OFA Blog

Goals and Priorities

January 6, 2012

The man at the front told us that one lesson he had learned in life was that there is a difference between goals and priorities.

 

You see, goals are what we wish for. “I plan to be more active this year,” or “I hope that I can make enough money this year so that I can build that expansion I always talk about.” Goals are all about looking ahead.

 

Priorities are different. If you want to know what your priorities are, you need to look back. Where did you spend your time in the last year? Because how you actively spend your time is a reflection on what your real priorities are.

 

If you really want your goals and priorities to line up, you need to actively pursue those dreams. I can find many ways to apply this to my life. But it takes some serious self examination, and if we do this, we may or may not like the answers. The one who said that there is a difference between goal s and priorities was reflecting on our spiritual life. Do I just say that I want to be closer to God, or do I spend more time in prayer and meditation?

 

On my farm, are we making decisions to move our farm operations ahead, or are we just coasting? Do we make decisions with our future goals in mind? In agriculture, are we looking for serious answers to our challenges as an industry, or are we just happy to complain, or to just expect a bailout? Are we ready to make tough decisions and to defend our stance against heavy opposition, knowing that we have researched, prepared and strived for the best that we can be?

 

In order to make great goals and priorities, mission and vision statements, we need to know where we came from, evaluate where we are now, focus on where we want to go, and act on a well laid out plan to get there.

 

What are your goals and priorities for the next year? What should the goals and priorities be for agriculture?

Peggy Brekveld 

Outdoor Farm Show Coat winners

January 4, 2012

Here are the winners of the OFA coats from the Outdoor Farm Show.

 Bryan Goss from Huron County

Twyla Waddell, Perth County 

OFA 75th Anniversary Volunteer of the Year Award - Donna Lunn

December 2, 2011

 

Hailing from Elgin County, Donna is well known for her leadership roles within her community and the larger agricultural industry. She is a champion for rural living, community development, sustainable agriculture, and understands the importance of strategic planning and partnership building. Donna is committed to local family and rural affairs, dedicating countless hours to a transitional home for abused women and children, Serenity House Hospice and other community programs.

 

“Volunteerism is synonymous with healthy communities, especially in rural areas, and OFA is so proud to recognize the energy and commitment that Donna Lunn has given back,” says Mark Wales, newly-elected president, Ontario Federation of Agriculture. “OFA relies on our volunteers – they have played a tremendous role in helping create the strong, successful organization we are today – and we honour the contributions they make to agriculture and rural communities every single day.”

 

Donna has held various executive, committee and representative positions with the Elgin Federation of Agriculture, and served as an OFA director from 1998-2009. She has dedicated countless volunteers hours to her local community and the broader agriculture industry, with her work recognized many organizations and the provincial and federal governments.

 

Two of her many project successes include the Food for Four exhibit and Project X.  She created a display entitled Food for Four at the 2010 International Plowing Match featuring the amount of food a typical family of four would consume over a year and explaining the agri-food industry’s role in feeding a family. Project X is a program Donna initiated to bring alternative crops to the local community. She was instrumental in bringing together local and international companies, governments, researchers and local producers to discuss the viability of alternative crops in Elgin County. This project continues to grow since its inception more than five years ago.          

 

“Donna is a most worthy recipient of the award for all the time and effort she has contributed,” says nominator Fons Vandenbroeck, president, Elgin Federation of Agriculture. “She has brought leadership and betterment to both the Elgin Federation of Agriculture and the Elgin County farming community.”

 

OFA’s 75th anniversary volunteer award is presented in partnership with Farm Credit Canada.

 

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is the largest general farm organization in Ontario, representing 37,000 farm families across the province. As a dynamic farmer-led organization based in Guelph, the OFA works to represent and champion the interests of Ontario farmers through government relations, farm policy recommendations, lobby efforts, community representation, media relations and more. OFA is the leading advocate for Ontario’s farmers and is Ontario’s voice of the farmer.  

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