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In This Issue
- It's FFCO's tenth anniversary
- Garden in a Box 2021 donation to Feed Ontario
- Seeking Champion Award nominees for 2022
- AgriCompetitive funding given to support national Farm & Food Care initiatives
- Environment and Animal Care Newsletter
- Job posting: Communications Coordinator
- Local food banks receive support from FFCO
- FFCO welcomes new members
- Meet a Platinum Member: Beef Farmers of Ontario
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It's FFCO's tenth anniversary! |
January 1, 2022 marks the 10th anniversary of the creation of Farm & Food Care Ontario (FFCO). It officially opened its doors in January, 2012. The group was the first of its kind in Canada and came from the amalgamation of the Ontario Farm Animal Council (OFAC) and Agricultural Groups Concerned about Resources and the Environment (AGCare).
Both well-respected coalitions were also the first of their kind, formed in 1988 as non-profit, agricultural education coalitions representing Ontario’s livestock and crop farmers and associated organizations. Since the formation of FFCO, similar groups have been created in Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island.
A committee led by FFCO director Richard Blyleven (also a former chair of AGCare) has been struck to plan tenth anniversary celebrations, including a conference on April 13, 2022. The committee is watching public health guidelines and has yet to determine if the event will be held in person, virtually or as a hybrid program. More details will be available in the February newsletter.
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Garden in a Box donates to Feed Ontario
FFCO concluded its first Garden in a Box season by making a $5,000 donation to Feed Ontario from the proceeds of box sales. Together with food banks, industry partners, and local communities, Feed Ontario works to end hunger and poverty by delivering fresh and healthy food, developing innovative programming, and driving change through research and advocacy.
In the spring of 2021, participants of the FFCO program received a box of seeds, gardening gloves, a gardening journal and connection to an online community of individuals and families across Ontario gardening together, many for the first time.
This program seeks to build common ground with Ontario consumers through the context building activity of growing food together with farmers and food professionals across Ontario.
Those interested in participating in the 2022 Garden-in-a-Box program should follow FFCO’s twitter or Instagram @farmfoodcareON to watch for the program’s announcement.
Photo: Amanda King (left) from Feed Ontario is shown with Alicia Becker, FFCO Community Engagement Manager.
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2022 Champion Award: Call for nominees
FFCO is seeking nominations for its annual Champion Award. The award is presented each year to individuals, organizations or businesses who have taken initiative to help engage consumers about agriculture in our province. Nominees have used their skills to help inform consumers or correct misinformation about production practices, and done a measurable job of promoting our industry.
Nominations are to be submitted by March 11, 2022. If you know someone you think should be honoured, please review the nomination form.
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2021 awards were given to Sandi Brock, a Perth County sheep farmer (left) and Paul Nairn of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (right). |
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AgriCompetitive funding given to support national Farm & Food Care initiatives
In December, the Government of Canada announced an investment up to $275,000 through the AgriCompetitiveness Program, to the three Farm & Food Care organizations.
The funding runs from April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023. The announcement was made by the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Lloyd Longfield, Member of Parliament for Guelph.
Funds will be administered by FFCO and used by it and its sister groups in Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan to expand a number of its outreach initiatives including the Canadian Food Focus website, FarmFood360.ca, food influencer farm tours, Faces Behind Food and to help with the start of the sixth edition of The Real Dirt on Farming.
Bonnie den Haan, FFCO chair said, "The Farm & Food Care organizations in Ontario, Saskatchewan and Prince Edward Island were created with mandates to provide credible information on food and farming across Canada. We're extremely appreciative of the support of AAFC in supporting valuable public trust initiatives executed both digitally and through events planned across Canada. This funding will allow us to create new tools and programs and further expand existing programming designed to directly answer questions about Canadian food and farming."
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Animal Care and Environment Newsletter available
In December, FFCO released an end-of-year newsletter giving updates on areas of work related to farm animal care and farm environmental initiatives.
Learn more about:
- Livestock Emergency Courses planned for January
- Animal Care issues across Canada
- What farmers need to know about Ontario's Animal Welfare Act
- Updates on the Timing Matters/ Peer to Peer program
- Dates for a series of winter workshops entitled "Makin' the Mo$t of Manure"
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Seeking Communications Coordinator
FFCO is seeking a full-time Communications Coordinator to join the organization's small but dynamic team.
Reporting to the Communications Manager, the employee will play a role in all communications activities helping to plan and execute all outreach activities including projects, digital media and event planning and coordination.
If you, or someone you know, might be interested, you can submit your resume and cover letter indicating your salary expectations to [email protected] by January 7, 2022
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Food Banks in Ontario receive support from FFCO events in 2021
FFCO was proud to host four events in 2021 for which generous quantities of food items were contributed or purchased. Despite strong registration in these events there were a number of items that remained.
As the year came to a close, excess food items remaining were donated to both the Guelph and Cambridge food bank in an effort to reduce food waste and in support of the important work of these organizations.
More than 400 one kilogram bags of pancake mix, two cases of tortillas and three cases of salsa were donated. Special thanks to New Life Mills for their generous support of this donation!
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FFCO welcomes new members
Silver Member: Bay Growers Inc. - Pride of Georgian Bay
Supporter Member: Ontario Bison Association
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Meet a Platinum Member: Beef Farmers of Ontario
Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) has been a proud Platinum member of Farm and Food Care Ontario (FFCO) since the inception of the organization. The agriculture sector in Ontario is well-known as a community of people who support one another. With that said, we are grateful to have a long-standing relationship with FFCO to support our collective efforts in advocacy and education of farming and food production in Ontario.
Our membership with FFCO over the years has provided our association and members with access to a number of valuable services and resources, including virtual farm tours, media training, on-farm events like Breakfast on the Farm, and the Real Dirt on Farming publication.
FFCO has also often served Ontario’s agriculture sector as the bridge between farm and livestock groups on issues of mutual concern. All of these efforts combined, complement our work to engage the public to share the positive benefits of beef farming and pasturelands.
- Jason Leblond, BFO Board member to Farm & Food Care Ontario (photo right)
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