Recognizing 10 Agri-Food Champions at FFCO’s Harvest Gala

Farmers and agribusiness leaders from across Ontario enjoyed an evening of fellowship and celebration at Farm & Food Care Ontario’s 2022 Harvest Gala.

In celebration of its 10^th anniversary year, Farm & Food Care Ontario invited Platinum members to nominate Agri-Food Champions that represented excellence in their industry.

Agri-Food Champions recognized include:

• Ashley Brown of Browndale Farm & Market in Paris - nominated by the Dairy Farmers of Ontario. Brown promoted local food through both social media and her family’s on-farm market.
• Gary West of Shakespeare - nominated by the Egg Farmers of Ontario. West started a program to end student hunger by providing peeled and packaged hard-cooked eggs to schools- starting with two schools in Perth County and expanding to over 150 schools in total across Waterloo, Huron, Perth and Oxford counties.
• The Dibble Family of Dibhurst Farms - nominated by Beef Farmers of Ontario. Gordon and Melanie Dibble were honoured for their commitment to sustainable beef production and their efforts towards consumer and public engagement work.
• Amanda Dooney of Suncrest Orchards - nominated by the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association. Dooney was recognized for her willingness to host tours and participate in events highlighting the importance of Seasonal Agricultural Workers to her industry.
• Donna Rogers of Waterloo Region was nominated by Farm & Food Care Ontario. Rogers is recognized for her lifetime of dedication to the industry, both professionally and her volunteer work for FFCO and the Waterloo Rural Women organization.

“This event was an opportunity for us to come together as the agriculture community in Ontario and celebrate some of the unsung heroes that make this industry exceptional,” says Bonnie den Haan, Chair of Farm & Food Care Ontario.

“Making agriculture accessible to Ontarians and providing both information and entertainment to those who eat the food we make is a shared goal of the agriculture sector and we are so proud to do that through FFCO.”