Fonds - Elgin Federation of Agriculture fonds

The Elgin Federation of Agriculture (EFA), a county affiliate of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), is said to have been established either in the 1930s or 1944. The EFA’s stated purpose is to be an advocate for and supporter of Elgin County farmers’ welfare. The federation also generates awareness of issues in agriculture and the food system and provides farmers with important information about the farming community. The EFA is member-based and governed by a board of directors with many regional affiliates.
EFA meetings were held monthly with the occasional meeting scheduled in between. At meetings, problems were presented and discusses, motions were voted on, and resolutions were forwarded to the OFA. The sheer size of Elgin County meant that travel factored heavily into attendance and, especially in the beginning, was a sacrifice that denoted the dedication of directors and other members to club functions.
One of the EFA’s greatest successes was the establishment of The Co-operators insurance group in St. Thomas in the late 1940s. As one of many projects or organizations initiated and realized by the EFA, The Co-operators was an attempt to care for area farmers who did not feel adequately covered traditional insurers.