Former president Mike Jones reflects on decades of service
CALEDONIA — The Haldimand Federation of Agriculture (HFA) has been representing and advocating for Haldimand farmers for 85 years. These men and women come together from various farm backgrounds, but share a common interest to fullfil the HFA motto: “Farmers Working for Farmers”.
While gathering around the HFA table, many friendships have been formed lasting long past any time spent serving on the board of directors.
One particular group of friends continues to gather, albeit now it’s around a kitchen table, to share conversation, memories, and an unending love of farming. In the coming months we’ll meet each of these individuals and learn about their time with the HFA.
Retired dairy farmer Mike Jones of Caledonia started on the HFA in 1983. He represented both the Haldimand Holstein Club and the Caledonia Agricultural Society. He served as HFA president from 1994 to 1997 and continued as a director until 2014.
“I enjoyed the people,” Jones says on his time on the HFA board. “We had a great bunch of people.”
He acknowledges several board members, all of whom served as president, who made significant contributions:
- The late Frank Sommer was appointed to the Ontario Waste Management Board, dealing with hazardous waste material, and served with distinction for six years. Sommer was also treasurer of HFA.
- Ben Walpot was president when the biggest rally on Parliament Hill, with 40,000 farmers in support of supply management, took place. Two busloads from Haldimand attended. Walpot was the first HFA member to be elected to the Ontario Federation of Agriculture executive.
- The late Larry Powell coordinated support of “Hay West”, arranging to ship square hay bales donated by Haldimand and Niagara farmers by train to the west. The HFA also supported the fund established to help Manitoba farmers after the Red River flood in the 1997.
Jones was very appreciative of HFA Secretary Grace Pollard, proclaiming, “Grace was the best secretary!” He is also grateful to former Member Service Representative Janet Licskai, and Marlene Phibbs. Of all three he says, “They have done a lot of work for the HFA and have made a lot of presidents look awfully good!”
During his presidency, Jones became the HFA spokesperson as the community rallied to save local hospitals that were at risk of closure. This came at a time when farmers had already seen the closure of other important services, including the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs office in Cayuga. The HFA organized community meetings in support of the hospitals. Jones and other HFA representatives held a private meeting with then-CEO Paul Mailloux to learn more about how the hospital operated. The HFA’s work in support of Haldimand’s hospitals included a petition of 14,000 signatures, which then-MPP Toby Barrett presented to the Minister of Health.
Jones firmly believes in Haldimand agriculture and its impact on the local economy, and is happy to see the number of young farmers joining the HFA board. He says, “We have modern, well-kept farms, young farmers with up-to-date machinery who can farm a lot more acres than 10 years ago.”
In 2009, Jones was named Haldimand County’s Volunteer of the Year. He was nominated by the HFA, a gesture indicative of the role he played with the organization and his contributions to the Haldimand’s agriculture community.
