18th Annual Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention

The 18th Annual Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention is for farmers, organized by farmers. This was the focus of this year's convention.
 
The event president said that it was a great time and participants grew in their knowledge of how to grow their businesses. The event has been touted as the country’s premier horticultural event. It featured horticultural experts, exhibits, educational seasons, and has been organized by local volunteers and farmers.
 
The good news is that the money made from the two-day event will go back into the fruit and vegetable industry through various initiatives, which include marketing, research, and other necessary programs.
 
The expected number in attendance was well over 3,000. The UN declared 2020 the international year of plant health to raise awareness of the effect that plant health has on the economy of the world and global problems involving poverty, environmental impact, and hunger.
 
The event was a great way to bring forth meaningful discussions about how the industry can play a bigger part in the world by offering sustainable food options, that include both healthy and delicious vegetables and fruits.
 
The convention featured several competitions, the Ontario Cider competition, which featured Ontario-grown apples. There is also an ONHops Brew-Off competition to be held by the Ontario HOP Grower's Association. Industry experts judged the cider competition and the winner received the title of “Ontario’s Best Sweet Cider”.
 
The event also included a Young Farmers Forum, which was tailored to young farmers under the age of 40. It featured special guest speakers. There was also a Women in Agriculture session held by Cheryl McLachlan.
 
The event was initially held at Brock University but has since moved to the Convention Centre.
 
There seems to be a growing interest throughout Canada is fruit and vegetables. This has been the topic of conversation for quite a while and many local agencies have even initiated programs that encourage it. Feeding the hungry and providing healthy resources to those in need is a full-time job. It can be done but everyone has to get involved.
 
Many of the programs and initiatives today are funded by private donations and grants. However, by bringing awareness to the global hunger crises, programs are sure to receive more government funding. It is a good idea to start with farmers. Perhaps they don’t have the time to write proposals and try to get the government involved in helping them produce more.
There are some who, instead of giving financially, can lend their hand in helping to prepare grant proposals. Perhaps this is a contribution that you can offer if you have the know-how. Even if you don’t know how to write grants for funding, perhaps you are good at doing research. There are plenty of ways that everyone can get involved in helping with local farming initiatives in Canada.
 
Attending next year's Annual Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention just might be a good start. It may at least conjure up the desire for you to get involved.