OAAS announces change in President and newly downsized Board

Feb 24, 2017

Russell Agricultural Society representa tive and past Board Member from District 1, Judy McFaul, was installed as the Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies (OAAS) President for a one-year term at the annual Convention in Toronto February 16 to 18, 2017. Over 150 voting Agricultural Societies confirmed McFaul’s position and also accepted a newly revised Constitution.

“We are pleased that our membership supports the recommended changes presented to them,” said McFaul. “Board Members and Districts have been working towards a new structure, and we appreciate their vision and hard work.”

Member Societies approved additional changes to the Constitution which follows up on last year’s constitutional changes that resulted in a move to 15-member Board of Directors. This change will take effect February 2017 and is the result of a working governance committee supported by staff of the Rural Ontario Institute.

Brian Slaughter of Forest Agricultural Society, Doug Yeo of Bayfield Agricultural Society and Elaine Rennie of Markham Fair will join McFaul’s Executive as First and Second Vice President and Past President respectively. They will be joined on the Board of Directors by the elected Provincial Directors from the 15 Districts from across Ontario.

The convention attracted over 1000 delegates including over 90 fair Ambassadors. The event featured seminars on topics including premises identification, promotion and marketing, insurance, and an E-coli Workshop.

Keynote speaker was Ag blogger Andrew Campbell on “Standing on the Front Lines of Ag Awareness.” His message on agvocacy (agricultural advocacy) resonated with the delegates. He stressed that consumers deserve to have accurate information presented and available to them. Top prizes were awarded in provincial quilt, photography, poster, cookie, and bread competitions.

The 2017 convention was sponsored by numerous partners including platinum sponsor Canadian National Exhibition and gold sponsors Markham Fair, Dominion Regalia and The Co-operators.

Source: Ontario Association of Agriculture Societies

Video: Farmers: Stop Letting Risk Steal Your Profit — These New Insurance Tools Change the Game

Volatile markets. Unpredictable weather. Tight margins. Farming has never carried more risk—but now, you have smarter ways to protect your operation.
In this interview, Chris Corbett, Sales Manager at AGi3, breaks down a new generation of insurance solutions built specifically for today’s farm businesses: ForwardProtect — Protect your grain operation from the double hit of yield shortfalls and rising prices when forward contracts can’t be filled.
AgriEnhance — Take control of your crop risk plan with flexible yield coverage and whole-farm revenue protection tailored to your operation.
FarmElevate — A modern approach to farm insurance, combining deep ag expertise with advanced technology to protect your property, equipment, and liability.
These aren’t traditional policies—they’re strategic tools designed to protect your margins, stabilize cash flow, and give you confidence in uncertain markets.
If you’re serious about managing risk and protecting your bottom line, this is a must-watch.