STIRLING — Success is the reward for a stand-out farm that produces and sells excellent food directly to eager consumers. But beware, in Ontario, a stand-out, self-marketing farm is easy prey for anonymous complainers with an axe to grind and a provincial bureaucracy at their apparent beck and call.
Case in point is the Ontario Water Buffalo company, which has been dealing with the fallout of that unfortunate reality this year.
The specialty water buffalo dairy farm located north of Stirling has been subject to a string of anonymous complaints, including anonymous phone calls to the farm, that triggered visits by OMAFRA officials and the animal police and, ultimately, a bad-press campaign by animal rights activists at PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). A Toronto mozzarella maker and Loblaws severed all purchases from the farm in October as a result. The farm still has other sales and processing avenues for its milk, which continues to be turned into pasteurized fluid milk, gelato and other cheeses besides mozzarella.
Farmers Forum recently visited the operation where a steady stream of happy customers bought these products at the “Buff Stuff” farmgate store. They often opted to take a tour of the barns at the farm, which has an open-door policy. The animals appeared healthy and robust as they milled about in a modern free-stall environment with bedding pack.
“We have nothing to hide,” explains Lori Smith, who has run the farm in partnership with her husband, Martin Littkemann, since 2008. But the still ongoing ordeal has taken a toll. Smith said that this has been one of the most upsetting events of her life.
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