By Board of Directors, Ontario Federation of Agriculture

Strong leadership is the foundation of any government, organization or business. What makes Ontario’s agri-food industry resilient is the abundance of strong and confident farm leaders we have building a bright future for the next generation.

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) prides itself on having quality leaders at all levels of its organization; from our county and regional federations to the provincial board table. OFA strives to foster young leaders and encourage them to get more involved in different areas of the industry as an opportunity to develop the skills necessary to drive success for the agri-food sector and their communities. We recognize that encouragement, positive feedback and mentorship can be extremely valuable to those venturing into a leadership role for the first time.

As a grassroots organization, we believe the support and development of leadership starts at the local level. As part of our strategic direction, we have regularly reached out to engage young leaders and get them involved in provincial advocacy efforts, meetings and discussions. These opportunities provide our grassroots with the opportunity to engage in a leadership capacity, personal growth and with experiences that will positively develop leadership skills.

Ethan Wallace, an active farm leader and grassroots member in his community, utilized these opportunities to not only enhance his knowledge and interest of OFA’s government relations work but to also learn from board members who have developed into a leadership role. These leadership and skill development opportunities helped to encourage him to take the next step and run for Zone Director in his respective region. Last month, Wallace was elected by the membership in Huron and Perth counties to represent their interests on the Board of Directors. He begins his new role immediately following the 2021 Annual General Meeting in November.

At the provincial level, OFA is fortunate to have many board members around our table that have graduated from the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP). As a proud founding member and longstanding support of AALP, the organization invests in the next generation of farm and rural leaders by contributing financially and sponsoring OFA staff and board members as a professional development opportunity. OFA recognizes AALP as a premier leadership program in Ontario that provides participants with a diverse perspective and opportunity to expand their knowledge of the industry.

OFA appreciates the ongoing commitment of the Rural Ontario Institute (ROI) to continue to develop leaders and facilitate collaboration across Ontario. Programs such as AALP can significantly benefit individuals and organizations in the sense that it focuses on elevating leaders in agriculture and rural communities while positioning graduates to take action and help make meaningful change and contributions to their communities.

Peggy Brekveld, OFA’s President and a Class 12 graduate, shares that this program served as a catalyst in helping to get her to where she is today. The experience helped to strengthen her leadership skills and qualities. This program broadened her knowledge and understanding of the industry, while also giving her more confidence as a leader.

Directors Jackie Kelly-Pemberton and Paul Vickers graduated from Class 14 together. The program provided Kelly-Pemberton with the tools and knowledge she needed to move towards her goal of getting more involved in Ontario’s agri-food sector. “AALP gave me a new perspective on the industry and helped me to better understand issues and priorities from a policy level,” said Kelly-Pemberton.

For Vickers, AALP taught him how to think more strategically and look at situations in terms of the bigger picture.
Director Teresa Van Raay believes it was the perfect environment to challenge yourself and build confidence in your leadership development. “AALP gave me opportunities to speak, present, and lead,” she explained. “I strongly recommend this program to anyone interested in developing leadership skills, as it opens up your network in the alumni and provides the freedom to make mistakes and learn from them.”

Jennifer Doelman, Director and Class 11 participant, shares that the program opened her eyes to the impacts positive leadership can have on a community. “Not only did I gain the skills I needed to become a leader, but it has also provided me with a unique understanding of the industry and food value chain.” OFA Vice President, Mark Reusser had a similar experience, sharing that AALP is the perfect opportunity for expert leadership training to help expand your mind and knowledge. In his experience, the greater goal of the program is to immerse yourself in the process and share your insight with potential new leaders in your community.

Along with board members, OFA has encouraged and supported staff to take advantage of this experience. Danielle Collins, Economic Development Policy Analyst, explains how the program provided her with more information than you could ever find in a textbook. “The hands-on experience, educational training and connections made throughout this journey have helped me expand and grow as a leader,” detailed Collins.

