CFN – Tom Manley and Homestead Organics hosted a delegation of eight agricultural advisors and directors from the Thailand..
The officials from the Division of Soil Biotechnology, Land Development Department of the Thailand Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives have a responsibility to enhance soil fertility and agricultural productivity. They have embarked on a project to promote long term sustainable and organic farming since 2004 with an objective to produce more organic food. The project covers an area of 2,700,000 hectares.
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The delegation started their short Canadian visit with meetings at McGill University in order to establish a research partnership in agriculture. They then arrived at Homestead Organics’ organic grain operations to tour the Company’s current feed mill in Berwick and then the new seed cleaning plant in Morrisburg.
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The group then continued for tourist stops in Kingston, the Thousand Islands, and Niagara Fall before heading home.
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Tom Manley and the company’s agronomist Valérie Yoder shared insights to their success as well as the challenges, practices and successes of the organic farmers that the Company serves. The discussions covered grain handling equipment and processes, quality assurance, organic marketing, organic certification, and best practices in organic agriculture.
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Tom explained that “we host visitors regularly from farmers, consumers, high schools, Alfred College and Kemptville College. This is our first international visit.” To explain how they found Homestead Organics, Tom added “Although I am not sure why they selected us, they discovered us over the Internet as we are well known, we have a great website, and we are mentioned in many directories and news stories.”
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Homestead Organics mission is to develop and serve organic agriculture. Established in 1988 on the home farm in Berwick, the company has grown exponentially over its 26 years. The Company supports organic farmers in their implementation of sustainable production methods and to respond to the constant growth in the consumer demand for organic food.
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Homestead Organics moved from the home farm to the Berwick feed mill in 1997 and has recently establish a second grain processing plant in Morrisburg Ontario.
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Pictured above: In the rear from left to right: Tom Manley, owner Homestead Organics, Steven Byvelds, Mayor South Dundas, Preecha Popan, Director Land Development Regional Office in Thailand, and Murray Manley, founder Homestead Organic.
Many people are turning towards organic gardening and organic farming. I wrote down a book to an Aussie friend called “Seeds of Deception” by William F. Engdhal and when she read it she started making organic gardens with her neighbors in her neighborhood. Once you read what that book contains you will walk away a different person. That is good to see people from Thailand and other countries coming over to share ideas.