By Andrea McCoy-Naperstkow, Director, Ontario Federation of Agriculture We’re only a short time away from the start of a new year, which for many of us, means not just a flip of the calendar but also an opportunity for new beginnings. For me, a new beginning started a month earlier in November, when I joined the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) board of directors for a three-year term as the representative for farmers in Lanark, Arnprior, Renfrew and Ottawa. As a farmer, an educator, and a broadcaster, I’m passionate about agriculture, life in rural Ontario and the people who live and work in it. It’s an exciting new chapter for me to become involved with a farm organization at the provincial level, and yet also a somewhat natural progression of activities I’ve been involved with for many years. I grew up on a small dairy farm near Carleton Place in Lanark County, and it’s where my husband and I still farm today, raising beef cattle and growing corn, soybeans and hay. In addition to farming, I worked for the city of Ottawa in parks and recreation and social services for over 30 years before retiring in 2014. I’ve been a member of the Lanark Federation of Agriculture for over 25 years, but it was retirement that led me to become more involved with the activities in the agriculture sector. I’ve held various roles with the Lanark Federation, including serving as president, and I’m also a member of the Lanark County Agriculture Committee. A few years ago, I was a guest on a local radio show on Valley Heritage Radio called Barnyard Breakdown. I was soon asked to co-host the show and since 2017, I’ve been the permanent host of the weekly show where we cover the latest in farming and agricultural news from the Ottawa Valley and beyond. A major blow to the agriculture sector in our area was the closure of the University of Guelph Kemptville campus in 2015. This ultimately led to the launch of an agricultural business program at Algonquin College in Ottawa in 2019. With previous teaching experience at Algonquin and my long-time involvement in the agriculture sector, I was tapped to be an instructor in the new program, where I now teach four courses. I’ve also always cared deeply about mental health, and almost 10 years ago, I became part of the first farmer stakeholder group for mental health research being conducted at the University of Guelph by Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton and Briana Hagen. This research was foundational to the launch two years ago of the Farmer Wellness Initiative, which provides access to free counselling services and tailored mental health support and resources to all Ontario farmers and their families 24 hours a day, seven days a week. With my deep background in social services and life-long living in rural Ontario, it probably comes as no surprise that I am passionate about wellness and socio-economic issues, from rural services and infrastructure to food security and farmland preservation. I also believe in collaboration and in communicating the story of Ontario agriculture. Farmers only account for a small percentage of our population, so it’s very important that the various organizations that make up our sector work together wherever possible. And we need to build connections with our fellow Ontarians who aren’t farmers or aren’t from rural communities. After all, the issues that we care about, like healthcare, housing, food, community and more, are ones that matter to them as well. These are all strategic priorities for the OFA, and I’m really looking forward to being an active part of an organization that advocates for farmers and rural communities, whether it’s highlighting the urgent need for physical and social infrastructure support in rural areas or underscoring the importance of preserving our ability to produce food right here at home. For more information, contact: Rachelle Kerr Communications Coordinator Ontario Federation of Agriculture 519-803-4957 [email protected]
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By Ethan Wallace, Executive Member, Ontario Federation of Agriculture Canadian consumers continue to have a high level of trust in our food system and many of their key concerns mirror those of the farming community. That’s according to the results of the 2023 Public Trust Research Report into Canada’s food system that was released recently by the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity. Unsurprisingly, this year’s study continues to place food affordability at the top of the list of issues Canadians think about when it comes to our food supply, with 54% indicating that the cost of food is their primary concern. This is followed by inflation, healthcare and housing – all issues that are also concerns for Ontario’s farmers and their families. At the same time, consumers overall continue to be supportive of the food and agriculture sector’s ability to innovate and grow. Two key indicators have stayed steady over the last year: public trust and the proportion of Canadians who feel the food system is headed in the right direction. More than half of respondents noted they feel Canadian agriculture overall is trustworthy or very trustworthy. Farmers are the most trusted group of Canadian food system stakeholders – 65% of respondents believe farmers to be trustworthy or very trustworthy – followed by scientists and university researchers. That is certainly good news for those of us in the farming community. I’m the fifth generation of my family to farm in Ontario; my wife, children and I are dairy farmers near Seaforth on a farm we recently took over from my parents. We love what we do, but we wouldn’t be able to do any of it without the support of consumers, their trust in what we do, and their willingness to buy the products we grow, raise and produce. How we do that has changed dramatically in recent decades as science continues to evolve and we adapt our practices. On our farm, for example, we now milk our cows with robots in a large new barn with sand bedding that offers our livestock the latest in comfort and welfare. The fields we used