OFA survey proves there is no typical OFA member

by Mark Wales, OFA

GUELPH

In Spring 2012, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) conducted a general membership survey through print and online, with the help of Ipsos Forward Research.

Our goal was to get to know our members better, and to learn what they value most in their OFA membership.

We plan to use the information to gauge where OFA currently puts its resources, and identify areas for improvement. We’ll also look to fill some knowledge gaps about member needs by conducting smaller surveys over the next year to help us dig deeper into specific issues and topics.

Just as there is no “typical” Ontario farmer, there’s no “typical” OFA member. Respondents represented a healthy cross-section of age, gender, farm type, gross farm sales and geographic region.

We cross referenced OFA’s survey responses with the most recent census data, and were able to confirm most of the demographic data is nearly identical.

Overwhelmingly, the top two reasons members chose to become an OFA member (in addition to the eligibility for farm property tax rate class) were because OFA delivers results and speaks on members’ behalf (81%) and to support OFA (76%).

The top issue identified by members was the need to simplify regulations. Of the 90% who ranked it important, half are most concerned with regulations that impose costs to their businesses, followed by the regulatory process itself.

Mark Wales is president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture

July 20, 2012