This past week, the participants of AALP Class 19 were announced, which includes another OFA representative in Director Tracey Arts. “I’m excited to be accepted into the program,” said Arts. “As a Director, I’m here to strongly serve OFA members, and AALP will broaden my agriculture knowledge, network and ability to advocate for the sector.” The organization is sponsoring Arts’ involvement as a professional development opportunity. We look forward to following and supporting her throughout this experience as she continues to passionately contribute to the betterment of agriculture and rural Ontario.

With strong, confident and knowledgeable leaders at the table, the potential for economic growth and development in agriculture and our rural communities remains endless. If you’ve ever considered getting involved and taking on a leadership role, don’t hesitate to reach out to your local federation or an OFA board member.
​
For more information, contact:
Tyler Brooks
Director of Communications and Stakeholder Relations
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
519-821-8883 ext. 218
tyler.brooks@ofa.on.ca

By Mark Reusser, Director, Ontario Federation of Agriculture

The natural environment supports diverse ecosystems and thrives on biodiversity. As farmers, we must continue to prioritize enhancing our farmland to support prosperous growth of food and commodities for all current and future generations. We depend on ecological goods and services to maintain a healthy environment.

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) acknowledges the important role that Ontario farmers serve in protecting and enhancing the natural environment and our most vital resources. Beyond the land that is used to grow crops or pasture animals, preserving forests, wetlands and water ways on the farm property is in the hands of farmers. Best management practices can achieve greater biodiversity, enhancing the entire rural landscape including woodlots, wetlands, riparian zones and more.

We tend to think of biodiversity in the general context of landscape although it is much more than that. Especially in southwestern Ontario, most of the land is used to produce food and fibre which is dependent on ecological goods and services. Ecological goods include healthy soil and clean water, and this environment allows marketable agricultural products to be grown. Farmers also have an opportunity to manage ecological services including water cycling (purification, retention, flood mitigation), air quality (oxygen production, carbon sequestration, climate regulation), nutrient cycling, pollination services, including habitat for endangered and threatened species, protection of wildlife and habitat and biodiversity, soil erosion control, and aesthetic and recreational spaces and scenic views. Using nutrients, water, space, and energy more efficiently, using more effective measures for soil and water conservation, and using biological resources better to raise and maintain yields of crops and livestock are all good investments to preserving diversity within our agricultural ecosystem.

Woodlots and wetlands are an invaluable part of Ontario’s landscape and a key to sustainability. Practices such as crop rotation, buffer strips, manure management and integrated pest management can all contribute to a healthier ecosystem on and off the farm. Farmers are responsible stewards of these lands, which also includes a variety of habitats within them. Animals and plants work in a virtuous cycle that benefits from biodiversity. Protecting endangered and threatened species is a part of this role farmers play in serving the environment.

These services to enhance ecosystems do not command an explicit price for maintenance and delivery. Ecological goods are commonly thought of as providing private benefit through market returns, while services are provided for the benefit of society. While producers make the effort to implement beneficial management practices, it is typically not encouraged through incentives. In a way, incentives can be an investment in the environment made by society.

In the Region of Waterloo, we have experienced success with the Waterloo Region Water Quality Program. This program incentivizes farmers in this area to reduce phosphorus runoff in nearby waterways by implementing practices such as fencing off streams to livestock and planting native species as a buffer along waterways, improving overall water quality and biomass.

​Managing agricultural systems and their associated landscapes in a sustainable manner that preserves and promotes biodiversity will produce lasting economic and social benefits for future generations. OFA believes farmers should be recognized and valued for their efforts to manage, maintain and enhance the many elements of our environment. The organization continues to advocate for the development and implementation of a fair system of incentive-based policies and programs that properly acknowledge the significant environmental contributions that result from the adoption of beneficial management practices.

For more information, contact:
Tyler Brooks
Director of Communications and Stakeholder Relations
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
519-821-8883 ext. 218
tyler.brooks@ofa.on.ca

By Larry Davis, Director, Ontario Federation of Agriculture

Since 1998, our province has recognized Ontario Agriculture Week as the opportune time to celebrate our dynamic industry and the millions of acres tended to by our farmers, the abundance of food produced by the agri-food sector, the Ontarians our industry employs, the rural communities we support and the economic engine we fuel.

