A farm education group, a social media story teller and a long-time farm communication and organization innovator, were the winners of this year’s Farm & Food Care Champion awards.
Farm & Food Care handed out three of its Champion awards this year, during its annual meeting and conference, in honour of the organization’s 30th anniversary.
Why it matters: There’s increasing interest in encouraging farmers and groups who can communicate with consumers as the number of farmers decreases as a percentage of the Canadian population.
Read Also
Province anounces Canadian content requirements for ethanol
Government of Ontario announces new requirements for Canadian content in ethanol production
This year’s winners include:
- Durham Farm Connections, educator of young people, celebrator of agriculture
- Jaime Reaume, CEO of Country Heritage Park
- Tim May, known as Farmer May to his 27,000 Facebook followers
Durham Farm Connections is an organization that has promoted agricultural awareness and education in the Durham Region since 2006. The organization participates in county fairs, organizes an annual Life on the Farm day where 1,200 Grade 3 students learn about different types of farms from actual farmers.
The group’s All About Farming trailer teaches people in the area about agriculture, but it also has travelled the province, from east to west, helping out at events and fairs.
The organization, run by volunteers, has hosted a Celebrate Agriculture Gala for the past four years.
Jaimie Reaume has held several roles where he has brought consumers closer to farmers. He’s working to make Country Heritage a “centre of excellence in agriculture education. This isn’t a pioneer park,” he said in accepting his award.
Reaume also was the founder and executive director of the Holland Marsh Growers’ Association, an organization that promoted the unique growing conditions and food produced in what he called “Ontario’s salad bowl”. He also was the editor of The Grower, the publication of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association.
He is now working on a project that provides land for new farmers in the Toronto area.
Tim May started posting about what happens on his Rockwood-area farm on Facebook and Twitter at the urging of his wife. Now, he has 27,000 Facebook and 4,600 Twitter followers. He has posted humorous pictures and videos. He’s shared the joy of a newborn calf and the grief of losing a cow. He’s also endured some of the difficult conversations with those who don’t agree with the use of animals in food production.
“With fun and educational posts, he has earned the trust of many,” said Bruce Christie, a retiring Farm & Food Care board member in introducing May.
