Columbian ag co-operators visit the Ontario GROWMARK System

(L-R)-Back- Dalia Najera (On Co-op), Jose Luis Fonseca,
Susan Fino, Antonio Salcedo, Claude Gauthier (GROWMARK)
Lydia Makuch Phillips (CCA), Helda Ustariz, Daniel Pacheco,
Front-Jineth Marroquin, Jose Aliro Montano, Janice Johnson (GMK)

Through the Canadian Co-operative Association’s Study Mission in Columbia, an opportunity emerged for a small group of co-operators from various agriculture co-ops in Columbia to visit Canada. The group wanted to learn about agriculture co-operatives in our country, and GROWMARK was honoured to be chosen as on one of the requested destinations to visit.

On Oct. 22, our Spanish speaking guests were escorted by Lydia Makuch Phillips from the Canadian Co-operative Association and Dalia Najera, from the Ontario Co-operative Association who together performed the essential role of English/Spanish translators.

The morning began at the Kitchener Ontario region office with a presentation from Claude Gauthier, Ontario region manager on the general scope of the GROWMARK System. The group then travelled to Ayr to take a tour of the agronomy/grain site with Kevin Stumpf, FS PARTNERS branch manager and finished off with a visit to UPI Energy’s bulk fuel plant in Guelph, hosted by Bob McKenzine UPI Energy director of operations and John Canjar director of sales & marketing.

All of the Columbian co-operatives represented by the participants had identified agribusiness and marketing as key areas they would like to further develop. They want to learn about Canadian models of agribusiness and marketing and about the possibility of exporting their products to new markets. They were also interested in learning new technological developments in the field of production.

Prior to the visit to Kitchener, the group met with VinelandGrowers Co-operative (a 100 year-old co-op and member of GROWMARK) and also found some time to take in Niagara Falls.

(L-R) Daniel Pacheco, Bob McKenzie (UPI Energy)
 Jose Luis Fonseco looking at Absorbal, while discussing
Emergency Response procedures

Many commented on the beauty of our fall season.

Our international guests represented the Columbia Co-operative Association along with various agricultural co-ops such as cocoa, chicken production and other agriculture sectors.

    

Second Co-op Week Trivia Question for Ontario FS System employees

We will be posting two questions today since Thursday's question was not sent out.

PLEASE NOTE: Everyone who answered the first trivia question correctly and everyone who answers the next two questions correctly will have a chance to win the iPad at the end of the month along with all US employees who answered trivia questions correctly.This time, everyone who answers correctly will have his or her name entered into the draw to win the $50 Tim's gift card.

QUESTION:
GROWMARK just held it's Annual General Meeting at the end of August in Chicago. At that time, the new board of directors was announced. The GROWMARK Board of Directors is comprised of 16 directors, two of which represent Ontario. 

a)   Please name the two Ontario directors and the associated FS member co-ops they are affiliated with here in Ontario? 

b)   Name GROWMARK's Chairman of the Board and President. 

Please email your answers to Janice Johnson by 5:00 tonight. The draw will take place on Monday. 

First Co-op Week Trivia Question for Ontario FS System employees

The first person to answer this question correctly, will win a $50 gift card from Tim Hortons. That winner will have his or her name added to the group of winners from the US trivia contest for a chance to win an iPad.  

           QUESTION:

     GROWMARK is a long standing supporter of agricultural youth and young adult programs including 4-H, FFA, the Junior Farmers Association, and Co-operative Young Leaders' Program (Ontario, Canada) and Farm Bureau Young Farmers, Leaders, and Agriculturists. One initiative held annually is the GROWMARK Essay contest which provides high school students who are FFA members in Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois and in Ontario 4-H members the opportunity to submit a 500 word essay for a chance to win $500 in scholarship money.

What was the theme for the essay contest for 2013? Who was the 2013 Ontario winner? What 4-H Association (County) was he or she affiliated with. 

Please send your answers in to Janice Johnson.

Participants must be an employee of GROWMARK or an FS Co-operative in Ontario to play.

Celebrating Co-op Week in Canada!

This week is our week to celebrate our co-operative heritage, principles and values; nation wide.

Co-op Week appears to be a uniquely Canadian phenomenon. In the US, October is Co-op Month, and the International Co-operative Alliance and United Nations have an International Day of Co-operatives on the first Saturday in July.

Co-op Week has been celebrated by francophones throughout Canada since 1958. In 1981 celebrations were held among Anglophone co-ops in the Maritimes and Saskatchewan. The event went national in 1982 with the encouragement of the Co-operative Union of Canada, a predecessor of the Canadian Co-operative Association.

The co-op sector has deep roots in Canada. In the late 19th century, farmers in Quebec, Ontario and Atlantic Canada developed co-operative creameries and cheese factories to meet the needs of the growing dairy industry. Alphonse Desjardins founded Canada’s first caisse populaire in Lévis, Quebec in 1900. And in the first decade of the 20th century, farmers in western Canada organized co-operatives in an effort to market their products.

In Ontario, a united agricultural-based co-op network began in 1914 when a group of farm leaders met and developed the concept of connecting Ontario farmers into one organization. In reality, two similar organizations emerged, but The United Farmers Co-operative Company (UFCC) quickly became the accepted trading medium. Its first commercial venture as a co-operative was to purchase twine from Ireland in an effort to break a monopoly of Canadian twine manufacturers who had previously controlled the supply of twine to farmers.

During Co-op week, Canadian co-ops including GROWMARK and the Ontario FS Co-operatives will celebrate by raising the co-op flag, offering special customer appreciation activities, fund raising for community (locally or globally) and hosting various events that educate and bring awareness to the diverse co-op sector.

Fundraising efforts from GROWMARK Ontario employees are geared towards supporting the Co-operative Development Foundation that provides financial support and guidance to global communities in need of a new start through co-operative practices.

    

Click here to read Prime Minister Harpers 2013 Co-op Week Message