Farms.com Home   Ag Industry News

Renfrew farm family receives BMO Ontario Farm Family award

The McGregors will be honoured at the International Plowing Match

By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com

The McGregor family of Renfrew, Ontario, will be honoured at the International Plowing Match on September 24 as one of 10 recipients of BMO’s Ontario Farm Family award.

The award goes to families who dedicate themselves to Ontario’s agricultural sector and rural way of life.

“It certainly is an honour to be given the award and to be one of the 10 in Ontario,” Jim McGregor, the fourth generation of McGregors to farm, told the Renfrew Mercury.

McGregor’s Produce, located on Lochwinnoch Road, consists of 1,000 acres of owned and leased land, including about 1,500 apple trees.

But the farm didn’t start out that large.

The farm began with 200 acres of land in 1856 when Jim’s great grandfather and great uncle relocated to McNab Township from Beckwith.

McGregor Family
The McGregor Family
Photo: Renfrew Mercury

Jim's son Ian, along with his wife Deb and their three children currently live on the farm.

They were nominated by Marry Harris, an account manager at their local Bank of Montreal branch.

Harris said the McGregors check all the boxes that make up a great farm family.

“When I think of a family who exudes all of the traits and attributes that contributes to rural life I think of them right away, they are very active in so many charities,” Harris told the Renfrew Mercury. “They really are involved in the community and they have so much depth in the community.”

The other winners are:

Family NameFarm NameArea
Belluz FamilyBelluz FarmsThunder Bay
Brown FamilyBeslea Farms Ltd.Frontenac
Connell FamilyConnell Farms Inc.Wellington
Cronin FamilyCronin Family FarmsHuron
Jeffs FamilyJeffshaven FarmsNorthumberland
MacKellar FamilyMacKellar FarmsLambton
McDonald FamilyMcMazeStormont
McLaren FamilyLarenwood Farms Ltd.Oxford Blenheim
Warner FamilyRonbeth HolsteinsHastings

Farms.com would like to congratulate all the families for winning the BMO Ontario Farm Family Award.


Trending Video

The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

Video: The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

In the vast prairies of Alberta, Olds College’s Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) stands as a beacon of innovation and research in the agricultural world. The institution has become a key player in advancing agricultural technologies and practices. The FCDC’s commitment to applied research has driven them to seek effective means of disseminating their findings and creating a positive impact on the farming community.

One such avenue that aligns with their mission is AgSmart, an event dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge agricultural technologies. The coming together of the FCDC’s annual Field Day and Ag Smart has proved to be a natural fit, fostering a synergy that benefits both parties and propels the agriculture industry forward. The FCDC Field Day took part in conjunction with AgSmart for the first time this week on Aug. 1-2 in Olds, Alta. FCDC Program Director Kofi Agblor and Olds College VP of Development Todd Ormann sat down for an interview with Marc Zienkiewicz to discuss the significance of the two events taking part together and what the future holds.

The Intersection of Research and Technology The essence of the FCDC lies in its dedication to plant breeding and new seed varieties, particularly barley and triticale. While conducting research is essential, it becomes meaningful when its benefits are shared with the wider community. This is where AgSmart steps in, providing a key venue for the FCDC to showcase their research. This union between research and technology creates a holistic and enriching experience for farmers, ranchers, and industry professionals, the pair said.

Seeds as Technology For the FCDC, the partnership with AgSmart goes beyond mere event collaboration. It is about creating an environment that bridges the gap between seeds and smart technology, Ormann said. The college believes that for technology to truly revolutionize agriculture, it must begin with a strong foundation — high-quality seeds. As the saying goes, “it all starts with a seed.” To demonstrate this critical aspect, the collaboration aims to showcase the seed value chain as an integral part of the smartphone.

The Birth of a Powerful Alliance The idea of joining forces emerged when staff realized the potential synergy between AgSmart and the FCDC Field Day. With just a few days separating the two events, a proposal was put forward to merge them. The marketing and communications teams from both sides worked seamlessly to ensure the essence of both events remained intact, creating a powerful alliance that leverages the strengths of each, Agblor said.

Driving Advancements in Breeding For Agblor, the partnership with AgSmart has tremendous potential to drive advancements in breeding and other technology. With technologies like drones and imaging becoming integral to phenotyping, breeding is no longer confined to vast fields to assess thousands of plants manually. Instead, it benefits from the data-rich insights brought about by smart technologies. These advancements make breeding more efficient, precise, and instrumental in shaping the future of agriculture.

Overcoming Challenges Together While the partnership between Olds College and Ag Smart has been a resounding success, there are challenges on the horizon. Securing stable funding for long-term breeding initiatives is crucial to sustain progress. The college is committed to navigating these challenges and investing in agriculture’s future sustainably, Agblor said.

 

Comments


Your email address will not be published