Cultivating change: Agro and Franco Conference March 12 in Alfred

The third edition of the Agro et Franco Conference of l’Union des cultivateurs franco-ontariens (UCFO) will be held at Alfred College on March 12, beginning at 9 a.m. This year, the theme “Cultivating change” will be the common thread of more than ten conferences and presentations which will tackle subjects focused on the changes imposed by current circumstances both at the climatic and economic level for agri-food producers and farmers.  Two main conferences will set the tone for this first day: “Negotiating the shift” will be presented by Éthel Côté, a well-known pillar of social enterprises around the world, and “Healthy agricultural soils: a solution to climate change” will be presented by Marie-Elise Samson, a doctoral student at Laval University. There will also be a presentation by Amanda Simard, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario.

This day will continue with specialized conferences dealing with subjects of interest such as:
• Fatty acid milk profiles: what are they for?
• Growing forage during drought
• The development and marketing of local products
• Mental health and the agricultural industry
• Cows, poultry, and their parasites: current concerns
• A bio-digestor: it’s energizing!
• Arterre: creative farm succession programs

This conference day will be followed by a gourmet cocktail where local products will be in the spotlight; it is designed to be informal to allow for networking. The annual UCFO Banquet will be held on the same evening starting at 6:00 p.m., and the Pierre-Bercier Prize will be awarded to Mr Réjean Pommainville. This award recognizes a person or a couple for their involvement in the promotion and enhancement of the work of farmers, as well as their leadership in the Franco-Ontarian agricultural community.

The next day, March 13, UCFO will hold its Annual General Meeting at the same location from 9 a.m. to noon.

Tickets for the conference and banquet are available on the UCFO website (www.ucfo.ca) under the tab “The Agro and Franco 2020 Congress”. The deadline to register is March 6.