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Young farmers driving to success in Toronto

Written by JFAO
Friday, 06 November 2009 14:34
More than 50 young and future farmers are expected at the 2009 Ontario Young Farmers' Forum (OYFF) taking place November 23-24, 2009 at the Doubletree by Hilton in Toronto, Ontario. Hosted by the Junior Farmers’ Association of Ontario (JFAO), the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) and the Canadian Young Farmers’ Forum, the one and a half day conference will build on last year’s program by focusing on business planning and farm succession planning for participants age 18-40 from all areas of Ontario. The theme of this year’s conference is “Driving to Success.” This year's program has been finalized with keynote speaker Betty Hansen C.A., President of Crossroads Planning Group, is set to highlight Sunday afternoon's session. Her address will focus on the importance of communication in Succession Planning. Monday's program will feature Moe Agostino of Farms.com who will provide an overview of successful commodity marketing programs. The afternoon will feature a panel discussion with innovative farmers and dialogue on programs that assist with farm transitions – whether it is taking over the family farm or taking the farm they currently own to the next level. The Forum is an excellent opportunity for young and future Ontario farmers who are looking for new ideas and advice to develop their operations amidst changing economics and an increasingly challenging industry. Many delegates are receiving individual sponsorship of their participation costs from local federations of agriculture and industry groups, a list of which is being compiled on the OYFF website at www.oyff.ca. Participants are encouraged to contact their local agricultural groups for support, as developing strong future agricultural leaders is the primary goal of the OYFF. More information on the 2009 Ontario Young Farmers’ Forum is available from the OYFF website www.oyff.ca or the JFAO Office at 519-780-5326, local Federations of Agriculture, and OFA Member Service Representatives. Anyone still interested in participating is encouraged to e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or contact the JFAO office as soon as possible. Funding for the 2009 OYFF keynote speakers is being provided in part by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Agricultural Adaptation Council's CanAdvance Program and by the Canadian Farm Business Management Council. The vision of OYFF is to create an opportunity where young farmers can learn, network and lead with a mission of providing an educational and leadership development opportunity for young and future farmers of Ontario. - 30 - For Further Information: Don McGugan – This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 519-847-5097 Sarah Van Engelen – This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 519-780-5326
Last Updated on Friday, 06 November 2009 14:38

Junior Farmers of Ontario Attend GROWMARK Annual Meeting

Written by From Release

Friday, 09 October 2009 22:37

Two young leaders from Ontario, Lea-Anne Budge of Bolton and Sarah Hohnstein of Mildmay recently travelled to Chicago, Illinois to attend the 2009 GROWMARK, Inc. Annual Meeting. Both women represented Junior Farmers' Association of Ontario (JFAO).

Hohnstein and Budge were chosen to attend after achieving Most Outstanding New Member status with JFAO and receiving The President's Rose Award.

The Junior Farmers' Association of Ontario is an organization for youth between the ages 15 and 29. Both young women took part in the opening ceremonies along with various other activities during their three-day stay at the Chicago Hilton. They both commented by saying that attending GROWMARK's Annual Meeting was an excellent opportunity to meet and share experiences with other young leaders in Ontario and the United States.

Each year, GROWMARK provides travel opportunities to six exemplary youth who have shown dedication to Ontario youth development. Chosen youth travel to Chicago to learn more about GROWMARK and network with business people and other young leaders. As part of their experience, Hohnstein and Budge, along with other Ontario youth from 4-H Ontario and the Ontario Co-operative Association's Co-op Young Leaders Program participated in the annual meeting's grand opening ceremonies and had the opportunity to visit the Chicago Board of Trade, sponsored by AGRIS Co-operative Ltd.

GROWMARK, Inc. is a regional co-operative that provides FS branded and related agriculture products and services to farmers and rural residents in Ontario and the midwest and northeastern United States through local FS member co-operatives and by GROWMARK subsidiaries. In Ontario it provides products and services to more than 90,000 farmers and rural residents. For more information about the FS System, visit www.growmark.com. To learn more about Junior Farmers' Association of Ontario, visit www.jfao.on.ca.

To view the Ontario youth representatives at 2009 GROWMARK, Inc. Annual Meeting, please visit:
marketwire.com