Our Mission: Animal agriculture working together addressing issues today to ensure public confidence tomorrow

Our Objectives: Animal agriculture working together to ensure public confidence, to advance responsible farm animal care, and to provide expertise and leadership on issues in animal agriculture.

Why was the Council formed?

The last 50 years have seen tremendous changes in the way food is produced in Canada. At the same time, the trend towards pre-packaged, highly-processed foods has led many Canadians to lose touch with farming and food production. With most of us living in towns and cities today, people often don’t realize how agriculture has changed, why it has changed, or just what those changes have meant for all of us.

As a result, growing numbers of people have inaccurate notions of farming and food production. Whether these notions are nostalgic and romantic or negative and disconcerting, the realities of farming often come as a real surprise.

Since the formation of this organization 17 years ago, in 1988, OFAC is increasingly called upon by individuals, groups, companies and government to help deal with animal agriculture and food related issues. OFAC has become recognized as a credible and knowledgeable voice for livestock and poultry.

Staff stays current on food safety issues, animal welfare issues, activities by individual interest groups, extremist threats to animal agriculture, public attitudes, animal care and handling issues, environmental concerns and government legislation.

These issues are daily realities for our member organizations, our members and today. It is absolutely critical that OFAC continues to work on behalf of livestock and poultry farmers to provide a coordinated effort and a unified voice.

What does the council do?

OFAC is involved in a variety of agricultural education and awareness initiatives including:

• School education
• Publications and Videos
• News media outreach
• Public speaking and training
• Information displays
• Answering specific questions and concerns

As an umbrella organization representing sheep, beef, chicken, dairy, egg, turkey, veal and pork farmers, OFAC is able to provide information on a wide variety of animal agriculture issues. It also provides a unified voice for the many livestock and poultry farmers and food producers in Ontario.

OFAC is active in promotion, education, program development and research among its members. This helps to ensure that the agricultural community remains at the forefront of issues like animal care, environment, food safety and biotechnology. OFAC also supports broad-based research and works to let the public know what the agri-food sector is doing to further improve and enhance farming and food production methods.

How does the council help you?

Whether you’re a farmer, an employee in the agri-food sector, or a member of the non-farming public, OFAC is working on your behalf.

Animal agriculture makes important contributions to our society, our environment and our way of life. By furthering public understanding and appreciation of today’s agriculture and food system, together with on-going efforts to build on our past achievements in providing a secure, affordable and safe food supply, we all benefit.