News Release

Hay East 2012 displays true Canadian spirit of working together

Regina, SK ( June 4, 2013) With the official wrap up of HayEast 2012 this week, organizers would like thank everyone who helped source and deliver hay from Western Canada to eastern Canada to farmers in need. The volunteer-run organization saw farmers, truckers, donors, individual companies and governments donate time, money and hay to HayEast 2012 following a drought that devastated field crops and pasture on many farms across Ontario and areas of Quebec during summer 2012.

“Ontario and Quebec farmers are extremely grateful to our western neighbours for their extended support during last year’s hay shortage,” says Mark Wales, president, Ontario Federation of Agriculture. “Recent rains and promising spring weather have many farmers feeling hopeful about moisture levels for the coming growing season”

HayEast 2012 is a partnership involving farm organizations across Canada. The program is a follow up to the HayWest program that saw thousands of eastern Canadian farmers send forages to Western Canada in 2002 to help alleviate the effects of that region’s drought. The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan, Mennonite Disaster Service, Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Alberta Federation of Agriculture and the 4-H Foundation of Alberta joined forces, coordinating and financing the transportation of hay from Western Canadian farmers and ranchers to livestock producers in Ontario and Quebec.

“Thank you to everyone who helped with this important program. Hundreds of farmers were in desperate need for hay this past winter and HayEast 2012 was successful in transporting thousands of tons of hay to help them,” says Norm Hall, president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan.

More than 19 prescribed drought regions and over 350 farmers were identified as significantly impacted by the 2012 drought. And for many, the situation was desperate. The governments of Canada and Ontario provided a major boost to the HayEast 2012 program with $500,000 in cost-shared funding to transport hay in November 2012. An additional $2.5 million was made available to match private donations to the program.

“HayEast 2012 demonstrated the true spirit of Canadian farmers and their willingness to help each other in a time of need,” says Lynn Jacobson, president, Alberta Federation of Agriculture, formerly known as Wild Rose Agricultural Producers. “Thank you to everyone who made it happen.”

For more information contact:

Mark Wales

President Ontario Federation of Agriculture 519-773-6706

Norm Hall

President Agricultural Producers of Saskatchewan 306-530-3886

Lynn Jacobson

President Alberta Federation of Agriculture 403-894-5208

Hay Delivery to Farm in Ontario

Testimonial from recipient

Please thank all concerned for the shipment of 26 bales from Prince Albert shipped 15th & received 22nd November. If it is possible to identify the donor, please send my heartfelt thanks to them. I am deeply moved & extremely grateful.

I am sending some photographs taken at the unloading. You may use them at will. The driver’s name is Marcel & my neighbour Gordon Patterson came to unload the bales which were too large for my tractor.

The animals heard the tractor & all of them came down to the road to welcome the hay. The last of the bales were finished last week & the desperate hunt for more hay has begun. Now the cold has come it is even more important.

Sincerely,

Rosemary Kralik

Snow Road Station, Ontario,

Merry Christmas

HayEast 2012 would like to thank all the donors, fundraisers, truck drivers and volunteers across Canada who have supported our efforts this fall and winter. HayEast 2012 is encouraging all drivers to spend the weeks of December 24 – January 2 with their families and friends celebrating the festive season. All loads of hay picked up by December 22 will be delivered as they arrive in Ontario, however HayEast 2012 will not be picking up or transporting any additional loads of donated hay until January 2013.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Media Release December 20, 2012

HayEast 2012 is bringing some Christmas cheer and joy for two more farms in Ontario this week with a special seasonal surprise.

Transportation providers and partners, Absolute Logistics Solutions of Ontario, will be delivering seasonally decorated semi-trailers filled with hay on December 22 to HayEast2012 recipients in Haley Station & Renfrew, Ontario.

The drivers picked up their loads this week from the farm of Alan Chiliak in Sibbald, Alberta, who has donated over 300 bales to the program. They will be stopping at Absolute Solutions facilities in Maple, ON Saturday to be decorated before making the more than four hour trip to Renfrew and Haley Station fully lit to celebrate the season of giving.

