Nine young leaders visit six different sites of GROWMARK Ontario System

The 2012 Ontario 4-H Ambassadors and GROWMARK's Summer Interns took a day away from their regular routine to learn more about the many facets of the GROWMARK System and better understand how the agriculture co-operative network all ties together.

The one-day tour consisted of a visit to UPI Energy’s bulk fuel plant in Guelph, an FS PARTNERS agronomy and Great Lakes Grain facility in Ayr, GROWMARK Ontario Distribution Centre, North Wellington Co-operative’s retail store and lawn and garden centre, an FS PARTNERS demonstration field plot called Pursuit of Maximum Yield and a 24 hour remotely monitored cardlock FAST STOP® fueling station.

Youth attended GROWMARK System tour shown here at their first stop of the day at UPI Energy's bulk fuel site. (From L-R) 4-H Ontario senior manager, programing Marianne Fallis; 4-H Ontario executive director Wraychel Horne; GROWMARK Intern Cristina Ricciardi; 4-H Ambassador Julia Romagnoli; GROWMARK Intern placed with FS PARTNERS Erin Campbell; 4-H Ambassadors Steven Stockdale and Samantha Klaver, GROWMARK Intern placed at Lucknow Co-op Kim Hooey; 4-H Ambassadors Jennifer Pollock and Victoria Kyle, FS PARTNERS accounting systems co-ordinator Natalie Brown, GROWMARK Intern placed with Great Lakes Grain Ashley Debrouwer and from UPI Energy, Dianne Kennedy manager customer relations and sales development and Bob Hodgson manager operations for southwestern Ontario.

Visit 4-H Ontario Ambassador Program and the GROWMARK Internship program. to learn more.

This year marks sixty years for Thunder Bay Co-op

This year, 2012 has been a milestone year for many in the co-operative sector and Thunder Bay
Co-operative Farm Supplies, the FS System’s most north-westerly located co-operative in the GROWMARK System is celebrating alongside GROWMARK’s 85th anniversary and the International Year of Co-operatives.

The Co-op was established in 1952 when a group of Thunder Bay area farmers began pooling their resources and purchasing power to keep the prices of seed, supplies and equipment affordable. Although mostly dairy farmers, the group's efforts and foresight have benefited the agricultural community as a whole, and 60 years later the operation has become a focal point for agriculture in the region, continuing to supply farmers of all types with feed, seed, fertilizer and other necessary supplies like fencing, metal roofing and siding, livestock equipment and tractor implements.

Since its opening, the co-op has expanded its product lines to suit the needs of area residents for farm and home. The growing retail side of the business provides additional support for the farm community, providing some stability in a sector which has seen decreases in the number of farms almost everywhere in Ontario except for Thunder Bay, where the number of farms, according to the 2009 District Agriculture Economic Impact Study, is actually increasing.

For farm and for home, Thunder Bay Co-operative also provides lawn seed, pet products and hardware for local residents and farmers. The co-operative reported more than $4 million in sales this year and has just under 120 members.