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| October 28, 2003 SEED GROWERS GIVE COLLEGE FOUNDATION $20,000 2004 OVFS PREPARATIONS NOW UNDERWAY At a recent board of directors meeting, the Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association voted to contribute $20,000 to an ongoing campaign by the Kemptville College Foundation which has a goal of $100,000. KCF's "Grow the Future" campaign is to support Kemptville College's new Food, Nutrition and Risk Management Program. The University of Guelph will match every dollar raised locally. Speaking in support of the donation was Kathy Hardy of Inkerman who sits on the Seed Growers as well as on the foundation. Directors decided to invite the Alfred College Foundation to make a personal presentation after receiving a letter about that group's activities and mandate. At the meeting, organizational committees were established, officially launching preparations for the 2004 Ottawa Valley Farm Show. Dates for the show are March 16, 17 and 18 at Lansdowne Park in Ottawa. The committees will oversee different components of the show, including Seed Fair and Awards, Special Events, Banquet, Tickets and Security, and Livestock. The most pressing issue rests with the livestock committee: Will live animals be returning to the show in 2004? Due to the fact Lansdowne management demolished the Sprung Structure last year, the show was left without inside space for its traditional livestock displays and auction sales. As a result, there were no animals at the show in 2003. All other available space was occupied by 300 commercial exhibitors. This year, the possibility has come up for opening a portion of the unused Horticultural Building to livestock. The committee is canvassing breed associations to determine the level of interest in returning with live animals for display only; directors have already decided that, because of limited space, auctions are out of the question in 2004. "I think some breeds liked the convenience of not bringing animals into the city last year and of only needing to mount static displays in the relative comfort of the Civic Centre Concourse," said John Joynt, livestock committee vice-chair. The final decision on the livestock issue will be made within the next few months. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Tom Van Dusen, OVFS General Manager, (613) 445-3407. |
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