Join ECFWA for our our annual general meeting -- we will discuss the important business of the association as well as engage in some interesting and informative professional development focusing on Social Media -- including visits to two Perth County farms!

This event is FREE for members. Click on "get tickets" below to register online.

Questions? Contact secretarytreasurer@ecfwa@.ca

Are you coming from a distance? Want to catch a show in Stratford? Guest rooms are available at the Arden Park Hotel for $149 a night -- please contact the hotel directly to book.

AGENDA

8:30 a.m. Registration opens, continental breakfast

9 a.m. AGM business portion

10:30 a.m. Break

10:45 a.m. Guest speaker: Sgt. Laura Brown, Ontario Provincial Police

11:45 Lunch

12:30 p.m. Depart on bus for tours

1 p.m. Shepherd Creek Farms – Sandi Brock – tour of sheep farm and vlog discussion

2:30 p.m. Stonetown Cheese – tour of dairy barn, tour of cheese factory, talk about social media usage, and cheese tasting

5 p.m. Arrive back to hotel

5:30 p.m. Optional pay-your-own-way supper at TBD

AGM 2019

Thursday, April 25, 2018 3:00pm eastern by telemeeting (GoTo Meeting)

The CFWF annual meeting is open to all members. The meeting presents the annual report, and approves the financial statements for the previous year, as well as elections for the representatives of each regional association to the CFWF board of directors.

Please register in advance to receive the meeting documents and coordinates for calling in.

Register by clicking on "get tickets" below.

Event Social - Ottawa

Meet up with your fellow ECFWA members during the Ottawa Farm Show! This casual gathering is your opportunity to network with writers and ag communicators who live and work in Ottawa and those in town for the farm show.

Tuesday, March 12, 2019 6:30 p.m. Garden Grille & Bar @Hilton Garden Inn 2400 Alert Road, Ottawa

Pay-your-own-way supper

RSVP Last-minute attendees are welcome to join us, but if possible, please RSVP to Kelsey Johnson, ECFWA 2nd Vice President, 2ndvicepresident@ecfwa.ca.

Event Social Meet up with your fellow ECFWA members at the London Farm Show! This casual gathering is your opportunity to network with other writers and ag communicators and take a break from all the hard work you are doing at the show.

Thursday, March 7, 2019 Noon - 1:30 p.m.

Getaway Restaurant at the Gateway Casinos London

Pay-your-own-way lunch

The restaurant is located within the casino, across from the Agriplex on Florence St. To get to the restaurant, enter the casino and go to the left past the My Club desk. Please note you must be 19 years old to enter the casino and the restaurant.

RSVP Last-minute attendees are welcome to join us, but if possible, please RSVP to Rachel Telford, ECFWA 1st vice president, by Wednesday, March 6 so we can confirm our group size. 1stvicepresident@ecfwa.ca

Join us for a pay-your-own-way drinks and supper event! A great opportunity to network with your fellow farm writers and ag communicators.

Please RSVP to Rachel Telford at 1stvicepresident@ecfwa.ca

Hope to see you all there!

Please RSVP by July 6th

2 p.m. Archibald Orchards - learn about apple production, cider and wine making and agri-tourism. Guest speaker John Greig, editor of Farmtario.

5 p.m. Benrise Farms, Twilight Meeting. Joining the meeting will be 50 Russian dairy farmers and business people.

This event is FREE for ECFWA members. $20 for non-members.

ECFW AGM OTTAWA

“Where Agriculture Meets Politics”

MONDAY, MAY 21, 2017 REGISTRATION: 4:00-5:00 P.M.

Location: iPolitics (17 York Street, Ottawa, Ont.)

AGM: 5:00-6:45p.m.

Location: iPolitics (17 York Street, Ottawa, Ont.) *GoTo Meeting connection for those unable to make it

WELCOME RECEPTION & PANEL Then and Now: What it’s like to be an Ag writer in Ottawa

Location: iPolitics (17 York Street, Ottawa, Ont.) Time: 7:00p.m.

