Egg Farmers of Ontario Announce New Entrant Program

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, April 8, 2011 /Canada NewsWire/ - Last week, at Egg Farmers of Ontario's (EFO) 46th Annual Meeting held at the Toronto Airport Marriott Hotel, a New Entrant Quota Loan Pool was introduced to attendees. The aim of the Policy is to help individuals enter the Ontario egg industry.

EFO's Board of Directors began exploring the possibility of such a program in late 2009 and throughout 2010 they looked to other province's programs for insight and encouraged input from EFO egg & pullet farmers.

"We are pleased to provide this opportunity for individuals to join Ontario's egg industry," said EFO Chair Carolynne Griffith. "It is something we've been working towards and are excited it's now come to fruition."

In order to be eligible for EFO's New Entrant Quota Loan Pool, an applicant must:

...Be a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant;

...Be a permanent resident of Ontario;

...Not have held quota, currently or in the past, of any type in the supply-managed sector (egg, pullet, chicken, turkey, dairy or hatching eggs);

...Successful applicants will be required to purchase quota based on a 1:2 ratio;
Priority will be given to persons between the ages of 18 and 45.

"This is a permanent, long term program designed to add new farmers to our ranks," Griffith explains (see the New Entrant Policy Fact Sheet under "How does it work?" section). "It's a great way to ensure constant renewal of our industry."

Applicants who meet the above criteria will be reviewed by a selection committee comprised of well-respected and knowledgeable industry representatives. EFO will act as a resource for the committee. The committee members are:

Laurent Souligny, Past Chair of Egg Farmers of Canada
Darryl Ball, OMAFRA
Craig Bremner, TD Canada Trust
Robert Loree, Ward & Uptigrove
Junior Farmers' Association of Ontario

To apply, interested individuals must complete and submit an application form (available through EFO) along with a $100.00 non-refundable fee. Applicants are also encouraged to submit a Business Plan with their application. Successful applicants will be required to purchase quota based on a 1:2 ratio (1 unit purchased, 2 loaned). Applications will be accepted immediately up to and including May 31, 2011.