Beef Farmers Welcome Minister Trevor Jones to Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness Portfolio

Mar 19, 2025

The Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) extends a warm welcome to Minister Trevor Jones who has been named as Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness by Premier Ford this afternoon. Minister Jones comes to the role with a strong understanding of farm and rural issues with his previous experience as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs from 2022 to 2024.

“We’re eager to begin work with Minister Jones and all new and returning Members of Provincial Parliament to ensure Ontario’s beef farmers and the broader sector at-large have access to the supports and resources needed to sustain and grow our beef footprint at home and abroad,” shares Craig McLaughlin, BFO President. “We’re also anxious to discuss our recommendations on how we can work together to provide business and sector supports to mitigate the impact of the current trade war with our neighbours to the south, which could have devastating effects on our sector if it persists.”

In addition, BFO looks forward to begin work with Minister Jones on implementing the increase in investment in Ontario’s Risk Management Program (RMP) by $100 million to ensure beef farmers are better protected against market volatility and production risks.

On behalf of BFO’s Board of Directors and the 19,000 beef farmers we represent, BFO would also like to thank Minister Rob Flack for his time and leadership as Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness, most specifically for his role in securing the increased investment in RMP. Minister Rob Flack will transition to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

BFO would like to congratulate all new and returning cabinet ministers on their distinguished appointments.

Source : Ontario Beef

Video: WARNING! Rough Start To Breeding Season!!

WARNING! Sheep Breeding Season Begins With A Bang! Breeding season is officially underway at Ewetopia Farms, but it didn’t exactly start the way we planned!

This vlog begins with us sorting through our rams to find the perfect match for a customer’s breeding program. What should have been routine quickly turned dangerous when one of our more nervous rams panicked. In seconds, Arnie’s knee was injured, and then I was slammed hard onto the concrete floor — both of us taken down by one ram!

Thankfully, it was just bruises, but it’s a reminder of how unpredictable and powerful mature rams can be. Once we recovered, it was time to get back to the real work — the start of breeding season.

We sorted the ewes into four breeding groups (two Suffolk and two Dorset), checking parentage as they ran through the chute, deworming those that needed it, and setting aside thinner ewes for session two of breeding season in a month’s time.This staggered approach keeps lambing organized and prevents overcrowding in the barns.

From rogue rams to the excitement of new breeding groups, this episode is full of action. Stay tuned for the next vlog, where we’ll share how we chose the rams for each group!