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CFFO Commentary: CFFO Convention to Focus on Feeding the World While Supporting Family Farms


Questions involving world hunger and food production are keenly appreciated by the farming community. Most Ontario farmers are willing to work with others to ensure that no one goes hungry. But they also want to do so in a way that ensures farm markets are stable both here and abroad.

This year’s annual Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario Convention will focus on the intricacies of questions involving food production and distribution around the world. Our theme is “Feeding the World While Supporting Family Farms” and will feature a number of speakers with distinct perspectives on how and where food is produced and distributed.

Delivering the keynote address will be Stuart Clark, the Senior Policy Advisor at the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, a coalition of Canadian church-related development organizations. As well as being Canada’s largest food aid programming agency, the Foodgrains Bank also supports broadbased food security programming and public policy advocacy in the area of trade policy, aid policy and human rights policy. Clark is the Chair of the Trans-Atlantic NGO Food Aid Policy Dialouge, a consortium of European and North American NGOs dedicated to the reform of the international food aid regime.

The afternoon session of the Convention will feature a panel presentation by individuals with unique perspectives on the subject of hunger and food. Len Penner, the President of Cargill Limited, will be presenting the perspective of agri-business. Mike Schreiner, the leader of the Ontario Green Party, will be presenting the perspective of local economy advocates. Jack Wilkinson, the former President of the International Federation of Agricultural Producers, will be presenting the perspective of international farmers.

Finally, Phil Callaway will deliver the banquet presentation. Callaway is an award-winning author and speaker, known worldwide for his humorous yet perceptive look at life. He is the best-selling author of 24 books, including “I Used To Have Answers …. Now I Have Kids” and “Making Life Rich Without Any Money.”

We welcome your attendance and participation at our event. For more information about the CFFO Convention, which will be held on Wednesday, November 17, at the St. George Banquet Hall in Waterloo, please contact our offices at 519-837-1620, or check out the CFFO’s website at www.christianfarmers.org.

John Clement is the General Manager of the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario. The CFFO Commentary represents the opinions of the writer and does not necessarily represent CFFO policy. The CFFO Commentary is heard weekly on CFCO Chatham, CKNX Wingham, Ontario and is archived on the CFFO website: www.christianfarmers.org. CFFO is supported by 4,200 family farmers across Ontario.

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