Provincial PC leader Doug Ford meets with Chatham area farmers

At a recent MPP reception at Queens Park hosted by the Ontario Co-operative Association, John Nooyen, AGRIS Co-operative board president and Jim Campbell, AGRIS Co-operative general manager approached their local MPPs about coming out to the Chatham area to meet with local farmers.

MPP Rick Nicholls and MPP Monte McNaughton took them up on the invite and went even further by having Ontario Progressive Conservation Leader Doug Ford come along.

Even though the event was a last minute plan, more than 100 local producers came out to the Nooyen family farm in Blenheim for this unique meet and greet. In Fords delivery to the group, he spoke about allowing farmers to do what farmers know best and about his intentions of reducing red tape for the ag industry and elsewhere.

Ontario PC party leader Doug Ford speaks to local Chatham area farmers.

After, attendees took the opportunity to have some face-time with the local and provincial leaders to express the needs for rural Ontario and farmers in general.

Erin Morgan, executive director of the Ontario Co-operative Association and myself (board chair) also had a few minutes to speak to Mr. Ford on the value co-operatives bring to the Ontario economy and the need to make changes to the 40 year old Co-op Act to give co-ops a level playing field in which to compete.