In This Issue

• Breakfast on the Farm - Innerkip, June 14, 2025
• Volunteer for Breakfast on the Farm events for 2025
• Local Food Week, June 2-8, 2025
• Virtual field trips for Local Food Week
• New national network for communicators
• Faces Behind Food in GO Trains and in National Post
• FFCO seeking staff for CNE booth
• Order your "If Found Please Return to the Farm" T-Shirt
• The Real Dirt on Farming exclusive case sale
• More than a Migrant Worker featured in LCBO's spring Food & Drink magazine
• FFCO welcomes new Communications and Marketing Assistant: Grace Halcovitch
• FFCO staff certified first aid training
• CCFI launches Canada's Food System
• Member accolades
• Gold member testimonial: Floradale Feed Mill Limited

Breakfast on the Farm - Innerkip, June 14, 2025

Join us for the first Breakfast on the Farm of the season, hosted by Hoenhorst Farms near Innerkip on June 14, 2025. This special event also celebrates 100 years of farming for the Arriaga-Wensink family—a proud fourth-generation dairy farm.



This event marks FFCO’s 25^th Breakfast event, offering a unique opportunity for urban and suburban non-farming audiences to connect with Ontario agriculture. These events showcase a wide range of agricultural commodities, careers, and innovations in food production. Guests will enjoy interactive exhibits, livestock displays, farm equipment, and one-on-one conversations with farmers and industry experts.

Come see Ontario farming up close—meet the animals, explore the equipment and crops, and enjoy a delicious all-Ontario breakfast.

Volunteer with us – Help bring Breakfast on the Farm to life in 2025

• June 14 - Hoenhorst Farms, Innerkip
• August 23 - Two-stop event in Norfolk County; co-hosted by the Norfolk Agricultural Society and Apple Hill Lavender & Apple Farm
• October 10 - FARMtoberfest at Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest

Breakfast on the Farm events showcase the many different agricultural commodities, careers, opportunities, and advancements in modern farming and food production. Guests will enjoy interactive displays and exhibits highlighting the diversity of food produced in Ontario. Visitors can also get up close with different livestock displays, explore farm equipment, and have all their farming-related questions answered by farmers and industry experts. To get involved and support this important outreach event, contact FFCO to explore partnership opportunities and help bring the story of Ontario agriculture to a wider audience.

Volunteer registration is now open—sign up today and be part of these outreach events!

Questions? Reach out to events@farmfoodcare.org

June 2-8: Join us in celebrating Local Food Week across Ontario

Local Food Week is just around the corner—taking place from June 2 to 8, 2025—and it's a perfect time to celebrate the abundance of fresh, healthy food grown, produced, and processed right here in Ontario. We invite you to take part in the celebration by using the hashtag #loveONfood across your social media platforms all week long.

To make it easy, Farm & Food Care Ontario has developed a downloadable graphic kit filled with shareable content for your use.

Local Food Week live: Discover Ontario’s Farms in real time through Virtual Field Trips

FFCO, in partnership with AgScape, will celebrate Local Food Week by hosting three Virtual Food & Farm Field Trips.

Tuesday, June 3 at 1:00 p.m. EST: Water buffalo farm, hosted by the Koskamp family.

Wednesday, June 4 at 10:00 a.m. EST: Potato to chips, hosted by the Vander Zaag family.

Thursday, June 5 at 10:00 a.m. EST: Farming in the city, hosted by Zawadi Farm.

The tours will be live on Facebook and YouTube for all to watch.

New national network unites Agri-Food Communicators across Canada

Farm & Food Care Ontario, in collaboration with Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan and Farm & Food Care PEI, has launched a new LinkedIn group for agricultural communicators across Canada.

Agri-Food Connect CDN is designed to bring together professionals who communicate with farmers or the public about agriculture and food. Whether you're tackling misinformation, sharing the story of Canadian agriculture, or planning events and campaigns, this group is a space to collaborate, share ideas, and support one another.

From communication tactics, SEO strategies, and software tips to training opportunities, speaker suggestions, and storytelling techniques, Agri-Food Connect CDN offers a place to exchange insights. With consumers increasingly disconnected from food production, this network can help strengthen your efforts to engage meaningfully, align on shared values, and navigate tough conversations.



Join Agri-Food Connect CDN on LinkedIn today and be part of a growing community committed to supporting each other and advancing Canadian agriculture communication.

Faces Behind Food campaign brings Canadian farmers to the forefront on trains and in national newspapers

From March to May, the Faces Behind Food project was prominently featured across GO Transit stations and trains in the GTA. With an average weekly ridership of 1.43 million, 75 interior car posters with Faces Behind Food reached a massive audience. In addition, posters were placed at seven key GO stations: Oakville, Milton, Whitby, Maple, Mount Pleasant, Unionville, and Richmond Hill—bringing the Faces Behind Food message to thousands of commuters each day.

The momentum continued on April 5th, with a full-page ad in National Post publications.

Thanks to these high-visibility campaigns—and a growing focus on video content—Faces Behind Food has seen significant growth in its following over the past few months.

FFCO seeking staff for CNE booth

Farm & Food Care Ontario is seeking enthusiastic, outgoing individuals to help staff our booth in the Farm Building at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE).

Exhibit staff will help run the FarmFood360 theatre-style kiosk, engaging visitors and offering them virtual tours of 27 different types of farm and food processing facilities. This is a unique opportunity to connect with non-farming Ontarians in an urban setting to have their questions about food and farming answered while highlighting the importance of agriculture and food production in a fun, interactive setting.