WHAT:               Hay Hay HayEast2012 Merry Christmas deliveries in Ontario

WHERE From:    Absolute Logistics Solutions 253 Findhorn Cres Maple, ON L6A 1M4, Canada to: 789 MINEVIEW ROAD, HALEY STATION, ONT and: 5428 RIVER ROAD, RENFREW, ONT

WHEN:              Saturday, December 22, 2012 (early evening) Due to changing road conditions across Canada, exact times for deliveries are difficult to estimate at this time.

* *Please follow us on Twitter at @hayeast2012 for more specific delivery details as they become available throughout the next 48 hours. This will be an excellent Christmas story for the weekend news and Christmas Eve broadcasts.

For More Information, visit www.HayEast2012.com or please call:

Brian Hamilton, OFA Director and HayEast 2012 organizer at 613.292.7151 (cell)

Aimee Bloemendal, HayEast 2012 Transportation Coordinator at 519.630.1438 (cell)

Lou Falzone, Owner of Absolute Logistics Solutions at 647.970.8172 (cell)

Aj Thakker, HayEast 2012 Media Coordinator at 306.531.7955 (cell)

Ontario Agriculture Minister McMeekin donates to HayEast initiative November 30, 2012

Provincial Agriculture Minister Ted McMeekin stopped into the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) head office in Guelph, ON in the afternoon on Thursday, November 29 to make a personal donation to HayEast 2012. Minister McMeekin (right) presented his donation to OFA President Mark Wales. Following his contribution, Minister McMeekin took to Twitter asking people to please help a farmer in need by donating and supporting this grassroots initiative.

Kemptville District Minor Hockey Association and the Kemptville 73’s are pleased to be part of a Special Day of Charity Hockey in Kemptville on December 16th beginning at 11:30 a.m.

“Hay it’s Christmas!” has been organized by a special committee led by Hay West 2002 organizing farmer Wyatt McWilliams and CHRISTMAS CHEER foundation board member Dave Mitchell and will bring the Sens Alumni Team and Chris Phillips’ “Big Rig” Celebrity Media Team to the North Grenville Municipal Center with the help of local sponsors EastGen and Grahame’s Bakery. This special event will combine the celebrity game, Kemptville 73’s Jr.A game and a wide variety of unique fundraising events with proceeds to benefit both main organizers. Christmas Cheer is in its 62nd year of providing funding to food banks and Christmas giving campaigns in Ottawa and surrounding areas.

Senators Alumni v. Big Rig Media Team

Sunday, December 16 at 12:20 p.m.

North Grenville Municipal Center (Kemptville Arena)

Items will be up for silent auction throughout the event

Live auction to commence at 1:30 p.m.

Jr. A Hockey Game: Kemptvillle 73’s v. Cornwall Colts at 2 p.m.

Tickets: $10/person

$5/child

Tickets for “Hay it’s Christmas!” will be on sale beginning December 7, 2012 at Grahame’s Bakery in Kemptville or online at www.christmascheer.ca. A limited number of tickets will be available at the gate. All proceeds from this event will help support Christmas Cheer and HayEast 2012. Come one and all and enjoy the event!

More hay lands in Ontario

NEWS RELEASE - CBC
October 9, 2012

Is Hay East helping local farmers?

It was ten years ago when farmers in Eastern Ontario were sending hay to drought-stricken farmers in Alberta. It was called Hay West, an assistance program for hard-hit farmers in Western Canada. But this year, Western farmers are returning the favour.

The first delivery of Hay East arrived in Cobden today. And over the coming weeks, the Mennonite Disaster Service will deliver 200 hay bales to the area. Ron McCoy is an organic dairy farmer in Cobden, and he was one of the first 2 farmers to receive the first shipment of hay. He joined us on the line from his farm.

Listen to podcast HERE.