DUNDAS FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE (DFA)
  • Home
  • About DFA
    • Board Members
    • Constitution
    • Calendar of Events
    • Meeting Minutes
  • DFA News
  • Agricultural Hall of Fame
    • 2019 Agricultural Hall of Fame Inductions
    • 2017 Agricultural Hall of Fame Inductions
  • Pictures
    • DFA Pictures
    • Dundas Soil & Crop Pictures
  • Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA)
  • Partner Sites
  • Contact Us

DFA NEWS

News updates about DFA events and agriculture in Dundas County and Ontario.

OFA wants agriculture on municipal election agendas

8/15/2014

0 Comments

 
OFA Commentary: August 8, 2014

By Mark Wales, President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture

Agriculture must make the list of issues that matter to candidates in the upcoming fall municipal elections. Farmers are a minority in most Ontario municipalities. And the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) believes it’s our responsibility, as farm families and farm business owners to work with local governments to help them understand agriculture and make sure our rural communities are well served.

On October 27, Ontarians will go to the polls in local elections for municipal council. We must be sure that local services to farmers, farm families and farm businesses are top of mind with candidates. OFA wants to make sure municipal office candidates hear and understand the concerns of farm constituents, so if elected, they can make informed decisions on issues that impact Ontario agriculture.

The OFA has created an elections kit to help members talk about agriculture with local municipal candidates. The kit, available at www.ofa.on.ca, includes a sample letter to candidates, background on municipal governance, and information and questions to ask candidates on nearly 20 different issues from land use planning to wildlife damage, drainage and natural gas service.

It’s important for all OFA members to be informed and support candidates who have the best interests of our communities at heart. Local, or municipal, governments are responsible for important community functions, including services, building and maintaining infrastructure, waste management and land use planning. Municipal councilors are also responsible for funding all these services, roadways and bridges through taxpayer and farm property tax dollars.

The OFA wants to make certain agriculture has a voice in municipal priorities. Every community and municipality has its own focus or areas of concern, but OFA has provided information on a variety of common agricultural issues affecting farmers across Ontario. Working with municipalities is also a priority for the OFA, to make sure rural infrastructure investment is a top issue in municipal elections. The OFA is already working with government and policy makers to make sure rural municipalities get their fair share of infrastructure funding from the provincial government, and help prioritize funding allocations.

Be informed. Be active. And get engaged in your community in the upcoming fall election. It’s up to all of us to make agriculture and rural Ontario a municipal priority.

-30-

For more information, contact:

Mark Wales
President
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
519-773-6706

Neil Currie
General Manager
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
519-821-8883 

0 Comments

    Archives

    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • About DFA
    • Board Members
    • Constitution
    • Calendar of Events
    • Meeting Minutes
  • DFA News
  • Agricultural Hall of Fame
    • 2019 Agricultural Hall of Fame Inductions
    • 2017 Agricultural Hall of Fame Inductions
  • Pictures
    • DFA Pictures
    • Dundas Soil & Crop Pictures
  • Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA)
  • Partner Sites
  • Contact Us