Panelists: Alex Binkley, Journalist, Ontario Farmer/Manitoba Co-operator

John Muggridge, Speechwriter, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Kelsey Johnson, Agriculture Reporter, iPolitics

TUESDAY, MAY 22, 2017

PANEL (WITH COFFEE/CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST) ​Farm and Food Meet Government ​ ​L​​ocation: CFA Boardroom, 21 Florence Street (confirmed) Time: 8:30 am - 10 a.m. Panelists ​ to be announced at a later date​​

TOUR OF PARLIAMENT HILL Location: Parliament Hill Time: Tour 1 – 11:05 a.m. Tour 2 – 11:10 a.m.

LUNCH​ Location: Parliamentary Restaurant ​12:30​​ p.m.​

QUESTION PERIOD Location: House of Commons Time: starts at 2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.

QUESTION PERIOD OUTS Location: Parliament’s Foyer

​Wrap up at 4 o'clock. Pay your own way supper at a local restaurant.​

Click "Get Tickets" to register. NOTE: to participate in the activities on May 22, your registration MUST be received by 4 p.m. May 11.

Registration for activities on May 21 can be received until May 20, or walk-ins are welcome.

Professional Development Creating a podcast. Do you like to share your views and opinions on agriculture with anyone who will listen? This professional development session will introduce you to the basics of how you can create your own podcast.

Featuring: Wendell Schumm Ontario AgCast Wallenstein Feed & Supply

Mark Carter Web Coordinator Grain Farmers of Ontario

Noon Lunch provided.

12:15 Wendell Schumm, creator of Ontario AgCast, shares his experience with creating and producing an agriculture podcast.

12:45 Mark Carter, web coordinator, outlines the technical requirements to consider when starting a podcast.

1:15 Q&A / Break.

1:30 Wallenstein Feed & Supply tour of the new Mill 4.

2:00 Wrap-up.

This is a free event for ECFWA members. $15 for non-members. An RSVP is required as lunch will be provided.

Please RSVP by Wednesday, November 15, 2017 to Rachel Telford, 2ndvicepresident@ecfwa.ca.

Can't attend in person? Join us via Go To Meeting!

https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/133775709 You can also dial in using your phone. Canada: +1 (647) 497-9350 Access Code: 133-775-709

First GoToMeeting? Do a quick system check: https://link.gotomeeting.com/system-check

REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED

Mark your calendars!  On Thursday, May 11th we invite you to join us at the Vineland Research Centre in the Niagara region for our Annual General Meeting.

Agenda:

9:00 a.m. – Registration

9:30 a.m. – AGM

11:15 a.m. – Guest speaker: Debbie Zimmerman, CEO, Grape Growers of Ontario

12:00 p.m. – Catered lunch: Grand Oak Culinary Market

1:00 p.m. – Vineland Research and Innovations Centre tour

• Feeding Diversity: Bringing World Crops to Market

• The Canadian Hardy Rose Program

• Breeding Vegetables for Canadian Production and Global Markets

3:00 p.m. – Tour and tasting at Dillon’s - Small Batch Distillers

4:00 p.m. – Head for home

Bio of Debbie Zimmerman:

Since 2003, Debbie has been the CEO of the Grape Growers of Ontario, the official organization that represents over 500 actively producing growers of 17,000 acres in the province’s three viticulture areas: Niagara Peninsula, Lake Erie North Shore and Prince Edward County. Embracing new technology and creating a focus on growing Ontario’s VQA wines is the culture embraced by the organization.

Debbie was actively involved in local politics for 36 years. Her political career began in 1978 as a local alderman for the Town of Grimsby, and in 1989 was elected to Regional Council. In 1997 Debbie was elected as Regional Chair for the Regional Municipality of Niagara, a position that she served for two terms. In 2014 Debbie decided to pursue other interests and did not seek re-election. Debbie is the past Chair of the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation for the Province of Ontario (2004-2010), and was assigned by the Honourable Kathleen Wynne, Premier of Ontario, to the 2015/16 Provincial Review Panel for Ontario’s Land Use Plans, including the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, the Greenbelt Plan, the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan, and the Niagara Escarpment Plan. Debbie currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Buffalo/Fort Erie Peace Bridge Authority and McNally House, and is the CoChair of the Pathstone Mental Health Fundraising Campaign.

Debbie has been the recipient of many awards including the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce “Community Leadership Award” in 2013, the “Niagara Award” in 1998, the Niagara College “Board of Governors Award” in 2001 and the YWCA “Woman of Distinction” award in 2003. In 2015 Debbie was awarded the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation’s “Local Food Champion” award for her commitment to local food and her years of service to Niagara.

Russian dairy farming on display at next ECFWA Regional Social

Join host Suzanne Atkinson on Tuesday, April 4 in Guelph, ON for an exciting Regional Social.

ECFWA members will have a unique opportunity to hear about dairy farming in Russia from Vera Mozgovaya, Chief Editor of Russia’s The DairyNews, and Petr Bocarov, Executive Director of the Interkros Center, a 10, 000 ha, 6000 dairy cow operation.

When: Tuesday, April 4th, 2017 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Where: Syngenta Canada Inc. 140 Research Lane Research Park Guelph, ON N1G 4Z3

Cost: Free for members / $10 for non-members

Please RSVP to this event by emailing Suzanne Atkinson at zan@xplornet.com. Hope to see you there!

Mark your calendars! Join host Meaghan Ryersee for an upcoming regional social/tour and professional development session on November 23rd in St. Jacobs. Please see full details below.

Cost: Free for members $10 for non-members

Agenda:

Tour of Quarry where attendees will learn about the:

· Heritage of the Quarry campus, including the FELT Lab · Quarry’s agriculture roots · How the company’s rigorous approach to seeing “The Customer” and the differences between client’s customers, has helped the agency enjoy 40+ years of success in the marketing industry · Trends within the agriculture industry as told directly by veteran strategists, Bob Wilbur and Naheed Somji

Professional Development · Major Keys to Social Media Measurement

Speaker bios

About Bob Wilbur

Bob brings marketing strategy to life based on a combination of marketplace and customer insight, creative ideation and strategic perspective. As a long standing Quarry teammate, Bob has devoted his career to agricultural and animal health marketing, both in Canada and the US, from East to West.

Bob has applied his planning and communication expertise across a broad spectrum of business: crop protection, seed, animal health (livestock and companion animal) finance, equipment and organizations that represent producers and the industry. And he has had the privilege to work with major brands such as Syngenta, NK Seed, BASF, Novartis Animal Health, Elanco Animal Health and Proven Seed.

About Naheed Somji

Naheed’s passion is marketing; his medium is social media. He thrives in challenging environments that require creative thinking and out-of-the-box solutions.

'Content marketing'​ and 'audience engagement'​ aren't just buzzwords to me, they are what he does daily. Under Naheed’s stewardship, Quarry has been named one of the Top 100 Content Marketing Brands of 2015 and a Top 10 B2B Marketing Brand. He develops and manages social media campaigns for Quarry and its clients: Syngenta Canada, Broadridge Financial Solutions, Autism Services Waterloo Region, and Turkey Farmers of Canada.

About Quarry Quarry specializes in transforming brands at two inflection points. 1) Brands poised for expansion; 2) Brands facing disruption. Located in the heart of St. Jacobs, Ontario, Quarry is a full-service buyer experience agency for savvy marketers who want to transform their business brand. Founded in 1973, Quarry has helped major agriculture brands like BASF, Syngenta Canada, Novartis Animal Health and John Deere connect with their customers with powerful story-telling, impactful design and valuable content, conveyed in engaging new ways.


A pay your own way dinner will follow afterward. Location to be determined.

If you are interested to attend, please RSVP by November 16 to Meaghan Ryersee at Meaghan.ryersee@syngenta.com or 519-837-5916. 



We look forward to seeing you in St. Jacobs!

Three tours are line up on Friday (including a bike tour around the university). Those tours will reveal the science behind agriculture, how some do big things on a small land base, and others manage big acres and big businesses.

There is also a lovely pre-tour walk around the city for those arriving early.

Saturday’s professional development day is shaping up to be a mix of newsmakers and reflections on the state of ag media and communications.

