By Jackie Kelly-Pemberton, Director, Ontario Federation of Agriculture Healthcare affects all Ontarians and regardless of where we live in this province, its services and resources are something we all depend on from time to time. The provincial healthcare system has long had its challenges but as we’ve all seen, those have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as our growing population. Those problems are common to all Ontarians, but the impacts in rural Ontario are even more acute. My family and I farm near Winchester, south of Ottawa, and although we have a wonderful clinic and smalltown hospital in our local area, we’ve always had to go to larger urban centres to access specialists, higher level testing and certain treatments, such as when I went through cancer diagnosis and treatment in the last several years. Our community has also always worked hard to ensure we support our hospital, such as coming together to fundraise for our new mammogram machine. What is happening with more alarming frequency now are rural hospitals having to temporarily – and sometimes even permanently – close their emergency rooms because of lack of staff or resources. And as rural doctors and other healthcare providers retire, it is becoming harder to attract those professionals to our rural communities, even as those communities grow and require additional resources. Although it’s not directly a farm issue, access to health care in rural areas is critical – access for us as patients to emergency rooms, staff and doctors, and for hospitals and clinics to be able to access innovation, technology and workers to properly treat residents in their service areas. Rural healthcare is also part of the bigger issue of rural economic development. Since the pandemic, more Ontarians are moving to rural areas or smaller hub communities and one of the big criteria is access to health care. For those communities themselves, the better their infrastructure, the better able they are to attract and retain healthcare professionals. Last fall, delegates at the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) annual convention passed a resolution that our organization work with other provincial health care stakeholders to urge the Ontario government to act more quickly and decisively in filling staffing gaps within the provincial health care system, and support legislation, tools, and activities to improve access to health care. Since then, OFA has written to Ontario Health Minister Sylvia Jones to raise awareness of the rural healthcare issue. Last winter, we focused on rural healthcare and the importance of taking steps to address its challenges during our Queen’s Park advocacy day where we met with MPPs of all parties. We communicated the urgency of labour shortages and the heightened risk to rural Ontario posed by emergency room closures. We’ve asked the provincial government to prioritize filling staffing gaps and making funding available to leverage innovation, technology and evaluate new patient care approaches and models that have been successful in other communities. We’ve also encouraged government to better support long-term care services across rural and northern Ontario by recruiting and retaining skilled labour and establishing adequate, predictable and stable direct care funding for these facilities. Current challenges aside, I do want to take this opportunity to thank the healthcare professionals in our system today. The work you do is hard but so very valuable and I can say from own experience with my cancer treatments that I received wonderful care and compassion from the medical staff charged with looking after me. We know that there is a lot to be done to support the future of our healthcare system and that healthcare is not the only priority file the government is tasked with addressing. However, as our population both grows and ages, the demands on healthcare in Ontario will only increase and our existing challenges and shortcomings will only become more acute. Government investments into rural infrastructure such as our hospitals will support the health of our communities and the sustainability of future generations of farmers. Many of the most impactful solutions take time to implement and work to their best capacities, so the time to start is now. 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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By Crispin Colvin, Vice President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture The deadline for Canadians to file their first return under Canada’s new Underused Housing Tax (UHT) is fast approaching. Originally set for April 30, the federal government extended the filing deadline this year to October 31 to give Canadians who own housing or residential dwellings enough time to complete the process for the first time. It is a one percent tax on the value of vacant or underused housing. Under the new legislation, individuals who aren’t Canadian citizens or permanent residents, as well as private corporations and partnerships – which includes farms – who own residential housing must file an Underused Housing Tax return even if they don’t have to pay the tax itself. At first glance, many may wonder how this affects farmers. Afterall, the tax was designed to address urban homes, condominiums and apartments that have been bought for investment purposes, often by foreign buyers, and are now unused or not used to their full extent. However, many farm corporations and farm partnerships own at least one farm with a residence. Canadian Farm Business Partners and Farm Corporations owning residential property are considered “affected owners”. Affected owners of residential property need to file to claim an exemption from paying the UHT or to calculate the UHT they owe. The UHT return and election form must be filed for each property owned by an affected owner in a calendar year even if the affected owner qualifies for an exemption. And regardless of whether those homes are vacant or not, the new legislation requires that farmers must now file a separate return every year by April 30 for each property a farm partner or a farm corporation owns. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), along with our national colleagues at the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, has been asking the federal government to exempt farmers from having to file a return altogether, and although that first filing deadline is only a few weeks away, this is still something that we’re advocating for when we’re meeting with politicians and other government officials. So why should agriculture be exempt? Simply put, farmers aren’t in the business of being landlords or residential real estate investors. Rather, our job is to produce food and other agricultural products, and we’re buying farmland to farm it, not for investment value of a house that may be on it. The filing paperwork required by government under this legislation is onerous and time consuming. A separate return must be filed every year for each property of an affected owner. If a farm partnership has more than one partner, each partner must file their own UHT return for each property. The penalties for non-filing are substantial: up to $10,000 or more. We understand that Ontario and Canada are in a housing crisis and that governments at all levels are trying to find solutions, such as freeing up investment housing, that will help ease the shortage. We know how important this is; after all, we also need housing options to support youth, seniors, families, workers, and newcomers in our communities. However, we’re now caught in the middle of that push for solutions and the unique realities of unintentionally having multiple dwellings not because we’re housing investors but rather through the purchase of additional farmland to grow our farm businesses. OFA and our partners are continuing the push for a filing exemption for farmers but are also encouraging all farmers to make sure to file their Underused Housing Tax return to avoid the substantial penalties. There are resources available on the OFA website to give background on the issue and we encourage farmers to contact their accountants with any questions. For more information, contact: Tyler Brooks Director of Communications and Stakeholder Relations Ontario Federation of Agriculture 519-821-8883 ext. 218 [email protected] By Paul Vickers, Executive Member, Ontario Federation of Agriculture This week marks Ontario Agriculture Week. Strategically selected to be just before Thanksgiving, it’s a perfect time to celebrate the abundance of locally produced food, fuel, fibre and flowers that we are lucky enough to have easy access to here in Ontario. Nowadays, less than two percent of Canada’s population is involved in farming and the closest many of us ever get to a farm is shopping at a local farmers’ market or visiting an agri-tourism attraction near an urban area – but there’s so much more to agriculture than most Ontarians realize. Ontario farmers proudly grow and produce more than 200 different food and farm commodities from grains and meat to fresh produce, honey and maple syrup for the province, the country and the world. I’m one of those farmers – my family has a dairy farm near the Georgian Bay area town of Meaford, where we also grow corn, soybeans, wheat and hay, and sell some freezer beef. I’m also a member of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture board of directors, where I represent farmers from Grey and Bruce counties. This is a more rural region of our province, and agriculture is a major contributor to our local economy – not just the farms, but also all of the businesses and services that support what we do, from feed suppliers and trucking companies to veterinarians, bankers, and more. Agriculture matters in other parts of the province too, even in urban areas that wouldn’t at first glance feel like they might have a strong connection to what we do. That’s because Ontario’s agriculture and agri-food sector is an economic powerhouse in this province. As one of the largest economic drivers in Ontario, we contribute an estimated $47 billion to the provincial economy every year and employ more than 10 per cent of Ontario’s workforce. But farming isn’t just about jobs and the economy. It is also about housing, healthcare, environment and climate change, and food security. Let me explain what I mean. Modern technologies and new hybrid work arrangements have made many rural communities and regional hubs more accessible to urban Ontarians, offering new opportunities for families looking for increased affordability. The growth of these municipalities can relieve urban housing market pressures and offer solutions to gridlock and associated emissions concerns. Food is health. A balanced diet can go a long way to having a positive influence on human health, from fighting inflammation and metabolic syndrome to reducing the risk of conditions like cancer, heart disease or diabetes. Reducing the risk of illness or preventing people from getting sick is a key way to reduce wait times and manage ballooning healthcare costs. When it comes to environment and climate change, agriculture is one of the only sectors in the world with a built-in capacity to sequester carbon, offsetting not only its own footprint, but that of other sectors as well. Healthy farming practices – often called regenerative agriculture – and smart agri-tech innovations are in wide use on farms across Ontario. And last but certainly not least, Ontario has a remarkable ability to produce food of all kinds. The food system can be fragile, though, threatened by everything from supply chain chaos to natural disasters and world events far from home. Producing as much food as possible right here in Ontario keeps our supply chains short and nimble and protects our food security. Ontario Agriculture Week ends with the Thanksgiving holiday, and an opportunity for all of us to take a few minutes to appreciate where we live and what we have. As Ontario’s farmers, we thank all of you for supporting local food and farming, and we invite you to share the bounty of our year’s harvest this weekend as you enjoy your Thanksgiving celebrations. For more information, contact: Tyler Brooks Director of Communications and Stakeholder Relations Ontario Federation of Agriculture 519-821-8883 ext. 218 [email protected] A Source Protection Committee was established in accordance with the Clean Water Act, 2006 and has developed a locally driven, science-based Source Protection Plan that aims to reduce the risk of contamination and overuse of our drinking water sources.
