The 2023 Annual General Meeting was held Tuesday, November 21 and Wednesday, November 22 at the Delta Toronto Airport & Conference Centre.

Theme:  Fields of Opportunity: Cultivating a Sustainable Future for Ontario

Guest Speakers:

• Senator Rob Black
• Hon. Lisa Thompson, Ontario’s Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
• John Vanthof, MPP, Timiskaming-Cochrane & Critic, Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
• Kelly Dobson, President, LeaderShift Inc. – Unleashing the Untapped Potential of your Farm Operation
• Derek Edwards, Canadian Comedian
• Robert Reinmuller, Vice President, Hydro One, Transmission Planning & Large Customer

Workshop Topics:

Workshops will run concurrently from 1:30 – 2:30 pm, and 2:45 – 3:45 pm with the following topics and presenters:

1. AgRobotics and Innovation in an Era of Immense Change: Ian McDonald, Applied Research Coordinator, Fields Crops with Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs
2. Farming a Story – Engaging with Government and the Media: Kalvin Reid, Director of Public Relations and Jonathan Sampson, Director of Government Relations, Enterprise Canada
3. Finding Solutions for Deadstock Management: Jennifer McTavish, Consultant
4. Planners as Your Best Friend: Dr. Wayne Caldwell, University of Guelph (retired) and Gwenyth McCarthy, Farm Policy Analyst, OFA

Livestream

A recorded version of the livestream is available for viewing on OFA’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/ontariofarms.

Click here to watch the day 1 livestream or Click here to watch the day 2 livestream.

Annual Meeting Delegate Workbook:

Click here to view the delegate workbook.

Ontario’s farmers hosted their annual general meeting in London over the past two days, gathering in-person for the first time in three years to debate resolutions, listen to engaging speakers and participate in educational workshops. Approximately 450 people attended the meeting, which marked the first time the Ontario Federation of Agriculture’s (OFA) Annual General Meeting was held in London.

Keynote speaker Jeff Adams, Paralympian and six-time world champion wheelchair racer, drew on his own life experiences to share themes also common in the farming community: resilience, perseverance and striving for excellence. He encouraged farmers to look around themselves for support from family, friends and community when they need it, and to offer that support to others.

“After several tough pandemic years, Jeff’s message highlighted the tremendous value of community and interpersonal connection that we’ve missed since the last time we were able to host our convention in-person,” says Peggy Brekveld, OFA President. “Jeff’s message was also an inspiring one to our audience because it ties in so strongly with the Farmer Wellness Initiative, a mental health support program for farmers and their families that OFA has put a lot of effort into this past year.”

Ontario’s Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Hon. Lisa Thompson addressed the crowd, highlighting recent government investments into the sector and efforts currently underway to update various pieces of legislation impacting agriculture, including modernization of the Veterinarians Act, and consultations around the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario.

Other speakers at the event included MPP and Agriculture critic John Vanthof, Dean of the Centre for Research and Innovation at Fanshawe College Alison Ewart, Scotiabank Chief Economist Jean-Francois Perrault, Scotiabank National Head of Agriculture Janice Holzscherer, Hydro One Vice President of Stakeholder Relations Daniel Levitan, and Canadian Federation of Agriculture President Mary Robinson.

OFA also announced the five recipients of its newly expanded bursary program for young people: post-graduate winner Valerie Higginson, apprenticeship winner Andrew Kuiack, and undergraduate winners Faith Emiry, Michael Jones and Lexi Johnston. A silent auction at the event raised more than $10,000 in support of next year’s bursary program.

Livestream

A recorded version of the livestream is available for viewing on OFA’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/ontariofarms. Click here to watch the day 1 livestream or click here to watch the day 2 livestream.

AGM Digital Workbook

Please click here to access the digital workbook that was shared with all AGM delegates.

The theme of the 2021 Virtual Annual General Meeting was Connecting with Ontarians.

Public trust is the degree to which the public believes that a profession and those involved will act in a particular way that serves and protects the public’s interest. It is directly tied to feelings, emotions and values of an individual and society.

OFA has a role to play in public trust in terms of digging deep and understanding the values and expectations of our society. Our intention is to focus on how agriculture and the food products we nurture are rooted in universally shared values. We aim to communicate how the farming and food sector lines up with those values and expectations through the supply chain from field-to-fork.

Through a variety of new campaigns, events and initiatives, OFA is working with partners to better connect with Ontarians about the farming and food sector. We’re pleased to bring experts and speakers to our AGM to share their thoughts and perspectives of how to bridge the gap. And we’re excited to share with you how OFA will be contributing to this important priority by focusing on building connections, sharing experiences and engaging our audience through values, emotions and understanding.

Everyone has a reason for the decisions they make. Ontarians make choices every day that are based on their own values and principles, and it is our intention to connect with consumers over these shared values. Through connection we hope to create a better understanding and appreciation for Ontario’s farmers and the agri- food value chain. Together, we can connect with Ontarians and showcase the best our industry has to offer.

What’s your reason?

Agenda Highlights

Keynote speaker

Terry O’Reilly, host of the award-winning radio show ‘Under The Influence’. He discusses the bigger issues of marketing and how it affects the public.

Guest speakers

Hon. Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

Mary Robinson, President, Canadian Federation of Agriculture

Stream the Annual General Meeting

As a result of COVID-19 and to ensure all OFA members, directors, staff and attendees remain safe and healthy, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) hosted the 2020 Annual General Meeting (AGM) in a virtual format on Monday, November 23, 2020 commencing at 9:00 a.m. This year’s theme was Navigating our Road to Recovery.

