by SUSAN MANN
Ontario chicken farmers can now start signing up to participate in Chicken Farmers of Ontario’s new chicken donation program launched today at the Daily Bread Food Bank in Toronto.
As part of the new program, called Farmers Care, Ontario’s 1,100 producers can each grow up to 300 chickens per year to donate to their local food bank. Chicken Farmers of Ontario has set an annual donation target of 100,000 chickens worth an equivalent retail value of $1 million.
Chicken Farmers chair Henry Zantingh says small flock chicken growers can also participate in the program. “If they chose to participate, that would be fantastic. There’s a great need.”
More than 375,000 Ontarians rely on food banks each month and that number continues to grow, Ontario Association of Food Banks acting director Carolyn Stewart says in the Chicken Farmers Jan. 20 press release.
This is the first time Chicken Farmers has launched a formal program for farmers to donate chicken to food banks. But the organization “has had a strong relationship with the Ontario Association of Food Banks and have supported them as Chicken Farmers of Ontario, the organization,” Zantingh says. In addition, many farmers support their local food banks with cash donations.
The idea for the program came from farmers, he says.
Program documents posted on Chicken Farmers’ website explain chicken farmers will collaborate with their selected food bank to determine an appropriate time period to grow the extra chicken and order 300 extra chicks from their hatchery for that period. The farmer would also work with his or her processor and the food bank to ensure the chicken products wanted by the food bank are delivered. The food bank receives the donated fresh chicken products and distributes it to their members.
“For myself, I will have a discussion with my processor to see how we can best do this,” says Zantingh, who farms in Niagara. “ I think there will be different arrangements with different processors depending on what processors do.”
Chicken Farmers has a food bank donation form that farmers have to fill out to track the donated chicken from the hatchery, to the farmer member growing the birds, to the processor, and to the food bank. Zantingh says the donated chicken will be tracked by Chicken Farmers of Ontario.
The new chicken donation program is made possible partly because of the Ontario government’s Food Donation Tax Credit, introduced in 2014 as part of the Local Food Act. Farmers donating agricultural products to community food programs, including food banks and student nutrition programs can claim a tax credit valued at 25 per cent of the fair market value of the farm product.
Ontario Agriculture Minister Jeff Leal says in an email provided by his press adviser, it’s too early to say how many farmers across Ontario donated agricultural products or how much product was donated under the Food Donation Tax Credit program so far. “While it’s still early to provide specific data, campaigns like the one launched by the Chicken Farmers of Ontario today show that we’re right on track.”
Zantingh says Chicken Farmers doesn’t know how many farmers will participate in the chicken donation program. But the first chicken donations should start being delivered to Ontario food banks in about two months. BF
Comments
Just like the ORPP has a hidden agenda, so does this program.
The hidden agenda here is that this program will stomp all over small flock producers.
Raube Beuerman
Then it will be just another item for them to whine about!
Its getting to the point were not many individuals or businesses don't donate or raise funds for food banks.Small flockers better get with the program.
Mr Raube ...please explain your logic as to why this generous program "will stomp all over small flock producers".
It is similar to the "donate a Hog " program
G Kimble
Mr. Kimble, if chicken farmers were in any way generous, they would have raised the non-quota limit from 300 birds to 2000 birds.
Raube Beuerman
I think there must be several reasons why the CFO are choosing to donate chickens to the food bank rather then deal with so many disjointed voices from the small flock group ( PFO, Mr McGivern, Mr Black, etc etc )
GK
A couple of facts A) A tax break to anyone is a cost to others. This is no different than just taking government money and giving it to someone. It is not a free solution. Like all other tax deductible charitable donations they cost us (the taxpayer) money even if you don't approve of them.
B) Chicken and dairy operate under a continually subsidized support system manifested by tariffs, which by definition raises the price of their product.
Raube Beuerman
The NEW 2015 U.S. Farm Bill is classified not as a tax but as an investment in their agriculture that allows mega bucks to be INVESTED in corn, soys, wheat, plus fruit and vegetables which subsidizes their value added ag industry and kick starts their whole economy. Of course this is illegal according to WTO level playing field and anti dumping rules. Even a recent presentation by U.S. university professor at the south West Ag Conference at Ridgetown said the new ARC program is essentially a dumping and coutervaileable program. As they say, he who has the gold gets to make their own rules. To add insult to injury Section 179 of their IRS allows them to shelter those windfall income dollars with up to a $500,000.00 per year in equipment (technology) allowance write offs to insure they don't pay tax but do gearup to out compete the rest of the ag world.
If chicken farmers weren't the judge, jury and executioner behind price gouging at the farm gate, consumers wouldn't need to go to food banks in the first place.
Stephen Thompson, Clinton ON
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