PFO - Small Flock Campaign 

To sign our online petition, order postcards or view updates click here.

Farm Business Registration fee refund process

At PFO we have had calls regarding the process for obtaining a Farm Business Registration (FBR) fee refund - as such, we are posting this note to clarify the process for those who wish to request the refund. When you receive your Agricorp FBR packages this year, you will find included a note from the two accredited farm organizations, the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario (CFFO) and Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), outlining a two-step membership process.  Please note that to register your farm business you ARE required to send a cheque to Agricorp payable to one of the two accredited organizations, but you ARE NOT required to complete the second step of the process, that of filling out a membership agreement to become a member of one of the organizations. You can instead request a refund of the fee paid to the accredited organization. As per information on Agricorp's website, "If you receive a refund, you will still have an FBR number, but you can't use it to obtain a membership."

Should you decide to request an FBR fee refund, the process is as follows:

1. Send your cheque for $220.35, payable to either CFFO or OFA, to Agricorp, along with the invoice stub in the packages provided to you. See the instructions on the invoice regarding the appropriate Agricorp address to which to send your payment - there are two options. The deadline for payment is 1 March 2013.

2. Send a letter to the farm organization to which you directed your payment, requesting a refund. Click on the following link to download a form letter we have provided for this purpose, which includes the CFFO and OFA mailing addresses: Download File

3. If you receive a CFFO or OFA membership package, do not fill it out and submit it as you will no longer be eligible for a refund if you do so.

4. Refunds must be requested by 30 May 2013.

PFO - Newsletter

Read our winter & fall newsletters:
Winter 2012
Fall 2012

PFO - Mailing List 

We invite you to join our mailing list to receive updates about upcoming events and the work of the PFO. (NOTE: Members are automatically included on our mailings. For members, joining via the button below will put you on two lists).

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PFO - Activities 

• The PFO's main focus throughout the fall of 2012 was a lobbying campaign directed to the Chicken Farmers of Ontario, calling for an increase in the allowance for non-quota broilers. See our small flock campaign page for more information.
  
• Letters of encouragement were sent to Sustain Ontario regarding the Local Food Act.

UPCOMING EVENTS

The PFO is hosting the first district meeting for Durham, Kawarthas and Peterborough.

30  May 2013   7:30 pm at Haydon Community Hall
(light refreshments will be served) 
503  Concession Road 8,  Haydon ON  (just east off Hwy 57)
 
All are invited to join us for an information packed evening. Guest speakers -
 Kathy Simpson - Agriculture and Rural, Economic Development Advisor (OMAFRA)
  Digging Deeper    Programs and Resources to help grow your farm business

Jim Millson Land 'O 'Mills Holsteins
 Is quota the problem you think it is?

RSVP     juliejones1@live.ca or 705 277 2382

 

PFO - Supporters Needed 

We ask you to join us in our fight to save our rights as farmers to produce good quality, sound food, for sale direct to consumers.
 
We can only win this fight by coming together to save the family farm and ensure there are opportunities for the next generation.
 
If you have a group of farmers in your area and want to hold a town hall meeting, please get in touch with our president, Sean McGivern - seanmc4@hotmail.com or 519 374-9300. 

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PFO - Donations

The Practical Farmers of Ontario is a federally incorporated non-profit organization. Currently, we are not a registered charity with the Canada Revenue Agency. However, your donations help us with our campaigns. We encourage everyone to become a member of the PFO first, but are grateful to those who wish to help us with a financial contribution.  

PFO - Farming Trends 

The 2011 Census of Agriculture shows the cattle ranching and farming group with the largest rate of decline between 2006 and 2011 with a 7% decrease (4848 fewer individual operators) reported. The largest growth was in the oilseed and grain farming industry witha 7% increase between 2006 and 2011 (2762 more individual operators). Click here for the statistics.

At the same time, the census results reveal that farmers in Canada are getting older. For the first time, operators in the 55 and over age group represent the largest share of total operators. They account for 48.3% in 2011 compared with 40.7% in 2006 and with 32.1% in 1991. The total number of farms counted was 205,730, a decline of 23,643 or 10.3% from 2006. Meanwhile, the number of farm operators fell by 33,135 or 10.1% to 293,925. Read more ...

PFO Advertizing

Write to contactpfo@mail.com to place an ad in the PFO newsletter and on the PFO website. Provide us with your text or display ad and we'll get back to you regarding cost and publication details.

PFO - Forum 

Link to the PFO Forum here - http://www.practicalfarmersontario.ca/forum.html#/news/

PFO recommends visiting the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network @ www.cban.ca