The Citizen, 2011-09-01, Page 18PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2011.Continued from page 12decision to form the HCFA wasmade.“Seventy years ago some verywise people realized that these prob-lems weren’t going away,” he said.“In those 70 years, many things havebeen accomplished, and I hope theycontinue to be.”Member of Parliament for Huron-Bruce, Ben Lobb took to the stagesecond, and, aside from congratulat-
ing the OFA and HCFA, he also
wanted to shine a light on a fellow
politician.
“I want to recognize [former MP]
Paul Steckle and his contributions to
farming and his work with the
HCFA,” he said.
Steckle served for several terms as
Huron-Bruce MP prior to Lobb.
Lobb also congratulated the HCFA
on their co-operation.
“The HCFA is such a great group
to work with,” he said. “It really is a
collaborative effort.”
Carol Mitchell, Huron-Bruce MPP
and Minister of the Ontario Ministry
of Agriculture Food and Rural
Affairs, took to the stage next and,
aside from congratulations and
greetings, stated that she was happy
to work on behalf of all farmers,
especially those in Southwestern
Ontario.
“Agriculture is the backbone of the
economy in Huron-Bruce, in the
breadbasket of Huron County,” she
said. “The McGuinty government
has worked hard for you.”
Mitchell said that the agri-food
industry recently passed the auto
sector in terms of value.“We are number one and that’s bignews,” she said. “The demand forlocal food has never been higher.”Mitchell stated that her govern-ment’s strategy addresses the need offarmers and strengthens the entireindustry.“It’s a very good approach,” shesaid. “The Risk ManagementProgram (RMP), which we learnedtoday, only took 70 years to get
going, is a permanent plan meant to
deal with the cost of production.”
She said that the 2011 budget was
really a “farmers’ budget” and that
plans like the (RMP) would provide
predictability and stability to farm-
ers.
“We worked on it for years, and
we had each commodity group
involved,” she said. “It’s a program
designed by farmers for farmers.”
Mitchell also pointed to several
local companies like Metzger’s Meat
in Hensall, Hayter’s Turkey in
Dashwood, Green’s Meat Market in
Wingham and the Pioneer Hybrid
plant in Morris-Turnberry which had
received grants to strengthen the
local agri-food industry.
“Those investments are part of the
plan to move forward,” she said.
Huron County Warden and North
Huron Reeve Neil Vincent thanked
everyone in the hall on behalf of
Huron County Council.
“There are a lot of people here that
are part of the tradition and history
of Huron County,” he said.
Vincent stated that many leaders in
groups like the HCFA end up work-
ing in municipal governments aswell.“It’s good to have that connec-tion,” he said. “Some leaders in theprovince wouldn’t know how to eatit if weren’t put on the plate in frontof them, here we don’t have thatproblem.”After Vincent left the stage, HCFAmember Gord Hill took the stage and stated that it was vital to recog-nize the importance of the HCFA
and OFA, and that it was essential
to remember that farmers almost
lost the OFA in the 1950s and
1960s.
Hill stated that a rival group that
he was a member of, the National
Farmers’ Union, did a nearly com-
plete job of bringing down the OFA
after a war-time board created to reg-
ulate agriculture made them
defunct.
The OFA, as a result of having lit-
tle to no interaction with farmers as a
result of the war-time act, made itself
self-sufficient and, according to
Hill, forgot how to interact with
farmers.
After several years, and butting
heads with the NFU, Hill was elect-
ed to run the OFA.
He crossed from the NFU to the
OFA with the promise of restructur-
ing the organization “from brass to
staff to the grass.”
Hill was followed by Crewes at the
podium.
Other speakers included Jane
Muegge, a staff member from
OMAFRA and Joe Vermunt, the
OFA director for Huron-Perth.
OFA celebrates in Belgrave
Remembrance
Bruce Whitmore took the reins at last Sunday’s memorial
service at Hope Chapel Cemetery in Central Huron. (Vicky
Bremner photo)
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