocate for Ontario’s farmers and is Ontario’s voice of the farmer. WSPS is the largest health & safety association in Ontario, responsible for more than 167,000 member firms across the agricultural, industrial/manufacturing and service sectors. -30- For more information please contact: Keith Currie President Ontario Federation of Agriculture 705-441-3362 [email protected] Dean Anderson Strategic Advisor, Agricultural Initiatives Workplace Safety & Prevention Services 905-614-1400 ext. 2014 [email protected] OFA Commentary: May 25, 2018
By Pat Jilesen, Director, Ontario Federation of Agriculture The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) knows how proud our members are of their farms, families and agricultural communities. That’s why we’re launching the OFA’s Proud to Farm photo contest. We’re asking members and their families to share their views of Ontario agriculture in a little friendly competition. The Proud to Farm photo contest is open until August 17, 2018, giving OFA members plenty of time to capture that perfect shot throughout the growing season. There are three categories to enter – Proud to Farm, Farm Scenes and Farm Animals – for members and their immediate families to share their favourite images of Ontario agriculture. Prizes will be awarded to winners in each category, plus an additional grand prize for the Farmers Choice Award. Photo entries must be submitted online at www.ofa.on.ca. The contest is sponsored by OFA’s Proud to Lead initiative and Farm Credit Canada. OFA members will have the opportunity to vote for their favourite photo in each category, including the Farmers Choice Award. Voting will be available online and at OFA’s Federation House during Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show in September, 2018. Winning photographs will be announced at OFA’s 2018 Annual General Meeting in November and featured in the 2019 issue of OFA Today magazine. OFA invites all members and their families to share your photography skills and show us what rural life, farm animals, agriculture and farming looks like to you. Full details are available at www.ofa.on.ca/photocontest. -30- For more information, contact: Pat Jilesen Director Ontario Federation of Agriculture 519-386-1330 Neil Currie General Manager Ontario Federation of Agriculture 519-821-8883 By Peggy Brekveld, Vice President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture
OFA Commentary: May 18, 2018 Running a farm is a complex business. Laws and regulations from multiple ministries govern Ontario farms on issues ranging from transportation and environment to labour and finance. The passing of Bill 148, Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act in 2017 has added additional layers of complex regulations for Ontario farm employers. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) recently hosted a webinar to highlight how changes in the new legislation will impact farm employers and suggested options to comply. The webinar reviewed how many of the changes resulting from the new Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act have impacted the Employment Standards Act and recommended essential labour resources for Ontario farm employers. This webinar is available on the OFA website for information purposes but should not be considered legal advice. Labour issues can be complex, so you may want to seek legal advice from a specialist in employment law. The often risky and unpredictable business of agriculture – the seasonality, perishability, external market forces, climate and weather variability, and the challenges of working with biological organisms – combine to make farm employment unique. Labour laws and regulations must reflect these unique circumstances of farm work, and some flexibility remains under the Employment Standards Act for farm employers to effectively manage human resources in a dynamic workplace. While necessary, trying to regulate a necessarily flexible workplace can create confusion for farm employers about when and how the legislation applies to their operation and employees. Farm employers must be aware of recent changes to the Employment Standards Act, including the new minimum wage, modifications to the Equal Pay for Equal Work rules, new public holiday and vacation pay calculations, and changes to the suite of workplace leaves of absence. Resources are available from the Ministry of Labour to help farm employers understand their obligations to employees under the act. For more information on farm employment regulations visit the resources section of OFA’s website for a full list of resources or to watch the full webinar. For more information, contact: Peggy Brekveld Vice President Ontario Federation of Agriculture 807-707-2814 Neil Currie General Manager Ontario Federation of Agriculture 519-821-8883 By Keith Currie, President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture
Invest in rural regions for long-term growth. That’s the take home message in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) recently released report – Rural 3.0: A Framework for Rural Development. The policy research report outlines the case for focusing on rural areas as engines of national prosperity and suggests how public policy should leverage this opportunity. The Rural 3.0 report states that rural regions are not synonymous with decline, but represent growth and opportunity. The report presents a convincing argument that rural regions will play a central role in meeting the major global opportunities and challenges of the 21st century. The OECD suggests innovations in food production, new energy sources to meet climate challenges and the provision of natural resources are all key contributions being made by rural regions today that will continue as global populations grow. An international body, the OECD promotes policies that will improve the economic and social well-being of people around the world and provides a forum for governments to work together to share experiences and seek solutions to common problems. With 35 member countries, including Canada, the OECD works towards a collective goal to build a stronger, cleaner and fairer world. Rural regions are places of opportunity – this consistent theme throughout the report identifies policy considerations necessary for rural economic development and explores rural development opportunities. Some of the opportunities explored in the policy report include the untapped potential for agri-food growth and competitiveness. This timely report supports the Ontario Federation of Agriculture’s (OFA) call for investments and development investment in rural Ontario as a solution to economic growth for the entire province. OFA’s 2018 provincial election campaign, Producing Prosperity in Ontario, outlines how investments in the agri-food sector and Ontario’s rural communities can lead to economic growth through job creation, affordable housing, environmental sustainability and local food security. The need for rural growth and development isn’t just limited to Ontario or Canada. The Rural 3.0 report clearly identifies rural regions worldwide in need of government attention, proper policies and investments to realize the tremendous potential these areas offer. In Ontario we know our rural communities and farms have untapped potential to benefit all Ontarians, and welcome the global support for this position in the Rural 3.0 report. -30- For more information, contact: Keith Currie President Ontario Federation of Agriculture 705-441-3362 Neil Currie General Manager Ontario Federation of Agriculture 519-821-8883 Guelph, ON [May 9, 2018] – As candidates officially kick off their campaigns for the June 7 election, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is reinforcing the fact that agriculture and rural Ontario hold the key for provincial prosperity and long-term economic growth.
