Ontario Pork Congress Annual Meeting report

Oct 29, 2024
By Andrew Joseph
Assistant Editor, North American Content, Farms.com

Photo above: The new OPC Executive Committee for 2025 was also formerly introduced: (Back Row L-R) Matt Aarts, Doug Ahrens, Drew De Bruyn, and Kirk McLean. (Front Row L-R) Abel Lopez, David Ross, Henry Groenestege, Joe Dwyer (on the tablet), Victoria Stewart.

The Ontario Pork Congress Annual Meeting was held on October 22, 2024, at the Arden Park Hotel in Stratford, Ontario, with over 35 people attending.

At the event, the association revealed the winner of its Ontario Pork Industry Leadership Award—Tara Terpstra, a Huron County pork producer who is currently Chair of Ontario Pork.

The OPC Pork Industry Leadership Award is awarded to an individual who has given freely of their time and provided distinguished service to the Ontario pork industry. It is open to research, extension, education, and industry personnel involved in any facet of pork production, promotion, and marketing.

Unfortunately, Terpstra was unable to attend the annual meeting, but Veronica Anderson—who works for Topigs Norsvin Canada, and who nominated her—will present the award to her later.

Financial rewards were also announced regarding the OPIC Hog Jog, which was held again in conjunction with the 2024 Ontario Pork Congress. Over $67,000 was raised for the Rotary Hospice Stratford Perth Serenity Garden project. More information is available at www.hogjog.ca.

Also announced was the new OPC Executive Committee for 2025:

President: Kirk McLean;
1st Vice President: Victoria Stewart;
2nd Vice President: Henry Groenestege;
Secretary: Joe Dwyer;
Treasurer: Matt Aarts;
Director: Abel Lopez;
Director: David Ross;
Director: Drew De Bruyn;
Director: Doug Ahrens.

At the meeting, upcoming details for the 2025 Ontario Pork Congress were discussed.

The 2025 Ontario Pork Congress will be held June 18-19, 2025, at the Stratford Rotary Complex in Stratford, Ontario.

In store at the 2025 Ontario Pork Congress:

The Food and Hospitality tent will be back by popular demand this year; look for even more atmosphere, an opportunity to network, and great Ontario pork to eat;
The popular Taste the Best event will once again take place on the first day of the show;
The Bacon Maker Classic will be back with an Adult Showmanship class and will include a separate Education Area. This event will be held in a separate tent on the afternoon of June 19.
NOTE: There will be no live hogs on the show grounds until the second day of the show.

For information on the Ontario Pork Congress, visit www.porkcongress.on.ca.

Video: You Be The Judge: Evaluating 8 Breeding Rams!

It's time for some honest feedback here at Ewetopia Farms! Today, we’re showing you all eight rams we used for breeding this year. Instead of just presenting them, we thought it would be fun to create a “Ram Report Card” — where we point out both their strengths and areas for improvement.

But here’s the twist: you be the judge! In the comments, let us know what you like about each ram and what you think could be improved. No ram is ever perfect, but every one of them brings something valuable to the flock. By sharing perspectives, we all learn more about what to look for in good breeding stock.

At Ewetopia Farms, we raise registered Suffolk and Polled Dorset sheep, focusing on high-quality genetics, structure, and friendly temperaments. Evaluating breeding rams is part of the bigger picture of building stronger flocks — and we’re excited to share the process with you.

If you enjoy seeing how we evaluate our animals, follow along by subscribing to our channel. We share daily insights into the joys and challenges of sheep farming here in Canada.