Burlington, ON – A group of 17 chicken farmers were given the opportunity to network amongst a group of thousands and hone their leadership skills, all without ever having to leave the comfort of their farms this week.
On November 24 and 25, 2020, Chicken Farmers of Ontario (CFO) sponsored Women in Leadership participants to attend the Virtual Advancing Women in Agriculture Conference (AWC) East.
AWC is hosted semi-annually, rotating between Alberta and Ontario locations. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the AWC West planned for March 2020 was cancelled and the decision to create a virtual conference for Eastern Canada participants was born. The conference brings together like-minded women that are involved in the agriculture and food industries to learn tools and techniques that promote empowerment and growth.
“Every year, I am so pleased to see this group come together in a space that encourages a passion for agriculture and food, while also providing the tools to enhance their communities, family lives and the chicken industry,” said Ed Benjamins, Chair of CFO. “This year has introduced many new challenges for all of us, however the Board is happy to see this conference carry on virtually and we’re honoured to sponsor our hard-working farmers’ attendance again this year.”
CFO kicked off the two-day event with a virtual Meet and Greet evening on November 16, 2020, allowing farmers to familiarize themselves and better get to know one another. This year marks the fifth year that CFO has sponsored a group of attendees to the conference, and while the group continues to grow with new faces, there are also a handful of returning participants, including four District Committee Representatives.
“Having a leadership team that consists of a group of diverse stakeholders enables us to acquire different perspectives and experiences that better represent the communities in which CFO serves,” said Rob Dougans, President & CEO of CFO. “The CFO Board encourages any farmer-members interested in this initiative to get involved and further build their leadership toolbox and expand their knowledge of the industry.”
Source : CFO