News Release

HayEast 2012 organizers pause to thank CN and Canadian Pacific - then it is ‘full-steam ahead!”

Regina, SK [March 24, 2013] – Organizers of HayEast2012 paused briefly this week to thank CN and Canadian Pacific (CP) for their generous and timely cash donations. The additional funds from these two industry partners were committed prior to the February 28, 2013 deadline and will qualify for matched donations by the Governments of Canada and Ontario (on a cost-shared basis).

“Canadian Pacific and CN have worked with us from day one to help us coordinate logistics and now they have provided us with much-needed funds exactly when we need them,” said Lynn Jacobson, President of the Wild Rose Agricultural Producers (WRAP) from Alberta. “Along with the recent commitment of $150,000 in transportation funding from the Province of Ontario, this money will ensure that HAYEAST2012 can continue to deliver hay from the Prairies to the drought stricken regions of Ontario until pastures open in the spring.”

The Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) and the Wild Rose Agricultural Producers (WRAP) in Alberta will continue to work with prairie farmers and ranchers who are willing to donate hay to their eastern counterparts. Private cash donations can still be made to HayEast 2012 at any Scotiabank branch across Canada or by visiting www.hayeast2012.ca. For more information, call 1-855-HAY-2102.

“We have farmers in need in Ontario and we have funds necessary to continue to help them,” said Norm Hall, Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) President and HayEast2012 champion in Saskatchewan. “Now our goal is to find and ship as much hay as we can, especially here in Saskatchewan where we have negotiated excellent hauling rates back to Ontario.”

All corporate and private donations and the new funding received will cover administration and transportation costs, providing available out-of-province hay to where it is needed most – to Ontario farmers affected by the summer 2012 drought. Many Ontario farmers are still in need of hay for their livestock, and the need will continue until pastures and the 2013 hay crop becomes available.

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.

For more information contact:

Norm Hall APAS President 306-530-3886

Lynn Jacobson WRAP President (403) 894-5208

News Release

HayEast 2012 slows down with funding cap

Regina, SK [March 7, 2013] – HayEast 2012, the volunteer-run program with a mission to deliver donated hay from Western Canada to eastern Canadian farmers in need, will continue to redistribute hay, relying on private donations only, since access to government funds expired on February 28, 2013. The program saw donations from farmers, corporations, government and private citizens across Canada, following a drought that devastated field crops and pasture on many farms across Ontario during summer 2012.

“We are grateful for the support we have seen from farmers, farm and rural organizations, the Canadian business community, our federal and provincial government, and the general public,” says Mark Wales, president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) and HayEast 2012 organizer. “Government funds have expired, but organizers are still assessing how many more farmers we can continue to help before the private donations run out.”

In November 2012, the federal government announced $500,000 provided on a cost-shared basis, along with matching donations made to HayEast 2012 on a cost-shared basis, up to $2.5 million. Access to those funds expired on February 28, 2013.

“HayEast 2012 was formed with a mission to help drought-struck Ontario farmers feed their livestock through the winter, and in many cases we were able to achieve that goal,” says Norm Hall, president of the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) and HayEast 2012 organizer. “We are still accepting private donations and as long as we have money in the bank, we’ll work to achieve our goal.”

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. Organizers say western Canadian farmers have been eager to reciprocate that good will to help Ontario farmers who face a hay shortage following record-low rainfall in some areas.

The OFA will continue to work with Ontario farmers in need of hay. Private donations can still be made to HayEast 2012 at any Scotiabank branch across Canada.

For more information contact:

Aj Thakker

Communications Manager, Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) 306-789-7774 x 152

Mark Wales

President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) 519-773-6706

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.