Keith Currie elected new OFA president

Nov 22, 2016

Election took place at the Annual General Meeting

By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com

Keith Currie, an eighth generation farmer from Simcoe County, is the Ontario Federation of Agriculture’s new president.

After serving three terms as vice-president, Currie entered the running for president.

Currie’s 151 votes won the election over incumbent Don McCabe during the OFA’s Annual General Meeting in Toronto on Monday.

Prior to voting, Currie said Ontario’s farming community needs to include all farmers.

New OFA president Keith Currie.
Photo: OFA

“I worry that agriculture has built its own walls. OFA has always been an organization that’s represented all farmers and all of agriculture and I feel that’s changing,” said Currie. “There’s a fracturing amongst our industry that’s happening at a time that we can least afford it to happen.”

Currie said one of the challenges facing Ontario’s farmers is balancing production with consumer relations.

“As our farming operations change and evolve to meet the demands of production along with the demand for transparency, so too will the way we need to advocate for agriculture…,” reads Currie’s presidential candidate profile on OFA’s website. “The demands by the consumer for the greater need by our industry to have full disclosure will change our approach we go forward."

Currie’s other involvements include reviewing The Crombie Report and chairing the board of directors of AgScape.

Farms.com has reached out to the OFA and Keith Currie for comment.

Video: Spring weed control in winter wheat with Broadway® Star (pyroxsulam + florasulam)

#CortevaTalks brings you a short update with Cereal Herbicides Category Manager, Alister McRobbie, on how to get the most out of Broadway® Star.

Significant populations of grassweeds, including ryegrass and brome, can threaten winter wheat yields. Spring applications of a contact graminicide, such as Broadway Star from Corteva Agriscience, can clear problem weeds, allowing crops to grow away in the spring.

Broadway Star (pyroxsulam + florasulam) controls ryegrass, sterile brome, wild oats and a range of broad-leaved weeds such as cleavers. It can be applied to winter wheat up until GS32, but the earlier the application is made, the smaller the weed, and the greater the benefit to the crop. Weeds should be actively growing. A good rule of thumb is that if your grass needs cutting, conditions are right to apply Broadway Star.