Interested? Contact us today to learn more events@farmfoodcare.org

Farm proud? Wear it loud! Order your 2025 FFCO t-shirt today

These exclusive "If Found, Please Return to the Farm" t-shirts, designed for FFCO, are now available for $25. Show your love for the farm life and support for FFCO with these stylish, comfortable tees. Orders can be picked up at no cost from the Guelph office or shipped for a flat rate of $5 (Please note, postal strikes may delay shipping or impact rates)

Order yours today and bring the farm vibes wherever you go.

The Real Dirt on Farming exclusive sale

FFCO is offering a special discount on cases of the 6th edition of The Real Dirt on Farming. This award-winning booklet answers the top questions Canadians have about food and farming in a simple, easy-to-understand format.

This edition dives deep into the roots of Canadian agriculture, featuring farmer and researcher profiles from across the country—from the Yukon to Newfoundland and everywhere in between. Available in both English and French, the booklet comes in two versions: full and digest.

Order today and choose pick-up to receive a FREE cardboard tabletop stand with your purchase! Shipping is also available if you prefer. Payment can be made by cheque, e-transfer, or credit card.

More Than A Migrant Worker featured in LCBO's spring Food & Drink magazine

The May edition of the LBCO's popular Food & Drink magazine hit shelves across Ontario last month. The early summer edition is highly coveted with its readership and features a full-page ad highlighting the More than a Migrant Worker (MTAMW) campaign.

This ad placement by the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers' Association (in a project partnership with Farm & Food Care Ontario and many OFVGA members) boosts the successful MTAMW campaign. It is aimed at sharing stories of the men and women who grow our food while answering people's questions about seasonal workers in the fruit and vegetable industry. More photo shoots are planned for the summer months.

Food & Drink is one of Ontario's most widely-read magazines, with a total readership of 2,748,000/issue.

FFCO welcomes new Communications and Marketing Assistant: Grace Halcovitch

Grace is currently pursuing a degree in Sports and Event Management at the University of Guelph, with a minor in Marketing, and is completing her first Co-op work term with FFCO. While she doesn’t have a background in agriculture, she is eager to immerse herself in the industry and broaden her understanding of the agriculture in Ontario. She sees this opportunity as a chance to explore a new field and challenge herself with new experiences.

FFCO staff certified in first aid

The Farm & Food Care Ontario team recently completed First Aid and CPR/AED training to better support the needs of the growing audiences we engage with at outreach events throughout the year.



A big thank you to Ben from RED5 Safety Training for leading an engaging, hands-on session that equipped our team with the practical knowledge and confidence to respond in emergency situations.

CCFI launches Canada's Food System

In May, the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI) proudly launched Canada’s Food System: Our Food. Our Future, a national campaign that shines a spotlight on one of the country’s greatest strengths—our food system. This initiative celebrates the people, innovation, and partnerships that feed our nation and the world, while reminding Canadians of the sector’s vital role in our economy, environment, and communities.

Amid global trade disruptions, climate challenges, and a strengthening domestic economy, this campaign reframes the food system not just as infrastructure, but as a cornerstone of Canada’s future. Supporting over 2 million jobs and contributing more than $140 billion to GDP, Canada’s food system is also the fifth largest agri-food exporter globally.



At the heart of the campaign is a pledge—an opportunity for Canadians to show support for those who grow, raise, catch, make, and move our food. It’s a message of pride, trust, and shared responsibility.

Join the movement and learn more at www.canadasfoodsystem.ca.

Member accolades:

Conestoga Meats named one of Canada's Best Managed Companies 2025 for a sixth consecutive year

Congratulations to Conestoga Meats on being named one of Canada's Best Managed Companies for a 6th straight year, certifying their Gold Standard.

Burnbrae Farms, Maple Lodge Farms Ltd. named Platinum Club members of Canada's Best Managed Companies 2025

Congratulations to Burnbrae Farms and Maple Lodge Farms Ltd. on being named a Platinum Club member of Canada's Best Managed Companies. Both companies have maintained their Best Managed status for seven years or more.

OFA President Drew Spoelstra awarded King Charles III Coronation Medal

Congratulations to Drew Spoelstra on receiving the King Charles III Coronation Medal, a prestigious honour recognizing exceptional service to community and agriculture. A dedicated farmer from Binbrook, Ontario, Drew has been a strong voice for Ontario agriculture, representing Halton, Hamilton-Wentworth, and Niagara on the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) board since 2013, and serving as OFA President since 2023.

Drew Spoelstra, President of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture was awarded the prestigious King Charles III Coronation Medal by Donna Skelly, Ontario Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.

Meet a Gold Member: Floradale Feed Mill Limited

"As a proud Gold Member of Farm & Food Care, Floradale Feed Mill stands firmly alongside an organization that champions transparency, education, and the advancement of agriculture.

For over 60 years, Floradale Feed Mill has been committed to providing Ontario’s poultry, swine, and ruminant producers with the highest quality of feed and nutrition solutions. We see value in participating in FFCO initiatives, as our business is a fundamental step in the farm – table process. It is important that consumers know where their food comes from, as well as the supply chain that supports it. Throughout 2023/2024, we participated in many FFCO initiatives, as a silver member of the organization. In 2025, we are advancing our membership to a gold status, as we continue to see value and success in FFCO’s mission to build trust and foster connection between the farmer and the consumer.

Through this partnership, we continue to invest in the future of agriculture, ensuring that every herd and flock receives the nutrition they need while fostering a responsible and informed food system for generations to come."

Faith Emiry, Branding & Marketing Specialist

Become a Member

Did you know?

• You, your farm or your business can become a member of FFCO
• Your support in membership makes FFCO's work possible
• Corporate members ($1800+) can access free training and workshops

Not a member yet? Learn why others have joined FFCO.