Project Name: Membership Outreach Breakfast
Project Details:
As an OFA member, farmers and agri-business people are entitled to a lot of benefits, including discounts at various businesses and services. However, the DFA feels that a breakfast is a more hands-on, personal way of showing appreciation for the local membership and what they do for the community. Farmers deal with a lot of hardships, both on the job and outside of it (eg. Animal activists, bad press, legislation). Something like a free meal at a good restaurant is a great way to show farmers that what they do is appreciated, especially in an ag-heavy county like Dundas. It’s also just a nice break during the busiest time of year.
The breakfast is also a great opportunity to speak with members about current issues, if any, and connect with other farmers in a more casual, less pressured environment, while sharing the meal. The DFA is continuing to investigate new ways to communicate events like this to their membership. Not every farmer looks at their email frequently, so many of the attendees came after receiving the text invitations or word-of-mouth invites. We want to keep hosting the breakfast and bringing in higher number of people each year.
The DFA struggles with the timing of the breakfast, as hay season is a very busy time of year for farmers, and it can be hard to get numbers for attendance, especially with erratic weather complicating schedules.