As we steer towards the heart of harvest, it is the perfect time to reflect, acknowledge and give thanks to our province’s farming families. We dedicate our livelihoods to driving the economy forward and work in acres not hours, 365 days a year to provide Ontarians with safe, fresh, high-quality products. Thank you for your hard work, passion and dedication to the agri-food supply chain.

This year, Ontario Agriculture Week runs October 4-10. Strategically, the commemoration falls close to Thanksgiving as it intends to celebrate the fruits of another growing season, a bountiful harvest and encourage consumers to source local ingredients for their holiday meals.

At the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, we work hard to increase the profile and awareness of agriculture year-round. Our industry is a powerhouse of possibilities, and for it to fully flourish, the agri-food sector needs to continue to garner consumer support and entice employees to join the workforce.

To help our sector further connect with consumers, the Always in Season Project was launched in 2020. The project aims to increase consumer awareness and support for Ontario agriculture, local food and local beverage processors through its “I ♥ Local Social Media Planning Kit”. The kit includes user-friendly templates and makes it easy for municipalities and organizations to promote agriculture awareness events, encourage Agri-tourism and increase knowledge of local foods year-round availability.

OFA’s food literacy initiative, Six by Sixteen, is geared towards the next generation of consumers with the goal of teaching youth how to locally source and prepare six meals before they reach the age of sixteen. This year, we partnered with Bell Media for a province-wide food literacy radio and television campaign that encouraged families to have fun in the kitchen together while learning how to cook, make healthy food choices and find local food.

Due to pandemic restrictions, our physical participation at ag-education events such as Bite of Brant, Grown in Grey and other youth events has been limited. To ensure that agriculture’s voice is still being represented we developed three ag education videos: Moo’s Thirsty, Farmer & the Fish and Local Food. The recently completed local food video showcases the range of food products grown in Ontario and encourages consumers to source locally by shopping at the farmers’ market, farm gate sale or looking for the Foodland Ontario logo at the grocery store. The video also emphasizes that local foods such as meat, dairy, preserves are available year-round and produce is to thanks to processing, canning and freezing.

Our agri-food sector contributes more than $47 billion to Ontario’s annual GDP, generates over 860,000 jobs, supports more than $8.1 billion in annual wages and salaries, with the potential to grow exponentially. The Feeding Your Future initiative was created to ensure the sector continues to attract and retain labour. Through webinars, agri-training opportunities and virtual career fairs, the initiative provides candidates with the resources to learn more about agriculture, enter the workforce feeling prepared and bridges the gap between new employers and job vacancies. This year, Feeding Your Future conducted 6 virtual career fairs across the province to match job seekers with agriculture sector employers.

Ontario Agriculture Week and beyond, I encourage everyone in the sector to celebrate the bounty that our sector provides to the province, country and world. Fill your plates with Ontario dairy products, meats, preserves, grains and produce. This week, take a bite out of Ontario-grown foods to celebrate another year of agriculture’s immense economic contribution, innovation and success.
​
For more information, contact:
Tyler Brooks
Director of Communications and Stakeholder Relations
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
519-821-8883 ext. 218
tyler.brooks@ofa.on.ca

This Wednesday on October 6, 2021 at 7:30pm, the Dundas Federation of Agriculture will be hosting their Regional Meeting. Due to pandemic restrictions, the meeting will be hosted virtually this year by MSR Representative Ruth Vogel.

The meeting will feature a presentation by two guest speakers from ALUS East, a program that focuses on converting retired or inefficient farmland into natural habitats suitable for hosting a wide range of wildlife.

Anyone interested in attending may reach out to Ruth by phone at (613) 213-3960 or by email at ruth.vogel@ofa.on.ca to receive the invitation link to the meeting.

We look forward to seeing you there.