20 An update on Grain Farmers of Ontario news and events A Q&A with Brendan Byrne, chair of Grain Farmers of Ontario. As you approach the end of your three-year term as chair, what accomplishments are you most proud of? When I look back on the work of the last three years, it is remarkable to me to see how far we’ve come. Yes, I know there are miles to go yet, but to have met with the premier of Ontario and his cabinet members, the minister of agriculture, senators, the agriculture critics and MPs from every corner of the country and every party is incredible. Being a positive advocate for agriculture while also being able to answer questions and help educate or support our government advocates was a vital part of the role. Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are very important to me, so partnering with the Ontario Federation of Agriculture to provide EDI training that helped create a more inclusive environment for people across Ontario agriculture was a definite highlight. I think, at the end of the day, I am most proud of the collective work I was able to do over the three years. I want to say that I was able to be an effective chair because of the support of an amazing, dedicated and engaged Board and the incredibly hard work of the Grain Farmers of Ontario team. No chair knows all the issues they will face ahead of time, and regardless of which issue was at the forefront at the time, I know we represented our farmers well. Being chair of this organization was a privilege. I thank everyone for their support and confidence in me. Do you have a question for our chair? Email GrainTALK@gfo.ca FROM THE CHAIR learn new skills and grow as leaders in the Ontario grain and oilseed industry. Grain Farmers of Ontario extends our thanks to industry sponsors, including SeCan, Diageo, Corteva Agriscience, Farm Credit Canada, The Andersons, Horizon Seeds Canada, Syngenta, BASF, Greenfield Global, Bayer Crop Science, IGPC Ethanol, and P&H Milling, for their support of the event. The Women’s Grain Symposium is held annually to offer women farmer-members and grain industry representatives the opportunity to network, collaborate, learn from one another, and encourage more women to get involved in leadership roles within Grain Farmers of Ontario. Thank you to Grain Farmers of Ontario directors Julie Maw, District 3 (Lambton) and Angela Zilke, District 7 (Oxford, Waterloo) and delegates Ann Vermeersch, District 5 (Elgin, Norfolk), Julia Kimber, District 7 (Oxford, Waterloo), and Lauren Benoit, District 8 (Huron), for participating on a panel discussion about their leadership in their respective districts. STAFF NEWS In December 2023, Grain Farmers of Ontario said goodbye to Tom Farfaras, the organization’s chief financial officer. Prior to the creation of Grain Farmers of Ontario, Farfaras served as business manager of the Ontario Wheat Producers’ Marketing Board. Farfaras was instrumental in the financial merger of the three legacy organizations and managing the wind down of the Ontario Wheat Marketing Program in 2021, which led to the creation of the Grain Farmers of Ontario Legacy Fund. We wish Tom all the best in his future endeavours. GRAINTALK WEBINAR Do you have questions about DON testing? Grain Farmers of Ontario’s webinar, How to improve consistency of DON testing results, is available to view at www.gfo.ca/GrainTALK. PRIVACY POLICY Grain Farmers of Ontario is committed to responsibly collecting, using, and disclosing information in compliance with the provincial Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act. When you voluntarily provide us with any information, we will NOT rent, sell, or otherwise disseminate your information to ANY third party. MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION CHANGES Farmer-members and industry associates who have changes to their mailing address or wish to cancel their subscription to the Ontario Grain Farmer magazine can contact Phaedra McIntosh, Grain Farmers of Ontario fee collection and reporting specialist, at pmcintosh@gfo.ca or 519-767-4130. MARKET COMMENTARY By Philip Shaw Grain markets have swooned into the new year as we are still waiting for our post-harvest rally. The nearby March 2024 corn and soybean contract has been ratcheting lower over the last three months. It reflects the big supply we are seeing based on last year’s U.S. harvest of 15.234 billion bushels of corn and 4.13 billion bushels of soybeans. “Final” numbers were released on January 12, and markets will surely be trading those and South American weather into the end of January. In Ontario, a mild winter into January helped finish the corn harvest in parts of eastern Ontario. It was a very good harvest in Ontario, and basis levels reflect the large supplies available. The Canadian dollar continues to flutter near the 75-cent U.S. level, adding stimulus to Ontario grain prices.• continued from page 19
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