Hello everyone and welcome to the 2015 Renfrew County Plowing Match.
My name is Charlotte Mackay and I am honoured to be representing the plowmen’s association as this year’s Queen of the Furrow.
Currently, I am in my fourth year at the University of Guelph where I am studying for a degree in agriculture science.
I was raised on a dairy farm outside of Beachburg, where I developed a deep love of agriculture from a very young age. I have been a member of organizations such as 4-H and Junior Farmers and hold an executive position on the student government at my univeristy.
This is my second time representing Renfrew County as Queen of the Furrow, having done it in 2011.
During my first reign, I succeeded in placing 4th runner-up for the Ontario Queen at the 2012 IPM hosted by Waterloo. I am proud to have the opportunity to represent, not only Renfrew County Plowmen’s, but Canadian agriculture as Queen of the Furrow.
Today, I would like to take this opportunity to talk to you about the importance of preserving family farms.
A week ago, I returned from a two week school tour of the American Midwest. I visited a variety of farms ranging from fish to cotton. Some of the farms I saw were very large compared to Ontario’s standards. Many of the farmers I spoke with did not own their land or were in partnerships with parties who weren’t farmers. One dairy operation I visited milked 6,500 cows and had another 6,000 replacement heifers. The farm’s ownership was divided bewtween one family, two partners, a dairy processor and many shareholders.
High land prices and the immense capital needed to begin farming make it difficult for a young farmer entering into agirculture while already established investortors see agricultural land as a business opportunity.
In recent years, more and more of the US’s agricultural land has been purchased by large non-agricultural coporations. As farms continue to grow and be owned by large companies, less of the revnue generated is returning to the local economy.
Now, more than ever, I realize the importance of protecting our local family farms, not only for the sake of our rural communties, but to maintain the integrity of Canadian agriculture.
Farming is not just a business, it’s a passion for growing things, a passion that may be foreign to lArge corporations.
I am fortunate to call Renfrew County my home and I, like many others, cherish the life we have on the family farm and hope to pass it down to future generations. I would like to use my position to advocate for the family farm and promote a sustainable future of Canadian agriculture.
I would like to thank the Renfrew County Plowmen’s Asociation, the hard working volunteers and the McGregor and Latchford families for making today a great success. It is through your dedication that community community-strengthened events, such as the plowing match, continue to thrive.