The role of the Committee is to guide the review and updates of the Source Protection Plan using a science-based approach and to ensure that all relevant information is considered. The Source Protection Committee is comprised of 15 members, 4 liaisons, and the Chair. The Committee reserves 3 seats specifically for the agriculture sector, and due to the unfortunate passing of one of the Committee members earlier this year, there is a vacancy for an agricultural representative to be filled. At this stage of the recruiting process, the Committee is reaching out to Agricultural Organizations to share this message with their membership and for recommendations of qualified, experienced and interested candidates that live and work in the agriculture community to fill the position. A job description, eligibility requirements, application forms and other information about the Committee and the Drinking Water Source Protection Program are available at yourdrinkingwater.ca. Eligible candidates who reside within the Raisin-South Nation Source Protection Region and who are interested in representing the Agricultural Sector, having an extensive agricultural background, knowledge of local jurisdictions and drinking water issues are invited to submit their application by September 29th, 2023 to: [email protected]. By Drew Spoelstra, Vice President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture As climate change dominates conversations, there is widespread understanding that action should be taken to minimize its impact. However, how exactly Ontarians are experiencing and will continue to experience impacts of climate change has until now been difficult to assess. To get a baseline understanding of the issue that is supported by evidence and data, Ontario’s Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks commissioned the Climate Risk Institute to prepare a climate change impact assessment. The final report highlights potential significant negative impacts on our agriculture sector and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is pleased to see the release of the final report earlier this month as it brings the gravity of the issue and the need for responsible action to the forefront. My family and I farm within the city limits of Hamilton, and I was part of the advisory panel for this report, providing perspectives of the agricultural sector. For farmers, dealing with the weather is second nature as it impacts everything we do to raise livestock, grow crops and produce food, fuel, fibre and flowers. We know the importance of healthy soils, fresh air, and clean sources of water. From that perspective, the report didn’t identify any new risks from climate change that we were not aware of previously. We are already dealing with its impacts in the form of extreme weather events, soaring temperatures and droughts, and new crop diseases and pests that can suddenly flourish here as temperatures warm up. However, the severity and intensity of these impacts looking out to 2080 is concerning and we hope that it will drive additional discussions and actions on climate change between farmers, government, and the people of Ontario. Farming is a very complex and dynamic system, and it is very difficult to capture that complexity in a provincial-scale climate change impact assessment – especially in the context of the work farmers are already doing to prepare their farms for climate change. I know first-hand from my own experience milking cows and growing field crops on our farm that the nature of agricultural production and the need to react to growing conditions that are different every year mean that Ontario farmers are inherently an innovative, resilient, and adaptable group. In fact, adaption is key for us, and stewardship of the land is a responsibility we take seriously. As farmers, we know there are best practices that can mitigate our impact on the environment – and many of these have long been in place on Ontario farms already. These are things like reducing tillage and soil erosion, protecting wetlands and watersheds, planting trees, and responsible management of nutrients like manure and fertilizer. Not only does this benefit the environment, but it also helps farms be both sustainable and profitable. There is more work to be done, however, and responding to the results of this report and the long-term outlook for climate change impacts will require strong collaboration and respect between the agricultural sector, government, and the people of Ontario. We will need to focus on building the capacity of farms to recognize the potential impacts of climate change to their farm businesses and developing tailored approaches to mitigating those impacts. Many of these activities often come with a public benefit and farmers will need technical and financial support if we are to remain competitive in a global marketplace and maintain our ability to produce as much of our own food as we can. Maintaining a strong and healthy supply of land in agricultural production is vital going forward to ensure we have that adaptive capacity that will let us meet the goals and targets in this impact report. The province will also need to make ongoing investments to ensure our critical infrastructure – from hydro and energy to roads, bridges and dikes – can withstand and be resilient in the face of the challenges climate change will bring. Farmers are and want to continue to be part of the solution. For more information, contact: Tyler Brooks Director of Communications and Stakeholder Relations Ontario Federation of Agriculture 519-821-8883 ext. 218 [email protected] By Tracey Arts, Director, Ontario Federation of Agriculture As harvest time in Ontario ramps up at this time of year, all of us are likely to see a lot more tractors, combines, and other farm-related vehicles on our roads and highways. In fact, next to spring planting season, harvest is the busiest time of year for farmers as we travel on roadways between multiple locations. My family and I farm in Oxford County, an area located approximately between Woodstock and London in Southwestern Ontario. It’s where a lot of corn and soybeans are grown, so we know there will be plenty of tractors, wagons and trucks on the road hauling those crops to grain elevators and on-farm storages in the coming weeks. This makes traffic safety for both farmers and motorists absolutely essential so we can avoid accidents on our roads and highways. At the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), we’re always active at this time of year in particular to encourage drivers to be patient and alert around slow moving vehicles as well as remind farmers to be cautious and courteous when they’re taking equipment on the road. OFA is supportive of activities that help promote the importance of road safety; it’s something we do all year long with billboard, radio, news and social media messaging. We all have families and friends we want to get home to safely. Operating large farm equipment on the road runs a higher risk than most at any time of the year, but when roadways become busier, traffic gets heavier and the weather begins to impact visibility, it’s imperative we keep that top of mind throughout harvest season. According to federal government data, slow moving vehicles are 3.8 to 4.8 times more likely to be involved in a fatal collision per kilometre on the road than other motor vehicles. OPP statistics show that farm slow moving vehicle injuries and fatalities are mostly related to rollovers and these generally occur while entering, exiting, or crossing roadways, veering off the shoulder and accidents involving a motor. We recognize the high speed pace of today’s world, whether it’s commuting for work, travelling for school or running around for sports and recreational activities – and it needs to be a priority to take the extra few seconds or minutes to pass farm equipment safely. Passenger vehicles incorrectly passing farm equipment result in serious accidents or death. Shockingly, eight out of 10 accidents occur during the day and seven out of 10 occur on dry road conditions. Motorists, here’s what you can do to prevent road accidents this harvest season:
Farmers have a vital role to play in road safety as well. This includes:
Together, we can make our roads safer, our communities stronger and support our farmers to continue providing the food, fuel, flowers and fibre we all depend on. Let’s make sure everyone returns home safe and sound this harvest season. For more information, contact: Tyler Brooks Director of Communications and Stakeholder Relations Ontario Federation of Agriculture 519-821-8883 ext. 218 [email protected] By Teresa Van Raay, Director, Ontario Federation of Agriculture September means fall harvest on the farm. And while that’s a busy time of year, the Ontario agriculture industry also makes time for two of the biggest agricultural shows on its calendar: Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show (COFS) and the International Plowing Match and Rural Expo (IPM). COFS is an annual three-day outdoor show held at Discovery Farm Woodstock, taking place this year September 12 to 14. For almost 30 years, the event has showcased the newest and most innovative products and technologies in agriculture to Ontario’s farm community. From crop plots and cattle handling demonstrations to the latest in robotic technology and automated farming, Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show is a chance for farmers to see, hear, touch, and ask questions about farming tools, practices and innovations. The IPM takes place a week later and is hosted in a different Ontario community each year. This year, Bowling Green, near Orangeville is home to the five-day event, which will take place September 19-23. Just like its name implies, the IPM features plowing competitions, but it offers much more than that, including many opportunities to learn about food and farming. For the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), both events are a great opportunity to host visitors at our booth, Federation House and we look forward to having you stop by for a visit and a cup of coffee or cider. OFA board members and staff, including Member Service Representatives, will be at Federation House, ready and willing to speak with members about their farms, issues, concerns and more. I farm with my family in Huron County near Dashwood, and I’ve always loved attending agriculture industry events like COFS or the IPM. I’ve always enjoyed making connections with people, and there’s something unique about the atmosphere at a farm show that encourages new ideas and helps people get excited about agriculture. Now that I’m a director on the OFA board, I enjoy being part of our booth at Federation House and getting to meet members and fellow farmers face to face. The relaxed show environment encourages conversations, which aren’t always just about the farm. Yes, we’re directors representing the OFA, but we are also part of a community who care for each other and want to celebrate who we are, where we live and what we do. The International Plowing Match often also attracts politicians from all levels of government, and it’s a great experience to introduce someone to our industry who doesn’t know much about agriculture and give them some first-hand glimpses