Farmers make up a small percentage of Ontario’s population, but the decisions made by governments at all levels can have a significant impact on our farms, our businesses and our communities. Having strong agricultural voices at the table matters, and that’s why leadership in farm organizations like the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is so important.
Nominations for OFA’s director-at-large position open soon, offering members from across the province an opportunity to help shape OFA’s direction, develop policy and advocate for Ontario farmers.
It’s a role I’ve come to value tremendously since joining the OFA board as a director-at-large seven years ago.
Sometimes, becoming a leader starts with someone tapping you on the shoulder and telling you that you should consider stepping up. That’s part of what prompted me to put my own name forward as a director-at-large.
My family and I raise pigs, grow garlic and grain crops, and until recently also had a direct-to-consumer business. Telling the story of farming to anyone who will listen has always been important to me, and serving on the OFA board offered another way to contribute to our industry.
One of the biggest things I learned after being elected was just how much I didn’t know about OFA and the breadth of work the organization does. We represent farmers from across Ontario who produce many different crops and livestock and whose priorities can vary considerably depending on where and how they farm.
That diversity is one of OFA’s strengths. Agriculture in eastern Ontario can look very different from agriculture in the southwest or the north. The knowledge and experience my fellow directors bring to the board table helps all of us better understand those differences and make better decisions.
Click here to see more...