The Rural Voice, 2003-01, Page 48GRED Y T 44610th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1P9
Email: greyC ofa on ca Website: www.ofa on.ca/grey 519-364-3050 or 1-800-275-9551
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER ' The Rural Voice is provided to all Grey
County Farmers by the GCFA.
Changing times and the Odyssey Report
Recently Sylvia and I celebrated
our Ruby wedding anniversary and I
started thinking of all the changes we
have seen and been a part of during
these last 40 years. The changes in
home decor – household appliances
have changed so much. The cars we
drive and the way we travel. We have
seen our children grow up and get
married and provide us with
grandchildren. After a full house for
so many years we are now back to
just the two of us. So many of you
reading this will have lived through
the same experiences and know as we
do that change is round us constantly.
Thinking along these lines I also
began thinking of all the changes we
have seen in the agriculture business
– changes of such magnitude our
grandparents wouldn't recognize
farming today, as they knew it 40 to
50 years ago. Many farms didn't have
hydro back then. Milking was done
by hand and hay was brought into the
barn loose, loaded and unloaded all
by hand. Manure was removed from
the barn with a fork, loaded onto carts
and then spread on to the fields with a
fork. These were the days before
tractors, not to mention tractors with
loaders.
We have changed from hand
milking to machine -milking, to fully -
automated milking. From cows tied
in stalls to free housing. I remember
my father saying we would not be
happy until the cows had zippers!
(Maybe even that is in the future.)
We have seen the combine harvester
replace the binder, and the no -till drill
replace the plough. Chemical weed
control replace the hoe. We have seen
many changes in the crops we grow.
GREY COUNTY FEDERATION OF
AGRICULTURE
DIRECTORS' MEETING
Thursday, January 23, 2003
8:00 p.m.
Grey County Agricultural Services Centre
meeting room (Grey Gables)
206 Toronto Street South, Markdale
Members are welcome to attend
44 THE RURAL VOICE
The seeds we plant are pushed and
pulled this way and that —
hybridization and GMOs and so the
list goes on and on.
But the changes don't stop. We
stand on the threshold of
unprecedented change, change little
dreamt of a few short years ago. In
late 2000, a group of Ontario farm
leaders recognized that the pace of
change in agriculture, both
domestically and internationally, was
quickly outstripping existing
agricultural policy. A new strategic
vision was needed that would build
on existing strengths and capture
future opportunities, as well as
identify challenges that might disrupt
the farm sector and its current farm
practices.
In February 2001, Roger George, a
former President of the Ontario
Federation of Agriculture was invited
to chair a group of leaders from a
cross section of agriculture. Leaders
from the two general farm
organizations: The Christian
Farmers' Federation of Ontario and
the Ontario Federation of
Agriculture, along with the supply -
managed sectors and the Agricultural
Commodity Council which
represented non -supply managed
commodity groups acted as the
steering committee for this new
group. The name "Odyssey" was
chosen as being descriptive of a long,
wandering journey or adventure
down winding paths unknown. Thus,
the AGRICULTURAL ODYSSEY
GROUP was born. While the
mandate was concise, the scope of
the project was immense, reflecting
the complexity of the agri-food chain
and international agriculture in
general.
The Odyssey Report is too diverse
and complex to cover here. I urge you
to obtain a copy (call a director or the
Hanover office) and study its
contents. We need the input of all
who have an interest in the future of
agriculture in Ontario. The final
section starting on page 83, in my
opinion, holds the key to the way we
as Farmers are going to be heard. As
one farmer commented "We feel
strongly that to be heard politically,
we must have consultation to arrive at
an official voice that encompasses all
commodity groups and organizations
in Ontario and then speak with ONE
VOICE." This report is a very
important issue which will, when
adopted, change the way we are
represented politically. PLEASE
GET INVOLVED. We do need your
input.0
— Bob Brassington, Regional
Director and 2nd Vice -President for
Grey County.
LIVESTOCK MEDICINE COURSE
Saturday, January 18, 2003
9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. – Ravenna Hall
For more information contact
Jacquie Hendry 705-445-5418
Sponsored by
Collingwood Township Federation
Grey Bruce Farmers' Week 2003
Friday, January 3, 2003 - Crops Day and Ecological Evening
Saturday, January 4, 2003 - Sheep Day
Sunday, January 5, 2003 - Horse Day
Monday, January 6, 2003 - Dairy Day and Swine Evening
Tuesday, January 7, 2003 - Beef Day
Saturday, January 11, 2003 - Goat Day
All events are at the Elmwood Community Centre with the exception of
Goat Day, which is at Grey County Ag Services in Markdale
Please call 519-986-3756 for more information