DFO confirms Huron Perth election results Thursday, November 28, 2013 by SUSAN MANN The Dairy Farmers of Ontario board declared Henry Wydeven of St. Marys the winner in the election to represent farmers in Huron and Perth (Region 10). The board made the decision Wednesday during its regular two-day November board meeting. Graham Lloyd, Dairy Farmers general counsel and communications director, says Wydeven was declared elected “in accordance with regulation 760 of the Milk Act as having received the most votes.” Wydeven beat incumbent David Murray by two votes. John Van Dyk finished third. Wydeven says he ran to represent farmers in Huron and Perth on the board because “I felt that representation needed to be changed and the mindset for this area needed to be changed. I wasn’t happy with where things were going.” The other reason he ran is the “whole question of communications and accountability,” says Wydeven, who is in his last year of being on the Perth Dairy Producer Committee. “I’m not saying the communications that we were getting was bad, but I’m talking more overall.” Wydeven says it’s wrong that the Perth Dairy Producer Committee meetings occur after the Dairy Farmers of Ontario board meetings. Rather than the area’s board member telling committee members what happens at the board meetings it should be that the committee meeting is held and members are aware of what’s on the board meeting agenda to “give input to our board member, who now is me, and I can bring ideas from the grassroots forward. I have not seen that happening.” Wydeven says he’s not being critical of Murray but of the “whole mindset of the system and I’m as guilty as anybody because I was chairman (of the Perth committee) too. I’m not blaming anybody. It is just observations that I’ve made.” The Dairy Farmers board considered the Region 10 election results after it received a request to reconsider counting some of the ballots that were excluded. Twelve ballots were received after the Oct. 29 due date and they were not counted. Candidates now have seven days to request a recount from the time they were notified of the board’s decision, Lloyd says, noting they were advised of the board’s decision electronically Wednesday. According to the Milk Act, if the board receives a notice requesting a recount it has to conduct one. The top priority for Wydeven to represent the region’s farmers is “getting back to our main focus and that is marketing milk. We used to be the Ontario milk marketing board and now we’re doing so many different things it seems like we’ve forgotten what our focus is and that’s marketing milk.” Another priority is getting more grassroots input from farmers and increased communication from the board and Dairy Farmers management team back to farmers. “I do not feel that it is adequate whatsoever,” he says. For example, Wydeven says he won the Region 10 election 22 days ago but the results are still not on the Dairy Farmers website. “Everybody knows about it but it’s all through other sources and that’s not acceptable.” A third priority is accountability. “We send $34 million a year to Dairy Farmers of Canada for marketing and yet they can’t tell us what we’re getting for it and there’s no excuse for that,” Wydeven says, adding he has no problem with the amount allocated for marketing but “show us what we’re getting for our money.” David Murray, who has been on the board since 2006, couldn’t be reached for comment. BF Strategy missing for Canadian farmers to meet environmental targets: CFA Pigeon business financially unsustainable: forensic accountant
BASF introduces Surtain herbicide for field corn growers Tuesday, September 17, 2024 Field corn growers in eastern Canada have a new crop protection product available to them. After about 10 years of research and trials, BASF has introduced Surtain, a residual herbicide for corn that combines PPO inhibitor saflufenacil (Group 14) and pyroxasulfone (Group 15) in a premix... Read this article online
We Didn’t Start the Fire! Impacts of Wildfire Smoke on Corn Monday, September 16, 2024 Assistant Professor of Corn Production at Purdue University’s College of Agriculture, Daniel Quinn, PhD. recently provided fascinating insights into the impacts of fire on major corn producing areas, many of which have been impacted by smoke from wildfires. Quinn was the keynote... Read this article online
New home for the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario Saturday, September 14, 2024 The Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario (CFFO) has announced it has moved into its new office building in Ingersoll. Located at 274620 27th Line in Ingersoll, the new office will serve as the hub for CFFO’s ongoing efforts to advocate for and support Ontario’s Christian farmers.... Read this article online
Canadian Ag Youth Council Welcomes new Members Saturday, September 14, 2024 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has announced the latest members to join the Canadian Agricultural Youth Council (CAYC). This update introduces nine fresh members alongside thirteen returning youths, marking a significant step towards involving young voices in agricultural... Read this article online
New CEO for Livestock Research Innovation Corporation Friday, September 13, 2024 Livestock Research Innovation Corporation (LRIC) is promoting from within with the appointment of the organization’s newest Chief Executive Officer. Industry Services Manager Kelly Somerville has been tapped to assume the role as of September 3, replacing retiring CEO Mike McMorris.... Read this article online