Join us May 4 at the University of Guelph for our 2023 AGM.

The day will start with light refreshments at 9:30 a.m., followed by a presentation by staff at the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) and a tour of OVC and its teaching hospital.

*newsworthy notes for journalists: There is a shortage of large animal veterinarians in Ontario. How is OVC addressing this shortage? Recently, a new partnership between OVC and Lakehead University was announced. How will this benefit the animal agriculture sector in Ontario?

Our AGM will be held over lunch.

In the afternoon, we will tour the lab of the Canada GOOSE project: Growth Options for Outer Space Environments, where researchers and students are developing a self-contained plant-growth chamber that uses advanced environmental control technology to grow vegetables, fruits and mushrooms without soil, sunlight or even fresh water.

*newsworthy notes for journalists: Space exploration is a current hot topic following the recent announcement that a Canadian astronaut will join the Artemis II project.

The formal agenda will wrap up by 3:30, but an optional social at the Brass Taps will follow for anyone who wants to stay and network.

This event, including lunch, is FREE for ECFWA members. Non-members will be invoiced $75.

September 14: ECFWA Social at Canada's Outdoor Farm Show Brickhouse Brewpub, 190 Fairway Road, Woodstock 5 p.m. -- 7 p.m. (ish!) Unwind after the show with a complimentary beverage and appetizers with your ECFWA colleagues. Pay-your-own-way dinner to follow. Drop in for a few minutes or stay for a while!

Register below by clicking on "get tickets" -- but it's free! Everyone is invited -- current, former, and future members and friends.

Join us for our first IN-PERSON event in more than two years!

We will kick off with a tour of the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Venture Centre at 10 a.m. www.northumberland.ca/en/ontario-agri-food-venture-centre/oafvc.aspx The Ontario Agri-Food Venture Centre (OAFVC) offers production support to food entrepreneurs and farmers. Businesses best suited to launching production at the OAFVC include those looking for economic sustainability through shared "pay to play" production and storage spaces and those seeking a way to continue scaling-up production while working out the details of moving into a built-to-purpose facility or partnering with a co-manufacturer.

We will head over to the Roseneath Fairgrounds for a ride on their antique carousel -- bring your camera; this will make for some great photos of your ECFWA colleagues! www.roseneathcarousel.com

Lunch and the AGM business meeting will be held at the Alnwick Civic Centre. We will be greeted by Chief Dave Mowat of Alderville First Nation who will speak to our group about economic development, reconciliation, and Indigenous issues. www.alderville.ca

Wrap up the day by visiting one of the many businesses on Alderville First Nation -- I hear there is a butter tart bakery!

Registration is free for ECFWA members. Non-members will be invoiced $75.

Carpooling can be arranged from Guelph or Ottawa. If you'd like to offer or would like to carpool from another area, you can indicate that on your registration form.

PLEASE RSVP for the in-person event by clicking on "get tickets" below.

To join us at 1 p.m. by Zoom for the business meeting, register to get the zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0of-Cqrj4pHdWyrq-lo9-eGaQ9U8xRiI2R

Where will your career take you next? This ECFWA webinar is open to all who want to explore the opportunities awaiting them in agricultural communications, and the networking and mentorship opportunities available through organizations like Eastern Canada Farm Writers' Association and the Canadian Farm Writers' Federation.

Join ECFWA to hear from our three Lifetime Members: Jim Romahn, Owen Roberts and Jane Robinson.

With a combined 130+ years of experience in agricultural journalism and communications, these three industry veterans will share how their careers have evolved, the importance of networking and mentorship, and their advice for new and developing professionals looking to grow in their careers.

The session will wrap-up with an introduction to the new Mentorship Program launched by the Canadian Farm Writers' Federation.

