New partnership a money saver for OFA members

Friday, March 9, 2012

by SUSAN MANN

Ontario Federation of Agriculture members can save money on a Farmers of North America membership thanks to a new partnership agreement between the two organizations.

Bob Friesen, vice president of government relations for Farmers of North America (FNA), says a one-year regular membership is $625 plus HST. But with the $250 discount for federation members, it would only cost $375 plus HST. The three-year regular membership drops to $1,125 plus HST with the $550 discount on the regular price of $1,675 plus HST. The five-year membership of $2,625 plus HST is only $1,575 plus HST with the $1,050 discount.

There aren’t any discounts on the yearly value membership fee of $300 plus HST because it has already been discounted. This membership is for grain farmers with 300 acres or less or livestock farmers with 100 head or less.

The fee is less because smaller farmers buy smaller quantities of inputs “so your accumulative savings are less than it would be if you had 1,000 acres,” Friesen says.

The partnership agreement was announced Wednesday at the Western Fair Farm Show in London. The agreement means that starting right away Ontario Federation of Agriculture members can join FNA at a significantly reduced rate, he says.

Founded in 1998, Farmers of North America has more than 10,000 members across Canada, including 1,000 in Ontario. It leverages the strength of its farmers’ business alliance to provide lower cost inputs and improve farm profitability. Farmers can use the business alliance to access pesticides, fertilizers, machinery parts, tires, oil, and inoculants.

“This farmers business alliance has some clout to negotiate prices,” Friesen says.  The alliance is the crosswalk between the farmer members and input suppliers. There’s also a huge list of preferred suppliers. Farmers can get significant discounts at preferred suppliers when they show their FNA membership card.

How much farmers can save depends on the year, what product they’re buying and what part of Canada they’re located in.

Friesen says as part of the partnership with the federation, FNA is surveying Ontario farmers to find out what their specific needs are.  BF