A new director, representing the cow-calf sector, was elected to the Board of Directors of the Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) at their 55th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Toronto this week.
Joining the BFO Board is Craig McLaughlin who will serve a three-year term. Craig resides in the Whitewater Region of Renfrew County where he operates a cow-calf and backgrounding operation. Craig will replace Gerald Rollins who completed the maximum of three terms on the board.
BFO continues to attract strong leaders to its board, which is a tremendous asset for the amount of initiatives the organization has under way including BFO's Regional Marketing Initiative (RMI) launched at this week’s -AGM. Delegates learned about the RMI strategy and its objectives to ensure that Ontario can meet increasing consumer demand for locally raised and produced beef.
Garnet Toms of Peterborough was re-elected by voting delegates to the Board of Directors for a three-year term representing Eastern Ontario.
Joe Hill and Rob Lipsett will return to the Board of Directors. Joe Hill of Fergus, Ontario was acclaimed to the position of Feedlot Director for a three-year term, a position he has held for six years. Rob Lipsett of Annan, Ontario was also acclaimed and will return as Background Director for a second three-year term.
Matt Bowman, Northern Director from Thornloe, Ontario will continue to lead the Association in the year
ahead as President with Joe Hill, Feedlot Director from Fergus, Ontario as Vice President.
"I am happy to have the opportunity to continue in my role as BFO President and represent the interests of our members. There are a number of important initiatives that we have been working on and I am eagerly anticipating their implementation," shares Matt Bowman, BFO President. "The Board of Directors are a committed partner in the construction of the University of Guelph research facilities in Elora, as well as in the implementation of BFO's Regional Marketing Initiative. The Association will also continue to address the gaps in programs that will encourage beef herd expansion in the province."
BFO Board of Directors and staff welcomed over 400 attendees at this year's AGM including a number of Members of Provincial Parliament who attended the evening banquet. BFO was pleased to welcome the Honourable Jeff Leal, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs on Wednesday morning to address the delegates.
BFO's Board of Directors consists of 12 elected officials - three from the cow-calf sector, three from the feedlot sector, one from the backgrounder sector, one each representing the southern, northern and eastern regions of Ontario, and two elected at-large. Directors are elected for three-year terms on a rotating basis.
Source: Beef Farmers of Ontario