16 An update on Grain Farmers of Ontario news and events YOUNG LEADERS WANTED Grain Farmers of Ontario seeks applicants for the American Soybean Association Corteva Young Leader program. This program provides a two-phase training program that engages in leadership training that will enhance your farming operation and your service in other organizations, gives you tools to tell your story better, and provides an opportunity to meet and learn from agriculture industry leaders and other farmers. One soybean farming couple or individual will be selected as the Ontario representative for the Class of 2024. Training takes place in Iowa in November and in conjunction with the Commodity Classic in March 2024. Applications will open in early June at www.soygrowers.com. For more information, read about the experience of Daniel Chiappetta, the 2023 Ontario Young Leader, at www.ontariograinfarmer.ca; or contact Rachel Telford, manager of member relations, at rtelford@gfo.ca. YOUR GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO TEAM Here is our next installment of profiles of your Grain Farmers of Ontario Board of Directors and staff to help introduce you to the team. LISA ASHTON, SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENT LEAD Lisa Ashton comes to Grain Farmers of Ontario with a background in research and consulting, focusing on environmental sustainability in agriculture. By combining lessons learned from her family’s farm, academic research, and industry experience, Ashton strives to take an informed, strategic, and systems approach in her work. She has collaborated on several sustainable agriculture projects with organizations, including Wilton Consulting Group, Arrell Food Institute, WSP, and Nature United. These projects included developing strategies to improve environmental outcomes across agri-food value chains and informing the development of a sustainability initiative that could help streamline data asks of farmers. Her academic training began with an International Development degree from the University of Ottawa, followed by obtaining a Masters in Global Change: Ecosystem Science and Policy from University College Dublin, Ireland, and Justus Liebig University, Germany. Ashton is completing her Ph.D. in the Geography, Environment and Geomatics Department at the University of Guelph. GRAIN FARMERS OF ONTARIO LEGACY SCHOLARSHIP Grain Farmers of Ontario has launched the 2023 Legacy Scholarship program. Ten scholarships, valued at $5,000, are available to students enrolled in full-time postsecondary studies. Up to five scholarships are available for students studying in nonagriculture-specific programs. More information, including application instructions, is available at www.gfo.ca/ legacyscholarship or by contacting Rachel Telford, manager of member relations, at rtelford@gfo.ca. Applications close July 31, 2023. FIELD OBSERVATIONS The Grain Farmers of Ontario agronomy team, Marty Vermey and Laura Ferrier, publish a weekly field observations report on the Ontario Grain Farmer website and in the weekly GrainTALK e-newsletter. Find out more at www.OntarioGrainFarmer.ca. CONNECTING WITH CONSUMERS The Grain Discovery Zone and Grains on the Go trailers will be travelling across the province this summer, visiting festivals, fairs, and events to help connect consumers with information about grain and oilseed production. A highlight FROM THE CHAIR A Q&A with Brendan Byrne, chair of Grain Farmers of Ontario. With summer approaching and planting well underway, it is a high-stress time for farmermembers. What would you say to someone struggling this season? This spring has been difficult for me and my District (District 1, Essex). One of our farmermembers lost their life to suicide in the early spring. I am so very sorry for his family’s loss, and I am humbled to be reminded of all the work we still have to do to ensure people know that there is help available and to support them so that they know they can reach out. Our farmer wellness committee and Sarah Plater Findlay, Grain Farmers of Ontario’s human resources manager, have created great mental health awareness resources in partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association and Do More Ag, which can be found at www.gfo.ca/farmerwellness. Mental health is health; we need to understand the signs and treat it like any disease or illness. I’d also like to say Happy Pride to our 2SLGBTQ+ readers, family, friends, and supporters. Just know that you belong in agriculture and are accepted and valued in our membership. Looking back on the history of Pride, it’s amazing to see how this celebration — borne from honouring the 1969 Stonewall Uprising — has grown and helped so many. We will continue to do our part to break down barriers and make our organization more inclusive. • Do you have a question for our chair? Email GrainTALK@gfo.ca.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTQzODE4