Interested individuals were encouraged to submit an application detailing their involvement in ECFWA and/or CFWF, and what they expect to do with the knowledge gained from the conference.

Two successful applicants, Karen Dallimore (Orton, Ontario) and Carla Hanisch (Singhampton, Ontario) were awarded the bursaries ahead of their planning for the CFWF Conference, Crowning Agchievements. Congratulations!

For more details about the national conference, including registration details, agenda, tour details, and accommodation links, please visit the conference webpage.

By Kim Sheppard

From global agricultural trends and groundbreaking research to farm business and compelling human-interest stories, Owen Roberts has spent decades helping audiences understand the forces shaping modern agriculture. As Senior Advisor, Strategic Communications with Grain Farmers of Ontario and a longtime agricultural journalist, educator, and communicator, Owen brings a broad perspective to the industry’s biggest conversations. His contributions to agricultural journalism were recognized with the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018. His career has taken him from newspaper reporting to university classrooms and international leadership roles, including serving as the first Canadian President of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists.

We asked Owen to reflect on his path into agricultural communications, the topics that inspire their work, and what keeps them passionate about telling the stories behind food and farming.

What drew you to farm writing?

“The breadth of the topics in agriculture and their importance to readers, listeners and viewers inside and outside of agriculture. In the 1980s, I was a general assignment reporter in Ontario and Alberta before becoming the agriculture sector editor at Alberta Report (and later, an agricultural communications instructor at the University of Guelph and professor at the University of Illinois). Switching to agriculture coverage full-time and realizing how many fascinating and important stories were percolating defined the rest of my career.”

What topics or issues do you most enjoy covering? 

“I like writing about 1) global issues, 2) profiles, 3) opinion, 4) research, and 5) business.” 

What’s one story or project that stands out in your career so far?

“Here’s a recent sponsored/supported collection of regenerative agriculture stories from the Toronto Star that was particularly high profile. It stands out because it was an opportunity to explain regenerative agriculture to so many people. A project I’m particularly proud of is the change to the IFAJ constitution, made while I was president, to admit countries to membership that were repressed and lacked freedom of the press.”

Why does farm writing matter to you today? 

“Farm writing matters to me today for the same reason that it has for decades: agriculture needs to reach the people who want and need to know more about their food sources, and farm writers can deliver those stories in an understandable, interesting and responsible way.”

What do you do for fun?

“I’m the lead guitarist in The GMOs, a Guelph-based rock and country band that celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2025, and is scheduled to be the closing night’s entertainment at CFWF 2026 in London, ON.” 

Connect with Owen:
Website: urbancowboy.ca 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drowenroberts/

At the Heart of Canadian Crop Innovation: Syngenta’s Honeywood Research Facility

Before settling into AGM business, ECFWA members had the opportunity to visit Syngenta Canada’s Honeywood Research Facility.

Located on a 100-acre farm near Plattsville, Ontario, the facility is named for the highly fertile Honeywood silt loam soils it sits on. While the property’s agricultural history spans more than a century, it has served as a dedicated research site since 1975. Today, Honeywood is a national hub for agricultural research and product validation, supporting the development of technologies used by growers across Canada.

Hosted by Abhi Deora, Crop Protection Field Development Manager for Eastern Canada, members toured the laboratories that support Syngenta’s field development, pathology, seedcare, and formulation and application technology programs.

During the tour, researchers demonstrated the methods used to evaluate how products behave in real-world conditions. From testing the stability of tank mixes after extended storage to assessing spray coverage through different nozzle types, every detail is examined to help ensure products perform as intended in the field.

Members also visited the Canadian Seedcare Institute on site, where seed treatments are tested for consistency, storage stability, and performance in diverse growing conditions. Researchers work closely with partners across Canada and internationally to validate results and ensure products meet regulatory and agronomic requirements.

The tour also highlighted Syngenta Canada’s Zero Hunger Challenge, an initiative focused on addressing food insecurity in rural communities. Through harvest donations and employee-led efforts, the Honeywood facility has contributed thousands of pounds of fresh produce to local food banks.