ECFWA is offering a bursary to attend CFWF16. The application deadline is July 29th. To learn more and apply, visit http://www.ecfwa.ca/news

For more information and to register, visit http://www.saskfarmwriters.ca/cfwf-16/

Queensborough-We write about it all the time.... But how many of us have ever actually plowed a furrow?

This is your chance to not only plow, but to join friends at an ECFWA regional social at the north of 7, Hastings County Plowing Match and Farm Show.

Aug. 24 will begin with farm writers climbing aboard tractors, and with Hastings plowmen as our guides, learning how to plow a perfect furrow. After that you have free time to explore the 10 acre match and tented city, before joining up for a boxed Hastings County lunch and a chat with the volunteer organizers who have made this 30 year old match the largest continually run outdoor ag event in east central Ontario.

The media plowing begins at 11 a.m - meet at the media plowing grounds. Lunch is at 1pm, in the main tent.

Later Loyalist college prof and blogger Katherine Sedgwick will drop by for a chat. "I... would love to just chat with them and hear what THEY have to say about the state of the business- particularly when it comes to writing about farming and food, big topics in our area," she says.

A veteran editor at both the Kingston Whig Standard and the Montreal Gazette, Katherine has returned home to Queensborough and its manse, her home in the 1970s when her dad was the United Church minister. Her blog, 'Meanwhile, at the Manse,' is a mix of observation, memory, history, humour and culture and is followed by thousands

The only cost is for the actual Hastings Plowing match admission, $7. You will pay as you enter the gate, but to register for the ECFWA event (for numbers) please email Suzanne Atkinson at zan@xplornet.com

Queensborough is 100k east of Peterborough and 200k west of Ottawa, just off Highway 7.

For more information, visit the event website at: http://www.hastingsfarmshow.ca

Join us for our 2016 AGM "Agri-Tourism: Diversifying the Farm" to be held at the Caledon Golf Club. Speakers include the Mayor of Caledon, Allan Thompson, talking about his journey from award-winning dairy farmer to municipal politics, and Michele Harris, Executive Director of the Hills of the Headwaters Tourism Association, outlining exciting opportunities in Agri-Tourism. Lunch will be a Farming Food Fair where local farm-based caterers will share their specialties and their stories. It's free for members! Don't miss this special day! Please pre-register for the AGM at https://quanglo.wufoo.com/forms/z1nn36gd05cc687/ Please specify and dietary restrictions and we will do our best to feed you! For those from out of town, a block of rooms has been reserved under the name ECFWA at the Best Western Orangeville. Questions? Call or text Karen Dallimore at 519-855-1127, or e-mail at karen.dallimore@gmail.com

Join us for our ECFWA Spring 2016 PD Session!

‘How farm organizations are changing the way they communicate with their members’

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Join ECFWA’s panel discussion to hear from farm organizations and a researcher with proven, practical advice about the most effective ways to communicate with farmer members.

Producer relations specialist with the Dairy Farmers of Ontario Alex Hamilton, Neil Currie, General Manager of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, and Colin Siren, Vice President, Ipsos Agriculture and Animal Health will discuss trends, challenges and successes when communicating to farmers and members of their organizations.

Our own #farm365 dairy farmer, Andrew Campbell, will moderate the panel. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to hear from the front lines of communication.

Where? Syngenta Boardroom, 140 Research Lane, Guelph

Cost? Free for members; $10 for non-members.

When? 3:30 pm Registration 4:00 pm Panel discussion

Join us afterwards for a pay-your-own-way dinner at the Shakespeare Arms, 35 Harvard Road, Guelph.

Please sign up here: https://quanglo.wufoo.com/forms/z1jlxhno0nu1txn/

We all network, all the time. From chatting in line at the supermarket, all the way through to signing up for a speaker luncheon even if you're not interested in the speaker. Some people seem to be a natural at 'networking', others struggle with talking to random strangers in a large room full of unknowns. Regardless of the situation, networking is an important aspect of personal and business development. Part art, part science, effective networking can be learned without turning yourself into 'a salesman who can talk the hind end off a donkey'. This workshop will offer some basic approaches to networking that can be adapted to your personal style, and an opportunity to practice some skills that you can use to network in a variety of situations.

