The Rural Voice, 2001-03, Page 30SEEKING ALTERNATIVES
In a changing world where farmers are getting a
shrinking part of the food dollar, Bruce County leaders
look for a new way of doing things
By Keith Roulston
the swiftly changing world of agriculture and tood at
Jn
the turn of the new millennium, farmers often feel
caught like a deer in the headlights. A workshop
entitled "Taking Back your Livelihood", sponsored by the
Bruce County Federation of Agriculture (BCFA), OATI
and Agriculture and Agri -Food Canada, will try to help
people make sense of what's happening and perhaps start
finding a plan to take some control.
Tony Morris, BCFA director and former president of the
Ontario Federation of Agriculture is part of a group, many
of them alumni of the Advanced. Agricultural Leadership
Program, who are bringing together a group of speakers to
try to give participants an overview of what's happening in
the food industry globally and at the retail end of the chain.
Included will be Jim LeCureux of Michigan State
University speaking on new value-added co-ops. George
Akalay from Northfield Ventures Inc. who has been a
consultant helping get several of those co-ops started will
also speak. Akalay was involved, among others, with the
start-up of the Farm Fresh Poultry Co-op in Harriston.
Dr. Gord Surgeoner will be speaking about the new
crops coming down the line through biotechnology and the
opportunities for farmers. Kevin Stewart from Ag Vision
will also speak.
The March 3 meeting, subtitled "Opportunities through
co-operative development", will include working sessions,
says Morris. There's no goal in mind other than to
stimulate people to think about current developments, he
says. "At the end of the day if people want to move
forward, we'll be challenging ourselves on how do we do
this."
Who should be involved? What kind of time frame
should be set?
"We want something conclusive at the end of the day
26 THE RURAL VOICE
New age co-ops like the Farm Fresh Poultry company in
Harriston will be considered at the Taking Back Your
Livelihood conferencee, March 3 in Formosa.
(about whether to continue)," Morris says.
Morris and former OFA vice-president Ken Kelly, who
is also involved in the project, have tried to spark this kind
of visioning process before. They were part of the groups
of leaders from Bruce and Grey Counties who formed
Market Grey -Bruce in the mid-90s. In February 1994 they
held a two-day conference in Owen Sound to try to bring
together the various strengths of the region including
agriculture, tourism and the retail sector. Among the
speakers was a representative from Vermont Department of
Agriculture who told of the efforts there to bring the
tourism and agriculture sectors together.
As with that conference, this event won't be limited just
to agricultural representatives. "The solution may include
alliances with non -farmers," Morris says. He's hoping
agribusinesses, municipal leaders and economic
development officials will also attend the conference.
Perhaps there are things all these groups can do together to
help producers build alternatives, he says.
He admits this will be a challenge in an area like Bruce
where the options aren't as wide as in areas closer to major
markets. "Agritourism doesn't work in Carrick Township,"
he says. But workshop participants will be encouraged to
look at the strengths and weaknesses of the area and dream
up possible solutions to the current state of affairs which
sees farmers getting less of the consumer dollar and
declining, farm numbers are stretching the whole rural
infrastructure thin.
The cost of the event is $25 per person in advance ($30
at the door) and preregistration is through the BCFA office
in Hanover.0