A long-term experiment in bringing together smaller agriculture groups to give them efficiency in service delivery will end at the end of the year.
The nine-year-old Ontario Livestock Alliance at once was home to four organizations, but is now down to its original members, Ontario Goat (OG) and the Veal Farmers of Ontario (VFO) and the two will separate, putting an end to the alliance.
“OG as an organization will still exist but our capacity to function as a member of the Livestock Alliance will wind up and be completed by the end of 2018,” said Dirk Boogerd, OG president. “It is important to OG that we are able to meet our responsibilities as part of the partnership that has shown us so much support and value over the years, and at this time, we are unable to do that.”
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Ontario Goat has led two efforts to convince goat farmers to pay a checkoff that would provide stable funding to the organization. That lack of predictable funding means that the organization isn’t able to contribute what it needs to in order to maintain the alliance.
The milk goat sector was undergoing significant growth in Ontario under profitable prices that made the province the leading goat-milk-producing jurisdiction in North America. A plunge in global milk prices, including for goat milk, and major cuts in what processors were willing to pay in Ontario has meant chaos in the sector.
Without a stable-funded organization, the opportunities to apply for government funding are slim.
“While we still firmly believe in the concept of the Livestock Alliance and what it can do for our members, the reality is that in order for it to work effectively, all partners must have stable funding so that costs are shared equitably on a consistent and ongoing basis,” said Tom Kroesbergen, VFO chair.
“The impact that OG has had on our industry over the past several years is significant. The lack of producer representation at all levels and work on behalf of all meat, dairy and fibre producers in Ontario will be felt,” said Boogerd.
After the second failed attempt to become organized, Boogerd said OG went out to its members with a flat rate annual membership fee as a result of member feedback. However, support for this initiative has been underwhelming and has left OG without the financial resources necessary to continue its partnership with VFO.
VFO staff will focus solely on VFO priorities going forward.
“The transition will take place over the coming months as we work to resolve some of the joint initiatives and projects between the two organizations,” explained Jennifer Haley, executive director. Haley also explained that some of the Livestock Alliance initiatives will remain as status quo until the end of the year, while other OG specific initiatives have been suspended. Effective immediately, there are no staff resources being allocated to goat projects or issues.
