Under sunny skies, the Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) held their 13th Annual Beef Barbecue on the lawn of Queen's Park in Toronto yesterday. The BFO Board of Directors and staff proudly served Ontario Corn Fed Beef tenderloin to over 700 attendees over the lunch hour which included MPPs and their staff.
In addition to the highly anticipated beef barbecue, BFO Directors and staff personally met with numerous MPPs throughout the day to share plans to spur industry growth. BFO's strategic= direction, unveiled yesterday, focuses on supporting young farmers and cow herd expansion across the province, as well as fostering diversity of markets and increasing margins through commitment to BFO's Regional Marketing Initiative.
"Our industry is making significant investments in marketing, research and education. With the government's participation in some of our critical issues, we can stimulate more growth in our industry and create important economic spin-offs for the Ontario economy," said Matt Bowman, BFO President.
In support of BFO's goals, Directors and staff advocated for the provincial government to provide sufficient funding for Ontario's Risk Management Program, a critical program for beef farmers that helps ensure stability for the entire beef sector and for rural and urban communities. Directors and staff also encouraged government to increase funding for research and extension, improve access to start-up and expansion capital for young farmers, as well as establish a perimeter fencing program which would provide both economic and environmental benefits for the province.
“The agriculture and agri-food processing sector is the number one economic driver in Ontario, and investments made in our industry will ensure that capacity continues to grow, providing not only stable long-term employment in Ontario, but also a secure source of local food processed in Ontario," stated Bowman. "All of Ontario benefits when investments are made in primary agriculture."
BFO wishes to thank Premier Kathleen Wynne and Minister Jeff Leal for generously taking time to carve and serve beef to the barbecue attendees. BFO also appreciated the participation of Patrick Brown, Ontario PC Leader and Andrea Horwath, Ontario NDP Leader who helped to slice and serve beef.
Source: Beef Farmers