“With the balance of Ontarians living and working in urban ridings, advocating for a greater understanding of the needs and opportunities that lie in Ontario’s agri-food industry and rural communities has never been more important,” says Keith Currie, OFA President. “OFA’s election campaign, Producing Prosperity in Ontario, outlines the tremendous potential to drive economic growth, affordable housing opportunities, job creation, environmental sustainability and local food security.” Throughout the election, OFA will be reaching out to candidates across the province – rural and urban – asking them to learn more about the contributions our agri-food sector and rural communities already make to the provincial economy. OFA will also be talking to candidates about the necessity of long-term investments to spearhead increased economic prosperity for the entire province. “Our agri-food sector is known as the key economic engine for the province. We’ve got tremendous potential, but need the next provincial government to understand how much we can grow the economy through increased revenues, job creation and improved efficiencies,” says Currie. Ontario agriculture contributes $13.7 billion to the province’s annual GDP and $1.4 billion in provincial tax revenues. Much of the province’s agri-food processing industry is located in and surround the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area (GTHA). That makes the health and security of Ontario’s agriculture sector and rural residents who work on farms and in agriculture businesses vital to the jobs and success of processing businesses in our largest urban centres. “Agriculture, food and rural communities matter and can be the game-changer,” says Currie. “With prudent, distributed economic development we have an opportunity to help everyone in the province, no matter where you live. No other industry can claim that. So I say game on – agri-food and rural communities will make a difference in Ontario if the next government helps them realize the true potential they hold.” The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is the largest general farm organization in Ontario, representing 37,000 farm families across the province. As a dynamic farmer-led organization based in Guelph, the OFA works to represent and champion the interests of Ontario farmers through government relations, farm policy recommendations, research, lobby efforts, community representation, media relations and more. OFA is the leading advocate for Ontario’s farmers and is Ontario’s voice of the farmer. -30- For more information: Keith Currie President Ontario Federation of Agriculture [email protected] Neil Currie General Manager Ontario Federation of Agriculture [email protected] By Keith Currie, President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture
Great opportunity lies in rural Ontario, including affordable housing. That’s the message the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) wants candidates to understand as they head into the provincial election race. OFA has clearly outlined what provincial parties and election candidates to know about what agri-food and Ontario’s rural communities require. It’s the basis of OFA’s Producing Prosperity in Ontario campaign. We’re confident our call for distributing economic investments around the province with deliver long-term benefits for all Ontarians. This is a strong solution that we believe should be part of every party’s platform, and a key deliverable for the next provincial government. It’s a simple premise. When we distribute development dollars, or targeted public investments, in the agri-food sector and in rural communities across the province, we create long-term solutions to most of the ongoing issues and challenges Ontarians are facing today. Here’s what OFA wants every election candidate to know. Agriculture matters. The agri-food industry drives our provincial economy. From primary production to food processing in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area (GTHA), agriculture and food is big business. Agriculture contributes $13.7 billion to Ontario’s annual GDP and $1.4 billion in provincial tax revenues. The total number of farmers and rural residents may not compare to the number voters in urban centres and the GTHA, but our contribution to the provincial coffers should give us a stronger voice. Long-term payoffs. Spreading economic investments around the province will benefit everyone across Ontario. Long-term vital infrastructure improvements, like widespread broadband, access to affordable natural gas energy and increased social infrastructure, including schools, medical facilities and improved medical care, will attract new business in rural areas. New jobs will attract new residents. Stronger rural communities with new economic opportunities for families will help distribute population growth more widely across the province and ease the ongoing population imbalance and reduce the GTHA infrastructure crisis. Affordable housing is attainable. Affordable housing and transportation are key election issues. OFA knows that with the right planning and proper investments from a committed government, Ontario’s rural communities will provide new lifestyle and home ownership opportunities. That means more Ontarians could have the chance to buy an affordable home. There is still room to for growth within the GTHA while preserving the existing Greenbelt – for now. But in the long term, Ontario must invest in economic development in rural communities to realize economic and lifestyle opportunities that include affordable housing and improved transportation. Our Producing Prosperity in Ontario plan will help create jobs for families looking for affordable communities. OFA is bringing our message of Producing Prosperity in Ontario to political parties ahead of the June 7 election. Now, we’re taking our plan to candidates across the province, outlining our answer for economic growth for Ontario. We want all candidates to understand the value and tremendous opportunities the agri-food sector and our rural communities have to offer. OFA urges all voters to get involved in advocating for Ontario’s agri-food sector and rural communities by asking election candidates about their positions. All candidates, especially in urban ridings, need to understand the opportunities that lie in rural Ontario. -30- For more information, contact: Keith Currie President Ontario Federation of Agriculture 705-441-3362 Neil Currie General Manager Ontario Federation of Agriculture 519-821-8883 |
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