By Mark Wales, Board Member, Ontario Federation of Agriculture

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture’s (OFA) first order of business is to champion the interests and issues affecting our members. Advocating and being a voice for Ontario farmers with government and policy makers is the key objective OFA delivers to members. Every OFA member also has access to an experienced team of Member Service Representatives that are on-the-ground staff available to help members with issues affecting farm business and rural life.

And as we listen to members over the years, we also heard the request for adding extra value to membership to help ease the cost of doing business. The OFA has developed a robust Benefit Program to meet the needs of Ontario farm businesses by providing unique and exclusive benefits to members. It’s another way OFA works to deliver its overall mission to enable sustainable and prosperous farms.

OFA’s Benefit Program is available to all members. Over the years, the Benefit Program has grown to include 13 different partner companies and organizations. The OFA’s current suite of benefit programs includes cost-savings opportunities for financial services, insurance, farm supply, hardware, travel, clothing, communications, fleet vehicles and farm management information.

Partner companies are carefully selected and benefits negotiated on behalf of OFA members. OFA partners with companies that meet member needs, and deliver enhanced value and savings to all OFA members. The Benefit Program is directed by criteria established by the OFA Board of Directors. Each benefit program or company partnership must meet an identified member need, enhance the image of OFA and/or generate revenue for the OFA. Using these guiding principles, the program continues to expand and improve, with new program partners continually added as OFA identifies member benefit needs.

The OFA regularly uses surveys to check in with members to find out how the program is working. In 2014, OFA members reported saving an average of $545 a year through the Benefit Program – that’s more than double the savings since 2012. We want to keep this program as a valuable part of OFA membership. That’s why we’re asking members to complete an online survey during the month of June to gather more feedback on the Benefit Program.

Visit www.ofa.on.ca to take the Benefit Program survey. Watch for survey results in the coming months and if you’d like to learn more about OFA’s program partners, check out the Benefit Program section of the website.

For more information, contact:

Mark Wales
Board Member
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
519-773-6706

Neil Currie
General Manager
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
519-821-8883