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Most Ontario oat and barley growers couldnt be bothered to vote on whether or not to join the Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO). Although 77 per cent of respondents voted to join the GFO, just 15 per cent of eligible voters returned a ballot. There were almost 1,650 ballots mailed out last fall, and growers were asked to send them in by mid-November. Only about 250 growers mailed in their ballot, meaning only about 193 farmers (11 per cent) of 1,650 eligible to vote actually cast a ballot in favour of joining rhw GFO. An oat and barley committee funded by the Agricultural Adaptation Council said last year that oat and barley growers would improve profits by joining the GFO. The committee estimated that oat producers would pay $1.65 per metric tonne and barley producer would pay $1.30 per metric tonne. There were about 47,400 acres of barley and 15,600 acres of oats harvested in Western Ontario in 2013, and 11,200 acres of oats and 6,400 acres of barley harvested in Southern Ontario in 2013. There were about 30,900 acres of barley and 5,100 acres of oats harvested in Eastern Ontario in 2013, and 8,400 acres of oats and 8,400 acres of barley harvested in Central Ontario in 2013.
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