There is a new top farmer in Ontario.
Betty Jean Crews has been chosen as the new Ontario Federation of Agriculture President.
She was acclaimed at last weeks OFA convention to replace the outgoing Gerri Kamenz who has held the position for the past two years.
Crews was one of the OFA vice presidents before taking over the top job and says with so much volatility in in the world of economics today, and with changes on the horizon for agriculture,it should be an interesting time to be President.
She says this years convention heard about concerns how to do help new and beginning farmers over come the hurdles they face getting into agriculture and surviving once there.
Crews says its going to take some serious cooperation from a large number of stakeholders and partners in the agriculture sector to help young farmers get ahead.
She says there are many barriers facing by new and beginning farmers and they are the direct result of government red tape and reluctance to improve the situation.
Crews says to help young farmers, the first meeting of the new board of directors approved spending up to five thousand dollars to cover the costs for Ontario participants to attend the upcoming International Young Farmers Forum in Calgary early next month.
She says the Federation is prepared to continue efforts to get provincial government reform for property tax issues for the farming sector.
Crews says these are not new concerns, but the province continues to drag its feet as we strive to get fairness worked into the tax system.