The visit offered a fascinating glimpse into the science and collaboration that support modern Canadian crop production, while showcasing the extensive work that happens long before a product reaches a farmer’s field.

Exploring Agricultural Misinformation in the Digital Age

Following the AGM, ECFWA members heard from Sid Heeg, a PhD candidate in Sustainability Management at the University of Waterloo whose research examines agricultural misinformation on social media.

Complementing Heeg’s academic work, lived experience growing up on a family-run farm offers a practical perspective on how information, including misinformation, spreads in today’s digital world.

Social media was once promoted as a powerful tool for farmers to connect, learn, and share their stories. While those benefits remain, Heeg says the digital world has become increasingly complex for producers. Noting that Canada is home to some of the world’s most active social media users, this high engagement rate creates both opportunities and challenges for agricultural communication.

During the presentation, Heeg explained how information can become distorted as it is shared, interpreted, and re-shared online. Common topics affected by misinformation include animal welfare, pesticide use, GMOs, food production practices, and environmental impacts. The root cause is not always malicious intent but rather gaps in knowledge, understanding, or access to credible information.

Heeg shared preliminary findings from a recent survey of 117 farmers that explored how misinformation affects producers. Responses pointed to impacts on mental health, public trust, and farm decision-making. Many farmers are becoming aware of these issues, choosing not to engage with misinformation at all, citing frustration, fatigue, and a desire for self-preservation.

Another key takeaway was that misinformation is not simply a consumer issue. Farmers themselves can encounter and inadvertently share inaccurate information, making access to credible sources and expert guidance increasingly important.

As conversations about agriculture increasingly take place online, Heeg emphasized the need for trusted information sources, improved digital literacy, and ongoing discussion about who should bear responsibility for addressing misinformation in Canada’s agri-food sector.

For more information on this topic, contact Sid Heeg via email at: syheeg@uwaterloo.ca

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At Slaman, production runs like clockwork: Continuous planting and harvesting cycles Up to 1,500 cuttings planted per hour Around 80,000 stems harvests weekly A staggering 500,000 stems moving through the company’s coolers in the three weeks before Mother’s Day. Here’s something that surprised many of us: Slaman is one of only a handful of Canadian growers specializing in cut chrysanthemums and lisianthus. Most of what we see in flower shops? Imports, often from South America, Israel or Europe. That puts operations like this in a unique (and competitive) position, supplying florists across Ontario, into the Maritimes, and even parts of the U.S.
And despite all the tech, you still need a grower walking the greenhouse, smelling and observing the plants and making that connection between science, nature and business. 

Next time you see a bouquet, especially if it has a pickOntario logo, remember this: there’s a lot more behind it than meets the eye.

Thanks, Stephanie Slaman, for opening your greenhouse doors to a group of curious farm writers! 

Getting more agriculture stories into the media is the goal of many members of the Eastern Canada Farm Writers’ Association (ECFWA) – particularly for those who work in communications. Those on the journalism side of the equation are always looking for story ideas from the sector.

Providing some insights into this topic was the goal of the ECFWA’s May 14^th webinar, which attracted more than 60 farm writer participants from across Canada. Moderated by ECFWA past president Matt McIntosh, the panel featured David Zura of CityNews and Ed White with Reuters.

For Zura, who studied journalism, it was a job with fastener supplier Fastenal in Windsor that gave him his first real exposure to the agriculture world thanks to the crop, greenhouse and wine producers in southwestern Ontario.

From his first story on ice wine, Zura was struck by how visual and relatable farm stories can be — especially when tied to universal concerns like food prices, safety, and availability.

“It’s something we all need — everybody eats,” he said.

According to Zura, stories resonate best when they are human, visual, and timely. Personal stories in particular — like a family’s experience with a farm injury that he was entrusted to tell — outperform data alone and humanize numbers.

As well, for his audience, a story has to appeal to someone in Toronto but also be relevant to viewers in other parts of Ontario – and in the fast-paced world of TV news, access is everything. Deadlines are daily, and news teams are smaller than they used to be, so sources that are available quickly and reliably, even if just for a 10-minute call, are very important.