into the life and business that is farming. My own personal connection to the IPM goes back to 1999 when the event has hosted in my home county of Huron. I was a volunteer at that event and enjoyed it so much that I signed up again when the match came back to Huron County in 2017. The IPM is a volunteer-run event, and being part of that is a great opportunity to meet people, and to enjoy the unique sense of community spirit that’s present when people come together for a common cause. The OFA is a member-driven organization, and we rely on the input and feedback from our members to help identify issues that matter to Ontario farmers and guide our advocacy efforts. Whether at COFS, the IPM or any of the other smaller events OFA will be attending this fall, we encourage you to make time to catch up with us and let us know what’s on your mind – we’re looking forward to seeing you. For more information, contact: Tyler Brooks Director of Communications and Stakeholder Relations Ontario Federation of Agriculture 519-821-8883 ext. 218 [email protected] By Crispin Colvin, Vice President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture This Viewpoint is available in French. Click here to read the French version. This year’s Association of Municipalities of Ontario annual general meeting and conference attracted over 2,500 municipal leaders, government officials, civil servants as well as other interested stakeholders. Among those other stakeholders were a wide range of companies and organizations who are connected to municipalities in some capacity – including the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA). The event is one of the most important public policy conferences in Ontario, and as a farmer and former municipal leader, I was pleased to be part of the OFA delegation and have this opportunity to engage with participants at the event. OFA advocates on behalf of farmers on a wide range of issues, from rural health care and energy policy to land use, economic development and more, and building relationships with related sectors can help deepen our understanding of those issues and lets us do a better job at advocating for the agriculture industry and rural communities. For example, I had the chance to meet delegates who aren’t from municipalities but have strong interests in municipal affairs, such as natural gas supplier Enbridge and the Independent Electricity System Operator, which delivers key services across our provincial electrical sector. Through our advocacy work, OFA interacts with government officials, particularly at the provincial and federal levels, on an ongoing basis, but this conference provides a unique opportunity to get to know many municipal representatives from across the province that we don’t otherwise have the chance to meet. Many municipal delegates come from large, urban communities with little direct connection to agriculture and food production, for example, and are unaware of the many issues we have in common, from infrastructure, housing and healthcare to jobs, the food supply chain, and budgetary constraints. They’re also often surprised at the level of farmland loss in Ontario – an average of 319 acres a day according to the latest census data – and interested in knowing more about how critical it is to all of our futures that we maintain our ability to produce our own food, fuel, fibre and flowers as much as possible. Here are some of the main issues we were able to discuss with AMO delegates where we share common goals that support our collective economic growth: Improving rural infrastructure and services: Ontario’s rural economy relies on well-functioning roads, bridges and drainage to support the production and transportation of goods and services. Investments into transportation infrastructure, access to affordable energy, broadband and increased social services — including schools, healthcare and community centres — will keep businesses in rural communities as well as encourage newcomers to establish themselves. The OFA can be a key partner working with government and local municipalities to identify ways and means to prioritize, build and maintain critical infrastructure that is needed in our communities. For example, OFA has partnered with six rural municipalities on Cost of Community Services studies to help identify costs and benefits of various land use types and support those municipalities in developing growth strategies that can provide a high quality of life for residents while also protecting natural resources. Planning for housing affordability and long-term land use: We support the government’s goals of building more homes over the next 10 years to address the housing supply shortage that affects all Ontarians including the agriculture sector. Our focus has been to encourage an approach that balances increased housing and economic growth with ensuring that we are protecting the agricultural and environmental lands we depend on for local food production and healthy communities. Solutions include intensification of residential development within the existing urban footprint in the context of complete and liveable communities and supporting the distribution of economic development province wide. Strengthening economic development and community health: OFA sees tremendous value in developing and encouraging policies that enable direct farm marketing and agritourism to improve urban and rural connections and provide healthy outdoor activities and access to local food for families. Last year, OFA conducted a local food and agritourism survey, where 38% of respondents noted that although they don’t currently offer agritourism experiences on