Delegates to the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) annual meeting and convention held in Toronto Nov. 20-21 wanted a change in leadership and elected Vice-president Keith Currie over President Don McCabe, who had served two terms as president. Some board members had let it be known they preferred Currie at the helm of the organization. It was a solid victory with the count 151 for Currie and 90 for McCabe.
McCabe told delegates in a pre-election speech he hoped to serve one more year to finish the work he had done in his first two terms — to help form government policy on some major environmental issues.
Some delegates spoke of their dissatisfaction with the Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) pulling out of the OFA and that better dialogue is needed when dealing with GFO.
Currie served three consecutive terms as vice-president. He runs an eighth-generation family farm outside of Collingwood, in Simcoe County, growing cash crops, sweet corn and forages. Currie becomes the 31st president to lead the 36,000 farm member organization for a one-year term. Currie told delegates, “I’m energized about OFA and looking forward to the coming year, and the work we can do together for the OFA membership.”
Elections for OFA’s two vice president positions voted in Mark Reusser, a Waterloo County turkey farmer and re-elected northern Ontario dairy farmer Peggy Brekveld. Arnprior’s Debra Pretty-Straathof lost her bid for one of two vice-president positions.
Five people ran for the three-year term as director-at-large and delegates chose an experienced and former politician — Crispin Colvin. Colvin runs a crop and beef farm in Middlesex County. He has 16 years on municipal township council, served as mayor and was warden of Middlesex County and is fluent in French.
Three Ontario MPPs addressed the crowd of more than 300 farmers and industry representatives — the Hon. Kathryn McGarry, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry; Hon. Glen Murray, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change; and NDP Leader Andrea Horwath. They all provided insights on their views of agriculture’s potential, with Horwath reading from a prepared speech.
Farmers listened intently as Glen Murray spoke from the heart without looking at notes. There was no heckling or booing. Murray came out in his best political fashion apologizing for causing so much grief over the neonic issue. He admitted bee deaths are not only because of neonics and has made many visits to farms and said he now has a better understanding of the industry’s position and challenges. He said he had several meetings with Don McCabe and hopes to continue that dialogue with Keith Currie. He assured farmers that pesticides are not being banned.
Grassroots resolutions were deliberated during the meeting, raising member issues and concerns. Rural school closures, organizational governance, Agrilnvest, invasive species (pharagmites) and the restoration of pits and quarries were among resolutions debated.
The election of Donald Trump in the U.S. wasn’t much of a concern with delegates.
OFA past presidents attending the convention were: Harry Pelissero, Jack Wilkinson, Ron Bonnett, Geri Kamenz. Bette Jean Crews and Mark Wales.
Maynard van der Galien was one of the farm news reporters at the convention
