Canadian Poultry Magazine

New Charity Supports Trust, Confidence in Canadian Food and Farming

By OFAC   

Features Business & Policy Farm Business

November 1, 2010 – A new charitable foundation that will support food and farming outreach programs was launched in Guelph recently. The Farm Care Foundation, an initiative of AGCare and the Ontario Farm Animal Council (OFAC), will focus its activities on public trust and confidence in food and farming.

November 1, 2010 – A new charitable
foundation that will support food and farming outreach programs was
launched in Guelph recently. The Farm Care Foundation, an initiative of
AGCare and the Ontario Farm Animal Council (OFAC), will focus its activities on public trust and confidence in food and farming.

“Trust in farmers and food in Canada is extremely high,” says Bruce Christie, newly elected Chair of the
Foundation. “Our research shows that the majority of Canadians know little or nothing about farming, but
interest in learning more has never been stronger. We see this as a tremendous opportunity for the new Farm
Care Foundation to support agriculture’s voice in the expanding dialogue about how our food is produced.”

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The new foundation is an independent, registered charity that will focus on building relationships with donors
and developing an effective fundraising program to support OFAC and AGCare initiatives. Funding programs
will include regional and national agri-food awareness efforts, as well as more specific work on environmental
and farm animal care issues.
 
The Farm Care Foundation concept was originally identified by the Ontario Farm Animal Council’s Board of
Directors in 2008 as a way to expand a funding base of partners from across the agri-food system. Potential
donors who want to invest in the Foundation will obtain a charitable receipt for their contributions towards
educational aspects of current and future programming.
 
“We’re building this Foundation with the future in mind,” says Christie. “This new charity will provide an
opportunity for individuals, organizations and companies from across Canada to contribute to the future of
farming, farm animals and the environment. ”
 
The Foundation’s executive committee includes Christie, Vice Chair Ian McKillop, a beef and egg farmer and
former president of the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association; John Geurtjens of Farm Credit Canada, Paul
Wettlaufer, a livestock and crop farmer and Chair of AGCare and John Maaskant, chicken farmer and Chair of
OFAC. Farm Care Foundation trustees represent a broad cross section of the agri-food industry, including animal
health, feed, banking, crop protection, innovation and processing sectors. More information on the Farm Care
Foundation and how to donate can be found at www.farmcarefoundation.ca .
 
The Ontario Farm Animal Council is the voice for animal agriculture, representing over 40,000 livestock and
poultry farmers and associated businesses. AGCare (Agricultural Groups Concerned About Resources and the
Environment) is the voice of Ontario’s field crop, horticulture and greenhouse farmers on environmental issues.
 
Visit www.ofac.org or www.agcare.org for more information.


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