The theme highlights Ontario agriculture’s road to recovery through COVID-19. It incorporates economic recovery related to rural communities and the regional economic task forces that have been assembled across the province. Agriculture has a voice on those committees to help identify opportunities such as economic development and growth in rural areas, and how to reduce regulatory burdens to help businesses grow in these challenging times.

OFA will be a leader on the road to recovery and help farm businesses that faced challenging times in 2020 ensure they have the tools, resources and support necessary to remain profitable and sustainable. The theme also ties into the importance of mental health and wellness and our ability to recover through these difficult times.

Webcast Version

Highlights

Digital AGM Workbook

Click here to view the digital AGM workbook.

Agenda

Click here to view the meeting agenda.

Keynote speaker

Brent Butt – a well-known Canadian actor, comedian and writer. Butt starred in and created the sitcom Corner Gas.

Guest speakers

Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario (invited)

Hon. Ernie Hardeman, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

Leadership election

Director-at-Large

To read their candidate profiles and learn more about their platform, please click the links below.

Peggy Brekveld’s candidate profile

Barclay Nap’s candidate profile

Jamie Reaume’s candidate profile

Click here to view By-law 20-1 with track changes highlighting what changes were made and where they were made.

Click here to view By-law 20-1 with the proposed amendments highlighted and accompanied by explanatory notes.

Click here to view a clean version of By-law 20-1.

Financial statements

Click here to view the financial statements

Resolutions

Click here to view the resolutions report.

Click here to view the 2019 Resolutions.

2019 AGM Minutes

Click here to view the official minutes from the 2019 Annual General Meeting.

Follow #OFAgm20 on social media for updates and highlights.

2019 Annual General Meeting

The theme of OFA’s 2019 Annual General Meeting was Farming 2020: Adapt & Grow.

Agenda Highlights

Keynote Speaker

David Phillips, Senior Climatologist, Environment and Climate Change Canada

Guest Speakers

John Stackhouse, Senior Vice-President, Office of the CEO RBC

Mary Robinson, President, Canadian Federation of Agriculture

Hon. Rob Black, Senator

2018 Annual General Meeting

The theme of OFA’s 2018 Annual General Meeting was Prosperity Grows Here.

Agenda Highlights

Keynote Speaker:

Doug Griffiths, Author of 13 Ways to Kill Your Community

Guest Speakers:

Ernie Hardeman, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

Andrea Horwath, Leader, Official Opposition, Ontario NDP

Kathryn Enders, Executive Director, Ontario Farmland Trust

Colleen Smith, Executive Director, AgScape

Webcast

The annual meeting is broadcast live on the OFA website. OFA members and interested parties who were unable to attend, can watch a recording of the meeting below. The recorded version is a copy of the live stream that was broadcast on OFA’s website.

Day 1 – AGM

Day 2 – AGM

2017 Annual General Meeting

The theme of OFA’s 2017 Annual General Meeting was Producing Prosperity.

Agenda Highlights

Keynote Speaker:

David Freshwater, Professor, Agricultural Economics, University of Kentucky

Guest Speakers:

Patrick Brown, Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario

Andrea Horwath, Leader, New Democratic Party of Ontario

Hon. Jeff Leal, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

Mike Schreiner, Leader of the Green Party of Ontario

Webcast

2016 Annual General Meeting

The theme of OFA’s 2016 Annual General Meeting was Precision Matters.

Agenda Highlights

Opening Speaker:

Joe Dales, Senior Vice President, Farms.com

Guest Speaker:

Hon. Glen Murray, Minister of Environment & Climate Change

Hon. Jeff Leal, Minister of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs
(Video Greetings)

2015 Annual General Meeting

The theme of OFA’s 2015 Annual General Meeting was How to Talk Farming and Influence People.

Agenda Highlights

Opening Speaker:

Allan O’Dette, President & CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce

Keynote Speaker:

Jeff Fitzpatrick-Stilwell, Senior Manager of Sustainability, McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada Limited

Guest Speakers: 

Hon. Jeff Leal, Minister of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs

Patrick Brown, Leader, Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario

Andrea Horwath, Leader, New Democratic Party of Ontario

Ron Bonnett, President, Canadian Federation of Agriculture

2014 Annual General Meeting

The theme of OFA’s 2014 Annual General Meeting was Growing Ontario.

Guest Speaker:

Jeff Leal, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

Agenda Highlights

Keynote Speaker:

Aron Gampel, Vice-President and Deputy Chief Economist, Scotiabank Economics

Guest Speaker:

Jeff Leal, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

2013 Annual General Meeting

The theme of OFA’s 2013 Annual General Meeting was Cultivating our Future.

Agenda Highlights

Opening Speaker:

Hon. Kathleen Wynne, Premier

Keynote Speaker:

Warren Jestin, Chief Economist Scotiabank

Motivational Speaker:

Bill Carr, Actor, Humorist and Writer

Opposition Party Speaker:

Tim Hudak, PC

Andrea Horwath, NDP

Panel Presentation: Cultivating our Future – Agriculture and Food in Ontario

Mr. Ernie Hardeman, MPP
Mr. John Vanthof, MPP
Mr. Grant Crack, PA to Minister of Agriculture & Food