Sam Oosterhoff takes over for Trevor Jones
When the Ontario legislature returns in October, the province’s agriculture industry will have a new voice at Queen’s Park.
In a Sept. 10 cabinet shuffle, Premier Ford named Sam Oosterhoff as the new minister of agriculture, food and agribusiness.
He takes over for Trevor Jones, who held the ag minister’s role since May 2025.
Jones now moves to the labour, immigration, training and skills development portfolio.
Lisa Thompson remains the minister of rural affairs.
This cabinet shuffle, the premier’s office says, will “put Ontario on long-term footing to protect workers, businesses and communities as President Trump continues to escalate his trade war with Canada.”
Oosterhoff represents the riding of Niagara West, which includes communities like Grimsby, Beamsville, and Wainfleet.
The Niagara region is a significant contributor to Ontario’s overall ag economy.
In 2021, the area contributed $1.71 billion to regional GDP and supported 24,000 jobs. It is home to more than 1,600 farms and responsible for about 90 per cent of grape production in the province, Niagara Economic Development says.
In addition, Niagara accounts for about two-thirds of Ontario’s tender fruit production.
Prior to his appointment as ag minister, Oosterhoff served as the associate minister of energy-intensive industries, and as the parliamentary assistant to the minister of red tape reduction.
In those roles he crossed paths with the ag sector.
In December 2022, for example, he helped launch the Grow Ontario Strategy, Ontario’s plan to strengthen the agri-food sector and address ongoing challenges.
And in March of this year he attended an announcement celebrating a $12 million investment by Moyer’s Apple Products to build a new facility and increase production in Lincoln.
Other new Ford cabinet appointments include:
- David Piccini as minister of infrastructure, taking over for Kinga Surma who becomes president of the treasury board.
- Brian Saunderson as sport minister following Neil Lumsden’s retirement.
- Zee Hamid in tourism, culture, and gaming after Stan Cho’s resignation.