to plow every year before planting our crops are now 100% no-till, which means we don’t disturb the soil at planting. This boosts soil health and structure, making the soil and our crops more resilient to extreme weather conditions like drought or too much rain. It’s part of what we do to ensure we’re producing food sustainably and responsibly and to ensure our children will have the opportunity to farm should they choose to do so. Our farm’s story of innovation, growth and commitment to continuous improvement is not unique, though; it’s one that is common to so many of family farms across Ontario. That’s why the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) welcomed the provincial government’s recent announcement that it is modernizing the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario (ARIO) Act, which governs provincial agricultural research. ARIO is a provincial agency that owns Ontario’s 14 research station properties that support agriculture research ranging from livestock and field crops to greenhouse and horticulture. This modernization will bring the research farmers rely on to be innovative into the 21st century and beyond, focusing not just on agricultural production but also topics like environment, climate change, water and processing. Updated legislation will make it easier to evaluate and adapt new techniques, tools and technologies on our farms and in our food processing facilities, which ultimately, could have significant impacts on our provincial economy and our food security. We appreciate that the government sees value in building the farming sector and supporting future innovation that will let us strengthen our ability to not just feed ourselves but also the world. For more information, contact: Rachelle Kerr Communications Coordinator Ontario Federation of Agriculture 519-803-4957 [email protected] By Sara Wood, Vice President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture Many organizations and businesses depend on volunteers to support different programs and initiatives. But it’s getting harder to find people willing to come forward to help, especially since the pandemic. Recent Statistics Canada data shows most non-profit organizations, for example, are facing challenges attracting and keeping volunteers – and that volunteers themselves have less time to give and are dealing with more burnout. Farm, agricultural and rural organizations are dealing with this issue too, although the shrinking number of farms combined with the increasing average age of farmers made it a problem for this sector long before the pandemic. I farm with my family near Mitchell in southwestern Ontario, and I’m also a Vice President with the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), as well as an executive member of the Agricultural Adaptation Council board of directors. Combined with a young child at home, I’m no stranger to juggling the many demands on my time. Farm organizations like the OFA rely on volunteers to serve on their boards and become involved with local and regional associations, and we wanted to hear from some of our younger members about what we can do better to attract new people to our ranks. That’s why we organized a panel discussion at our recent annual convention and invited newer and younger members from across Ontario to share their perspectives on what makes them decide to become involved – and stay – with a volunteer organization. It was one of the liveliest and most engaged sessions at our two-day conference, which clearly demonstrates to me how important this topic is in the agriculture industry – and the learnings from that day can easily be applied to not-for-profit organizations from any sector. Here are some of those key takeaways: Be open to trying new things as an organization. It quickly becomes discouraging for new volunteers when they hear “no” every time they offer up a new idea, and their interest in being involved will diminish rapidly. Not every new idea will be a success, but you won’t know unless you give it a try. And even if something didn’t work well the last time it was tried – 10 or 15 years ago – it could be worth trying again. As we all know only all to well, our world has changed in the last few years. Have flexible meeting and communications options. Many young farmers today also have off-farm jobs, so they must coordinate their volunteer commitments around their work hours. Others have young children, so offering hybrid meeting options is helpful so they can participate virtually even if they can’t be there in person. Digital communications tools like texting and group chat apps can help members stay in touch on the go and often result in quicker responses than phone or email, for example. Make new people feel welcome. It can be intimidating to start something new, especially with people who’ve been doing the same task or been part of the same group for a long time, so a friendly environment will go a long way to encouraging people to stick around. A big part of that is also providing mentorship to new members, coaching them in roles and responsibilities, and encouraging them to take on leadership positions. Be specific in your expectations. Most people have busy lives and those who would make great volunteers are probably already involved in various activities. That’s why it’s important to be specific and realistic in how much time you are asking them to commit to your organization. And when they do join, ease them into the group gradually and don’t overwhelm them with a flood of tasks or activities. Most volunteers, and I count myself among this group, find community involvement engaging and rewarding. It’s up to us to make new and younger volunteers discover that same satisfaction from stepping forward and helping to make a difference – and setting the foundation for the future success of the organizations that matter to us. For more information, contact: Tyler Brooks Director of Communications and Stakeholder Relations Ontario Federation of Agriculture 519-821-8883 ext. 218 [email protected] |
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