White started his career with local newspapers in Ontario and western Canada before spending three decades with The Western Producer. Now, as Canada’s agriculture reporter at global wire service Reuters, his beat has shifted from a farmer-first lens to an international one: what the world wants to know about Canadian agriculture.

“People care about Canadian oil and gas, lentils, potash, canola, and cattle. But to make readers care, they need to see a person in the story — not just the policy,” he said.

He stressed that agriculture stories must connect beyond the industry. For instance, a shrinking cow herd becomes a story about rising beef prices.

“You have to explain why it matters to people who aren’t farmers,” he added.

What helps get ag stories into mainstream media?

• Quick access to real people who can speak authentically and clearly about issues.
• Strong visuals that help stories stand out on screens and in feeds.
• Human angles — relatable stories with emotion and stakes.
• Help connecting dots for urban audiences: what’s happening in fields impacts grocery stores, prices, and daily life.

What doesn’t work?

• Generic press releases – “we need real people saying real things”
• A single spokesperson – different voices make stories more interesting
• Slow replies – deadlines are short in mainstream media and even shorter in the wire service world
• Overly technical or “aggie” language that non-farm audiences won’t understand.

A recording of the webinar will be available shortly in the members-only section of the ECFWA website.

Behind every great ECFWA event or activity is a team of fantastic volunteers!

During this National Volunteer Week, we extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who gives of their time to this great organization.

And a shoutout to IFAJ – International Federation of Agricultural Journalists and Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation volunteers, too! We are fortunate to have such dedicated and passionate people who care about our industry and our members.

Claire McCormack, an agricultural journalist and PhD researcher from University
College Dublin in Ireland, was the keynote speaker at the event, sharing early results of
her research into the shifts in how urban and rural media cover agricultural issues.
She also took part in a panel discussion hosted by ECFWA member Bern Tobin
addressing issues around journalists and the changing face of agriculture in the media.
Fellow panelists included CTV reporter Scott Miller and former London Free Press
Reporter turned communications consultant Debora Van Brenk.

McCormack and dairy journalist Sjoerd Hofstee from the Netherlands, both members of
the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists, also spent a few days visiting
farms and farm businesses in southern Ontario.

Alberta Farm Writers’ Federation member Jenn Norrie was at the FFCO conference.
She was joined by ECFWA members Kristy Nudds, Jess McCann, Lauren Miller, Sarah
Andrews, Karen Dallimore, Maggie Van Camp, Christa Ormiston, Kelly Daynard and
Lilian Schaer.

The CFWF board has welcomed Annemarie Pedersen as the managing director of CFWF, effective Feb. 1, 2025.

Annemarie is well-know to many of us as a longtime member of the Alberta Farm Writers’ Association and a co-chair of the 2023 congress of International Federation of Agricultural Journalists’ (IFAJ) in Calgary. She has a long history in the farm writing community, which we feel is an excellent asset to our federation.

Annemarie is, in essence, taking over the role of the CFWF secretariat, previously held by CFWF Secretary/Treasurer Hugh Maynard. Hugh is trying hard to retire, so we’ve been working to find the right replacement for him. We’re excited to have Annemarie onboard!

The weeks ahead are focused on the transition of CFWF internal workings to Annemarie, and in the short-term, we will circulate news about upcoming CFWF events – from details about professional development sessions throughout the year and conference details to strategic plans to set our federation on a solid path to our future.

If you have any questions, you can reach me at finnamor@nbnet.nb.ca or 506-863-8797.

Best wishes for a happy and successful 2025,

Allison

Allison Finnamore
CFWF President

After a few questions regarding pest management and the product availability for controlling pests, Alison mentioned that their biggest challenge is the threat of a pest that might arrive into this region that hasn’t been seen before- and the product available to treat that pest. She also mentioned that climate change is an ongoing issue with pest management, as they are seeing pests they haven’t seen before.

Additionally, Alison and Joe developed Bio Tree Net – a plastic free biodegradable Christmas tree netting that reduces their use of plastic on farm.

During the tour, Alison walked us through the nature trails with forestry education, and to the cut-your-own tree field.

After the tour, attendees gathered in nearby Cambridge at the Four Fathers Brewing Company for a delicious lunch.