Our panelists: Jim Romahn has been reporting about agriculture since 1963. His first article, written as a student, was for the Farmer's Advocate of London and about a hay lift to drought-stricken farmers in the Ottawa Valley. He has worked for the Waterloo Region Record, as a science writer, head of the media division at Agriculture Canada and speech writer for the former and late agriculture minister Eugene Whelan. He has won more than 100 awards, including two Michener Governor-General wins for public service in journalism. He has worked for Ontario Farmer for more than 35 years as a freelancer and staffer. He is married to Barbara, they have two daughters and four grandchildren.

Owen Roberts is an agricultural communications instructor and faculty member at the University of Illinois. He is past-president of the 5,000-member International Federation of Agricultural Journalists, which represents journalists in 55 countries, and a senator in the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation. For more than 30 years, Owen was the research communications director at the University of Guelph.

Jane Robinson communicates about all aspects of the agri-food sector as a writer, editor and communications professional. Much of her career has been spent with agricultural marketing companies creating communication materials for clients in crop protection, animal health, technology and innovation, equipment, commodity organizations, finance, food and more. In 2020, she made the shift to her own communications business – Write for Work – where she provides the full spectrum of communications expertise from strategic planning through to project execution for agri-food clients. After more than 35 years in the business, her passion continues to be developing effective and impactful communications that are relevant and meaningful for target audiences.

Unbelievable: science communication for a skeptical world

Join ECFW for a second professional development session exploring the human mind and evolutions in science communication.

Why do people fiercely defend positions that go against decades of science-backed evidence?

It’s because of what we believe - and belief need not be based on provable facts.

Misguided belief threatens how we feed ourselves, preserve our health, power our civilization and protect the Earth itself.

Belief powered by a flood of misinformation has created the infodemic - identified as one of the top 10 threats to public health world wide during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is one of the greatest challenges we face as science writers and communicators.

Michael Robin is a journalist and editor with a special interest in life and environmental sciences as well as the social science aspects of science communications. Examples include agricultural biotechnology, toxicology, automation, food and water security, and public response to innovations in genetic engineering and energy production. Over more than 30 years, Michael has worked in weekly newspapers (including owning one) and on the other side of the desk in post-secondary and funding agency research communications. He currently serves as farm management editor for The Western Producer in Saskatoon.

The CFWF conference, "Risky Business", has been rescheduled to September of 2021. Stay tuned for more details!

Join us for our business meeting, awards presentation, virtual farm tour and a panel tour. More details to follow.

Click on "get tickets" to register to receive the Zoom link.

Better living through psychology

Understanding how we think for more effective ag-communication Do you know someone who believes in conspiracies? Ever wonder why there are so many competing groups in the farm sector? Are you convinced a certain colour of tractor is always superior? The human mind is a complex beast, but understanding how it works can help us communicate better with each other – as well as ourselves.

Join us April 20 at 12:30 p.m. as Dr. Nathaniel Barr, researcher and professor of creative thinking and behavioural science at Sheridan College, discusses how we process the world around us, and why sometimes we do and think things which make little sense – from conspiracies and science denialism to misleading communication and poor decision making.

General topics include:

Tribalism – why we fall into it, and ways to avoid doing so.

Meta-cognition (being aware of how you think) – its importance, and what happens when we don't use it.

The impact of expressive language – how it can mislead, and how to avoid it.

From journalism to industry programs, knowing the mind can have a major impact on our effectiveness as communicators.

Join in this session to share what you've learned!

The meeting link will be shared with all who registered for session 1.

NOTE: this session is now full. Registrants will be placed on a waiting list.

The best camera is the one you have in your hand. But how to up your photography game using your cellphone?

Professional photographer and teacher Andrea Rees will be ECFWA’s guest for a cellphone photo workshop March 9, 11-1 (or we stop asking questions).

Rees, who has instructed groups from the Travel Writers Association of Canada to Google Canada, is a Toronto based professional photographer who has been using her cellphone from the days of the i-phone 5 to produce gallery-ready and publishable photos.

ECFWA asked: Can we ditch our clunker dSLRs and go cell phone only?

Her answer? Yes!

