Education is empowerment – on the farm and beyond

By Angela Field, Director, Ontario Federation of Agriculture

I didn’t grow up on a farm. I was born and raised in northern Ontario, far from dairy barns and grain bins. Agriculture came into my life the way it does for many people — by marrying a farmer. Today, I farm with my husband on his family farm near Renfrew, about an hour northwest of Ottawa, on a dairy and grain farm. We also harvest crops for other farmers in our area.

My unorthodox path into agriculture has shaped how I see the sector — and it’s why education and empowerment are issues I care so very much about.

I’ve just been fortunate enough to be elected to the board of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) as a provincial director-at-large, after about five years of being involved with the organization in various capacities. This included serving as president of the Renfrew Federation of Agriculture and spending a year working for OFA as a Member Services Representative.

I strongly believe that there are still far too many misconceptions about who farmers are and what farming looks like today. For many Ontarians, the picture of a farmer is an outdated one — an older man in overalls with a pitchfork. That image doesn’t reflect reality anymore, especially when it comes to women.

The number of women actively running farms is growing rapidly, yet we’re still not seen as the norm. In my region, I’ve worked hard to bring that reality to the forefront and to help women build confidence and skills.