Hugh Maynard has been an agricultural communicator for over 30 years and has managed to network his way around the world. He will share his insights and experience on how to effectively network amongst friends, colleagues, business associates and 'unknowns'.

Registration starts at 4:00pm and the event will start at 4:30. Afterwards, there will be a pay-your-own-way supper.

*There will be an option to join via webinar. This event is FREE on-line or in person for members, $10 in person only for non-members.

Register here: https://quanglo.wufoo.com/forms/ecfwa-pd-session-networking-with-hugh-maynard/

The Alberta Farm Writers' Association is pleased to host CFWF 2015 - Fixing Fences: Bridging the Urban/Rural Divide

Please go to https://cfwf.wildapricot.org/CFWF-2015-Conference for more information about tours, the Saturday agenda, registration and more.

We're looking forward to seeing you in Calgary this fall!

Calling All Farm Writers…

Have you ever been to the famous Keady Market? Now’s your chance!

Join host Courtney Denard for an ECFWA Regional Social that will visit the well-known produce market and livestock auction followed by a wonderful homemade lunch at Courtney’s dairy farm in the beautiful Gray-Bruce area of Ontario.

It’s all happening on Tuesday September 8, 2015.

AGENDA 8:30 am: Arrive at Keady Livestock Market, 117012 Grey Road 3, Tara, ON, N0H 2N0. 9:00 am: Watch the beef auction. 10:30 am: Market Manager Scott Kuhl will tell us about the history and background of the market. 11:30 am: Tour and shop at the famous Keady Farmer's Market full of local produce and goods. 12:00 pm: Head to Courtney's farm for lunch, a 10-minute drive from the market at 082409 Sideroad 6, Georgian Bluffs, ON, N4K 5N5. Courtney has offered homegrown chicken on a bun with salads, a fresh garden veggie platter, and a baked apple crisp and ice cream; with the apples from her own apple trees, for $10 per person, $20 for non-members. 1:30 pm: Tour Courtney's dairy farm and meet some hard-working Holsteins. 2:30 pm: Depart for home.

Enjoy the beautiful countryside and diversity of farming operations along the way. Come by car or organize your own carpool – you are welcome to gather and park at the Alma Community Centre at 51 Simpson St E, Alma, ON N0B 1A0 (near Elora) and drive up from there with Farm Writer friends.

Please RSVP to Courtney at 519-377-3564 or by e-mail courtney_denard@hotmail.com

2015 ECFWA Annual General Meeting & Farm Tour

Agriculture in the Capital Ottawa, Ontario

May 13-14, 2015

Agenda

Wednesday, May 13 8:00am | Depart Guelph 11:30am | (Approx.) Lunch stop in Kingston 2:00pm | Arrive Ottawa 3:00pm | Registration & member renewal 3:30pm | AGM & Photo Contest 5:00pm | Savour Ottawa 6:00pm | Pay your own way supper 9:00pm | Hospitality suite

Thursday, May 14 8:00am | Depart hotel 9:00am | SunTech Greenhouses tour 11:00am| Depart SunTech for lunch 1:00pm | Depart for Guelph

Members: Free
Non-members: $75

*We can potentially have a pick-up in Kingston, please register your interest on the registration form below.

Please register by Monday, May 1 by clicking here. For those needing accommodation, we have a group rate at Albert at Bay Suites (435 Albert Street, Ottawa 1-800-267-6644) for $179 plus tax. Use group name Eastern Canadian Farm Writers Association or ECFWA and make your reservation before April 13, 2015.

More information and a detailed agenda will be sent to you two weeks prior to the event. If you have any questions, please email Christina Franc, ECFWA president at christina@quanglo.ca

ECFWA Winter PD Session

“Nothing Tastes as Good as Food Served with a Good Story”

When: March 12, 2015, 4:00pm Where: Syngenta Boardroom, 140 Research Lane, Guelph.

Jo-Ann McArthur, President and Partner of Nourish Marketing will present a case study on turning a commodity into a brand, as well as highlight the latest food and consumer trends from North America that should be on your radar.

Registration starts at 4:00pm and the event will start at 4:30. Afterwards there will be a pay-your-own-way supper at the Shakespeare Arms, 35 Harvard Road, Guelph.