their farms, they would consider doing so. OFA partnered with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario on the 2022 State of the Ontario Tourism Industry Report. The report provides several recommendations for all three levels of government, covering topics such as the economy, labour, infrastructure, and the future of (agri)tourism. For more information, contact: Tyler Brooks Director of Communications and Stakeholder Relations Ontario Federation of Agriculture 519-821-8883 ext. 218 [email protected] By Paul Maurice, Director, Ontario Federation of Agriculture For livestock farmers, it’s an unfortunate reality that sometimes, animals die on the farm from causes beyond human control. When that happens, it’s important that those animals are handled and disposed of responsibly and properly, and without impact on human or animal health, or the environment. In Ontario, the livestock industry depends mostly on rendering – a highly regulated process that turns deadstock safely into new, useful products – as a solution, but increasing restrictions and challenges are making management challenging for both farmers and rendering companies. That’s why the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) joined together with provincial livestock organizations to request help from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) to address the livestock mortality issue with both short- and long-term options that will result in practical and sustainable solutions. With funding from OMAFRA, Livestock Research Innovation Corporation (LRIC) has completed a study to gain a better understanding of the deadstock issue in the province and develop recommendations for a path forward. After widespread consultation and an international scan, the study found that Ontario farmers aren’t without options – it’s just that none of them are ideal or practical for all farmers in all regions of the province. Escalating costs have made on-farm pick-up of carcasses for rendering uneconomical across a large part of Ontario, and steadily increasing regulatory requirements – which span five provincial acts and 12 different organizations – are making it harder for rendering companies to operate profitably. As a former dairy farmer and now a chicken producer, I know firsthand how hard it is when livestock die unexpectedly on the farm and how important it is to have safe, practical and economically feasible disposal options. That’s why I’ve been directly involved with this file for some time as part of my involvement with the Ontario Federation of Agriculture both locally and provincially and continue to take an active role in the search for long-term solutions. The study recommends the setting up a coordinating body, ideally led by an existing organization, to ensure ongoing development and implementation of solutions that respect geographic differences and the needs of the various livestock sectors in Ontario. Continued investment in sustainable deadstock management is another recommendation, particularly ensuring ongoing, uninterrupted collection, and building a business case for the value deadstock could offer a circular economy, including to waste management companies. The report also recommends a review of existing deadstock regulations to ensure they’re based in science, avoid overlap and allow the industry to take advantage of new opportunities presented by sustainable circular economies. In the winter, OFA hosted a presentation of the initial study results to farmers and industry stakeholders as part of our annual Research Day. Following that, OFA also took part in a stakeholder meeting, where farm organizations, government, renderers, waste disposal companies and others discussed the study’s findings and concluded that a working group should be formed to work towards a more coordinated approach to deadstock management and develop next steps. It should also be noted that the challenge of sustainable deadstock management is not unique to Ontario. The international scan conducted as part of the study showed that not only is there no single solution that works for all farmers or all livestock species, but countries around the world are looking for answers to the same problem. Deadstock is a serious concern that our agri-food system needs to deal with collectively so we can avoid impacts on human health and the environment and minimize risk to Ontario’s livestock herds. For more information, contact: Tyler Brooks Director of Communications and Stakeholder Relations Ontario Federation of Agriculture 519-821-8883 ext. 218 [email protected] The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is offering five postsecondary bursaries in 2023. Along with offering three bursaries in the amount of $2,000 each to students in an undergraduate program, we are also offering a $2,000 bursary to a person completing an apprenticeship, as well as a $2,000 bursary for a person completing a post-graduate, veterinary, or leadership development program.
Bursary recipients will be selected from applicants who are OFA members, a child of, or employee of an OFA member and are residents of Ontario. Applicants should be able to demonstrate industry related accomplishments, an interest in agriculture and rural issues, and community involvement. The winners will be announced at OFA’s 2023 Annual General Meeting in November. Don’t miss out on this opportunity – the deadline to submit an application for the bursary program is August 31, 2023. Click here to access this year’s bursary form and application. Please refer to the Bursary Terms and Conditions for additional information. |
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