Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

The CFFO Commentary: Christmas and the Difference it makes for Farming

By John Clement
December 24, 2010

I'm not by nature a person devoted to creeds and confessions, but every once in awhile something will strike me as particularly meaningful in one of those documents. At this Christmas season, some of the words found in the beginning of the Heidelberg Catechism strike me as appropriate. The question is asked "what is your only comfort in life and death?" And the answer is "that I with body and soul, both in life and death am not my own, but belong to my faithful Saviour Jesus Christ..."

That, in a nutshell, is the whole rationale for the existence of the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario. Because our lives belong to a Saviour who has a claim on our lives, we confess that his desires for the world have become our desires for the world. And we believe that He has desires for how farming is carried out, both in the practices used by farmers and in the policy environment that supports them.

How we make those desires a reality is very much an exercise in freedom, rather than according to a blueprint. Our members strive to be both entrepreneurial and collegial and use their freedom to make diverse choices regarding their operations and the policy choices that support them. Accordingly, the CFFO spends a good deal of time working with its members to clarify their goals and values and to work towards concrete expressions of those ideals.

That being said, it's never been an easy task to build an agricultural system that expresses values. For one thing, farming is incredibly dynamic and continually changing due to weather patterns, new technology, husbandry practices, trading patterns and generational expectations. And then there's the sheer difference of opinion that can take place regarding the choice of marketing systems, the amount of government intervention in the farming economy, and food choices by consumers.

Over the CFFO’s history, we’ve had several moments when we’ve been influential in persuading others about better ways to support farming. At the very least, we’ve been a witness to the fact that our farming needs to be conducted as stewards acting on behalf of another owner. And we see that as the practical application of the difference made through God’s actions at Christmas time.

Whatever your perspectives on such matters, I wish all listeners and readers a blessed Christmas and hope that after all the gifts are unwrapped that the central message of the season will find a place in your heart.



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.

Views: 19

Comment

You need to be a member of Ontario Agriculture to add comments!

Join Ontario Agriculture

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Gophers gotcha going gaga?

With escalating gopher populations causing increasing concern for landowners across Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation (SWF), with the support of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM), is stepping up to offer practical assistance. Gophers are a significant cause of crop loss and land degradation, impacting the livelihood of Saskatchewan producers and landowners, according to the SEF. In response, the SWF is connecting landowners with trusted SWF members who are ready to assist in controlling gopher numbers in a responsible and ethical manner. Landowners experiencing challenges with gophers are encouraged to contact the SWF office at 306-692-8812. The SWF will then work to identify available SWF members in that area to co-ordinate arrangements directly with the landowner. All SWF members participating in this initiative carry an additional $5 million in liability coverage, and are expected to uphold the highest standards of safety, conduct and la

Attention Researchers: The BCRC Opens Call for Letters of Intent

The Beef Cattle Research Council invites letters of intent (LOIs) for research projects. The application deadline for this call is September 2, 2025,?at 11:59?PM MT. The purpose of this call is to achieve specific priorities listed in the 2025 Call for Letters of Intent – Research document (selected through consultation with industry stakeholders from the Canadian Beef Research and Technology Transfer Strategy).  Approved projects will be required to?use the industry funding to leverage additional funds from government or other funding organizations to fulfill project budgets.  Preference will be given to projects that are one to three years in duration; if the need for a longer timeframe can be clearly demonstrated, four or five-year projects may be considered. Projects will commence no earlier than May 1, 2026. Refer to the documents below for more information. All call-related information can also be found on the BCRC’s Call for Proposals webpage. Sharing or reprinting BCRC posts

Calf Auction Raises Funds for Youth

A young man from Milverton auctioned a prize calf, raising over $31,000 for Autism Ontario, inclusive sports, and milk programs, with huge support from the local community.

BFO Cow-Calf Financing Survey

BFO is soliciting feedback from Ontario cow-calf producers on the use of various financial assistance and herd financing programs through the completion of a short survey.

Moving More Lentils: Progress & Priorities in Europe

Work is underway to expand opportunities for Canadian pulses in the European Union and United Kingdom, particularly for lentils, while addressing regulatory and policy barriers that continue to impede market access.

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service