Program to recognize Ontario's outstanding young farmers returns for 2014

Friday, November 15, 2013

by MATT MCINTOSH

The nomination period for Ontario’s 2014 Outstanding Young Farmer program is now open.

The annual competition is run by Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers, an organization that celebrates farmers who, as its November 12 press release says, “exemplify excellence in their profession.”

According to the press release, nominees can be individuals or couples who operate a farm, derive at least two-thirds of their income from farming, and are under 40 years of age.

Five criteria inform the judging process: career progress, environmental and safety commitment, crop and livestock production history, financial and management practices, and commitment to the wider community.

"All applications are looked at by a team of past winners," says Karen Daynard, Ontario coordinator for Canada's Outstanding Young Farmers. "They select six, which are judged by a panel of three industry leaders."

Daynard also says that some past winners have benefited from the publicity generated by the competition.

"Some of our winners, like the ones who might run a store, have seen a fair increase in sales afterwards," she says.

Ontario’s Outstanding Young Farmers website details last year’s winners, Dana and Adam Thatcher of Rockwood’s Thatcher Farms. The couple operate an on-farm country store and butcher shop featuring, among other things, their own hormone- and additive-free meat, honey, and homemade pies.

The person or couple that wins in Ontario will then be invited to compete nationally with the winners from seven other regions across Canada.

The nomination form must be submitted by December 15. BF