The Rural Voice, 2003-04, Page 74HURON
Box 429, Clinton, Ontario NOM 1 LO
519-482-9642 or 1-800-511-1135 Website: www.hcfa.on.ca Email: huron@ofa.on.ca
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
The Rural Voice is provided to all farmers
in Huron County by the HCFA.
New HCFA website a
hit with area farmers
Since they first went online, the
Huron County Federation of
Agriculture (HCFA) has received
more than 9,000 hits on their new
website: www.hcfa.on.ca
"What's going to happen when the
HCFA website starts getting more
hits than the OMAF (Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture and Food)
website?" asked Steve Thompson, a
retired HCFA executive member.
Thompson worked with members of
the organization's public relations
committee to create the informative
website:
Since its launch in early February,
570 people have visited the site, 141
of which were repeat visitors.
Seventy-two people bookmarked the
site.
HCFA Director and public
relations committee member Henry
Damsma, who is maintaining the
website free of charge, said he hopes
to "keep members informed on
agriculture events". The site includes
agriculture news from across the
county, province, nation and the
world. Local forecasts and cash bids
on crops are updated daily.
Damsma said he would also like to
OFA President Ron Bonnett meets with
include a database of Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture and Food
statistic sheets in the future. Twenty-
six individuals have downloaded the
Huron Economic Impact Report that
is available on the site and 110 people
are subscribed to the list -serve. These
Update on Bill 81 Meeting
Wednesday, April 9
Seaforth Community Centre - 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 10
Milverton Community Centre - 8:00 p.m.
HCFA and PCFA will be hosting these
meetings to inform the rural community on the
most up-to-date information on Bill 81
Profile - Regional Director
Henry Damsma, Ontario Federation of Agriculture Regional Director
for Huron South operates a broiler and cash crop farm south of Clinton
with his wife Deb and children Karen, Rachel and Justin.
First son of immigrant Dutch parents, he graduated from the
University of Guelph in 1977 and purchased his first farm in 1979. He
has also worked in the agri-industry since 1979 including periods with
Ralston Purina and Cargill.
Fascinated by computers and technology, for the past five years he
served as Information Technology director for the OFA in Toronto until he
stepped down last November to become OFA regional director. He has also been involved in
designing and maintaining the Huron County Federation of Agriculture's website:
www.hcfa.on.ca
He has also been involved in maintaining a provincial news group, "Ontag the Bullpen" as
a personal project with no direct connection to the Federation. Users can subscribe by
sending an email to listserver@damsma.com with "SUBSCRIBE" in the subject area.
He is a member of the Vanastra Christian Reformed Community Church. His hobbies
include computers and green energy.
"Don't ask what the Federation of Agriculture has done for you, but ask what you can do
for the Federation of Agriculture," he says. "Then you will know what the Federation of
Agriculture has done for you."0
Henry Damsma
72 THE RURAL VOICE
Huron farmers at Kirkton, February 17.
statistics were calculated after the
website's first 19 days online.
"It's the bright lights of another
otherwise dull farming winter,"
Thompson laughed.0
— Courtesy, Jennifer Jackson
Huron Expositor, Seaforth
Ontario Sustainable Energy Association presents
HARVEST THE WIND WORKSHOP
helping rural communities reap the benefits of wind power
Tuesday, April 1
Goderich & District Community Centre
12 noon to 3:30 p.m. (lunch included) or
6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
$25 registration in advance
$30 registration at the door
CaII 1-866-713-6397 to register
Huron County Federation of Agriculture
BOARD MEETING
Fourth Monday of the Month
8:00 p.m. — Vanastra Office
Members Welcome)
And the winner is...
Winners of HCFA $50 food draws at the
Western Ontario Farm Show in London
were: Horace Crawford, RR 6, Goderich;
Nelson Dow, 38677 Belfast Rd., Wingham;
Arnold Kester, RR 2, Dashwood; John Oke,
71481 Morrison Line, Exeter.0
HCFA OFFICE HOURS
Mondays and Fridays
9 a.m. to 12 noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Please leave a message.
(519) 482-9642 or 1-800-511-1135
FAX (519) 482-1416