“Smartphone cameras are quite capable these days, and I firmly believe with good light and some smartphone tips there's no reason you shouldn't have consistently sharp photos,” she says.

She’ll share her expertise including: · Best practices in smartphone photography

· Composition

· Seeing and using natural light

· iPhone/Android apps and accessories to overcome smartphone photography limitations (including telephoto lenses)

· Photo editing

Workshop participants will be invited to complete a brief photo assignment. Using Google Drive Andrea will use our photos to share editing techniques and discuss how we can use social media including Instagram stories in our work.

When signing up please include the cellphone you are working with and any questions you have ahead of time.

Join us for a discussion with Alan Quarry, chair of marketing agency Quarry, about the importance of your personal brand. This session will include a half hour presentation, followed by a 15 minute Q&A session.

This is a members-only event. Not a current member? Sign-up at www.ecfwa.ca.

Register for this professional development webinar to receive the Zoom link.

Image removed by sender. An opportunity to connect

With ECFWA members in Ontario ordered to stay at home, and those in Quebec under curfew, it’s a great time to see some new faces and talk with people outside of your home and work. Join our virtual social call to chat and catch-up with ECFWA members.

This event is open to everyone - current and past members are welcome!

Register for this social call to receive the Zoom link.

ECFWA is going to shake things up this holiday season! We can't gather in person, but we invite you to join us for a fun and interactive ZOOM social from the comfort of your home.

Hosted by Jan Westcott and Michael Barrington from Spirits Canada, we will learn how to make a custom holiday cocktail and share in some holiday cheer.

The first 25 registrants will receive a complimentary ECFWA cocktail shaker. Register by December 2 to make sure our elves have enough time to ship your gift to you.

Registrants will receive an ingredient list in advance of the event.

Don't want to make a cocktail? You can still join us for the fun!

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED

Join moderator Kesley Johnson and Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau.

Self publishing offers writers faster results, more independence, and more money than traditional publishers. Self publishing can also leave writers with boxes of unsold books. That's because it takes a lot of marketing to sell most books.

But Steven Biggs says there is another way: self-publish a book that will practically sell itself—by picking the right niche.

Torontonian Steven Biggs has worked with conventional publishers for two books, and self-published 5 books. Two of his self-published books have won awards; one was a best-seller in Canada, selling over 5,000 copies.

But it's one of his smaller, lesser-known books that he considers his most successful: It's a book that sells itself. The book is on its fourth print run, with almost 1,700 books sold in a very niche topic. Buyers from around the world find the book, even though it's not in any bookstores.

Join us for a fun social via Zoom. Each month will feature a theme to get us chatting! Stay tuned for more information!

Click on "get tickets" below to RSVP -- you will be sent an email with the Zoom link.

In this webinar, we will explore how the COVID-19 pandemic has and continues to influence our behaviours and dietary patterns, from home baking and cooking to improving our health through food and beverage choices. 

Registered Dietitian Jane Dummer will discuss examples of new wellness products such as cannabis-infused ingestibles, organic wines, kombucha and hard ciders and the role they play in the changing Canadian agricultural landscape. She will also highlight how farmers can realize increased sustainability by responding to consumers' new interests.

Join us for a fun social via Zoom. Each month will feature a theme to get us chatting! Stay tuned for more information!

Click on "get tickets" below to RSVP -- you will be sent an email with the Zoom link.

Nothing says summer like some Ontario strawberries!

Join your ECFWA for a fun virtual social and share your favourite way to enjoy this tasty treat. 

Register online to get the Zoom link. 

Need some inspiration? Visit Foodland Ontario.

Click "get tickets" to register. Zoom link will be forwarded to you by email.

The business portion of our AGM will be held online via Zoom meeting at 9:00 a.m.

Register by clicking on "get tickets" below.

An agenda and supporting documentation, along with a link to the Zoom meeting, will be sent to all participants in advance.

The PD/farm tour is tentatively planned to be rescheduled for July. Stay tuned for more information.