Politicians gain agriculture insights at farm field day

August 29, 2013 · 0 Comments

By Bill Rea
Several MPPs and their staffs received some special insights last week into the realities of the agriculture industry.
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) hosted the farm field day at Armstrong Manor Farm on Dixie Road. The event attracted 12 MPPs, including Dufferin-Caledon’s Sylvia Jones.
“It’s our pleasure to bring you out to our office,” OFA President Mark Wales told them.
Education Minister Liz Sandals was also on hand, and she reflected on the importance of people living in urban centres understanding the rural nature of farming. People living in cities are exposed to things like petting zoos, but she said they tell little of the realities of farming.
“It’s a big business that is absolutely crucial to the well-being of Ontario’s economy,” she said.
Sandals also pointed out there are a lot of people living in rural areas who don’t understand what goes on in agriculture, and she also pointed to the need to get young people interested in the business.
High schools, she said, are now offering opportunities for students to take high skills majors, and agriculture is one of the subjects they can pick from, through a variety of avenues, such as food production, equipment maintenance, food processing, research, etc.
“There are a lot of opportunities for our young people,” she said.
In terms of economics, OFA reported that Ontario’s farm and food sector contributes more than $33 billion to the provinces economy, exporting over $11 billion annually in food and farm products.
OFA organized the field day, The event also included exhibits by commodity organizations representing Ontario dairy, beef, grain, sheep, honey and egg farmers.
MPPs and their staff were guided through presentations by OFA directors to highlight the basic steps in crop production from choosing seed to harvest technology, an overview of the diversity of crops grown in Ontario and emerging markets for new innovations like biomass. A new viewing feature in the Armstrong’s dairy barn gave attendees a front row experience of milking time.
OFA Vice-President Debra Pretty-Straathof offered some details on the technology used in milking these days, observing her dairy farmer grandfather would never have seen anything like it in his day.
She also observed the cows are milked three times a day.
“It’s really a relaxed process for the cow,” she observed. “They like being milked.”
Peter Armstrong, one of the hosts for the day, agreed the mood of the cow is an important part of milk production. He said a happy cow gives more milk than one that’s under stress.
He also said that cows in modern dairy operations these days are treated better than many people elsewhere in the world.
There were also details presented about some of the equipment used on farms, and the capital investment that’s involved in buying tractors than can cost up to $300,000.
OFA Director Eleanor Renaud observed that local infrastructure is often an issue when farm vehicles have to be driven along local roads.
She also said beef farmers rely on dairy farmer to trade in their equipment, so they can buy it used. As well, she pointed out these pieces of equipment mean plenty of related jobs, through manufacture, parts, maintenance, etc.
“It’s a big spinoff for the economy,” she said, adding there are also many jobs involving technology and research related to agriculture.
Keith Currie, a member of the OFA executive, asked people to consider a tomato and a bottle of ketchup, and think about how much work is involved to getting the tomato into that bottle.
“You’ll be amazed at what the job opportunities are,” he said.
Currie identified the need to preserve farmland, pointing to the importance of stopping urban sprawl. He urged building up, as opposed to building up. “We can’t make any more dirt,” he remarked, adding there is a need for better overall planning, as opposed to planning for what’s convenient.
Jones pointed to the importance of protecting farmers who are using the land.
“If farming is economically viable, we will farm the land,” Currie said. “We won’t farm it if we can’t make money off it.”
“It’s long hours, it’s long days, it’s hard work and it’s the best job you could ever have,” he added.
“The OFA spends a considerable amount of effort meeting with politicians in their environment, and as farmers, we wanted to bring them to our ‘office’ to see how Ontario farmers cultivate the land to grow food and bio-products for the future,” Wales said.
He also used the event to reinforce the importance of the proposed Local Food Act, urging politicians and staffers to commit to increasing the use of Ontario grown and processed products, as well as considering food literacy and educational elements in new legislation.

Ontario Federation of Agriculture President Mark Wales (middle) joined Philip and Peter Armstrong in welcoming those on hand for last week’s farm field day.