The Rural Voice, 2001-03, Page 56GREY
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER • The Rural Voice is provided to all Grey
County Farmers by the GCFA.
446 10th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1 P9
Email: grey@ola.on.ca Website: www.ofa.on.ca/grey 519-364-3050 or 1-800-275-9551
New 4-H Ontario marks first year
4-H in Ontario has just completed
its first year under new management
and a new delivery model. For 85
years 4-H has been an Ontario
government program. In April 2000 a
new management team was hired and
the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture
Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA)
became one of 441 Ontario's funding
partners.
At this point there have been few
bumps in the transition road.
Members will not notice differences
in the clubs offered or the resources
provided. They will notice their
awards have changed from wooden
plaques to certificates and some of
the benchmark awards have been
dropped. Opportunities like camps,
workshops and conferences will
continue.
The leaders will notice the most
impact. especially at the association
level, as it will be their responsibility
to generate individual project
resource manuals from master copies
provided. This will require additional
funds from local 4-H leaders'
associations but will be more
efficient in the long term as the
current number of resources will be
printed in time, at the point of use. In
the past large quantities were printed,
stored in a central warehouse and
then shipped to the leaders. Program
delivery therefore will enjoy a
smooth transition.
The other side of the equation, and
equally as important, is funding. The
GREY COUNTY FEDERATION
OF AGRICULTURE
DIRECTORS' MEETING
Thursday, March 22, 2001
8:00 p.m.
(NOTE TIME CHANGE)
GREY GABLES
206 Toronto Street South,
Markdale
Members are welcome to attend
52 THE RURAL VOICE
program, as it currently is designed,
costs about $1.1 million annually.
OMAFRA has agreed to fund, for the
first three years. a significant portion
of the annual budget. +The shortfall is
covered by membership fees. which
were introduced three years ago.
corporate sponsorship, other grants
and donations. In the next year 4-H
Ontario will he going back to
negotiate base funding for future
years and early indications are that
OMAFRA wishes to be a partner in
the long term, but the funding level
has not yet been established.
Four years ago. I along with a
number of other interested people. sat
on an advisory committee that set
about to establish the Ontario 4-H
Foundation. The purpose of this body
was to attract endowed funds.
manage the assets and disburse the
interest earned to 4-H Ontario. This
would eventually provide a stable
source of funding for the program.
The Foundation would require
$11,000,000 at 10 per cent interest to
. totally fund the existing program. The
first annual meeting of the
Foundation will be held in March
2001 and it currently has
accumulated about $250,000 (a
start!). The Foundation has evolved
with an integrated funding strategy
for both the 4-H program and the 4-H
Foundation. Consequently a number
of successes have been achieved but
not all have contributed to the
endowed portion of the Foundation.
We have several new partners
including Gencor Inc. providing
office space and Gay Lea Foods Co-
operative Limited sponsoring the
capital cost of the Award of
Achievement (a framed print). Of
note, the Ontario Horse Racing
Industry Association has provided a
substantial endowment to the
Foundation for use in the 4-H horse
project areas. Numerous other groups
and individuals have also stepped
forward to support the 4-H
Foundation.
Until the Foundation accumulates
considerable funds, your assistance to
lobby our provincial politicians about
the importance of continuing base
funding of 4-H Ontario would be
helpful. In the meantime the
Foundation's next major fundraising
event will be the First Annual Golf
Tournament and Silent and Live
Auction. It will be held at the
Springfield Golf and Country Club
south of Guelph on Thursday, May
24, 2001. I hope to see you there.0
— Wayne McCausland
Trustee, Ontario 4-H Foundation
2nd Vice President, Grey County
Federation of Agriculture
EFP Workshops Scheduled
Grey County Environmental Farm Plan Workshops are
being held on the following dates:
Tuesday, February 20 and 27 - Holstein - 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Friday, February 23 and March 2 - Swinton Park - 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Monday, March 19 and 26
Keady Community Centre - 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Evening Sessions (3 evenings, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.)
Grey County Ag. Services Centre, Markdale
Wednesday, March 7/Thursday, March 8/Wednesday, March 14
Please contact Grey County Agricultural Services Centre
at 519-986-3756 to register or for more information.
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