On tour with FFCO
REGISTERED DIETITIANS FROM AROUND THE WORLD VISIT ONTARIO GRAIN FARM
FARM & FOOD CARE ONTARIO (FFCO) WAS PLEASED TO ASSIST CROPLIFE CANADA WITH A JUNE 15 FARM TOUR FOR REGISTERED DIETITIANS ATTENDING THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF NUTRITION AND DIETETICS IN TORONTO. The event was co-hosted with Canadian Food Focus, a Farm & Food Care Saskatchewan program that connects food professionals with food producers.
Tour participants were from around the globe, including Israel, Japan, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand, the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Mexico, Colombia, and Canada. All the guests stepped onto the bus excited to learn about food production in Ontario.
The day’s first stop was Barlow Farms, a sixth-generation family grain farm in Binbrook, Ontario. Jeff Barlow, Grain Farmers of Ontario director for District 6 (Haldimand, Brant, Hamilton, Niagara), and his father Earl spoke about the equipment they use, the crops they grow, how they plant, maintain, and harvest their grain, as well as how it is stored and its end use. Barlow then took the group into one of their wheat fields for a closer look at an Ontario grain field.
The group then continued to Beverly Greenhouses in Waterdown, operated by the VanderHout family. Jan, David, and Daniel VanderHout toured the group around their farm, where they grow English cucumbers in 30 acres of greenhouses and gave an overview of their integrated pest management strategies.
FFCO appreciated CropLife Canada’s invitation to organize this tour and assist as bus hosts, explaining sights along the route. The day ended in Toronto, where guests departed the bus with bags containing additional informational pamphlets and a few takeaway items to remind them of their visit.
Grain Farmers of Ontario is a Platinum Member of Farm & Food Care Ontario, a whole-sector coalition made up of representatives from all farming types and associated businesses, and positions itself as the helpful expert on Ontario agriculture. The common goal is to build public trust in food and farming in Ontario and across Canada. Grain Farmers of Ontario supports and participates in many of FFCO’s events each year, including farm tours for Registered Dieticians and culinary students and Breakfast on the Farm events. Find out more at www.farmfoodcareon.ca. •
