Drew Spoelstra of Binbrook has been acclaimed to a third one-year term as president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), the leading voice for 38,000 farm families in the province.
Returning to the OFA executive with Spoelstra for a second year in the two Vice President positions are Sara Wood and Ethan Wallace. Paul Maurice was re-elected as Executive Member.
The OFA board chose its Executive following the organization’s annual general meeting, which wrapped up earlier today and had “Strength in Unity” as its theme.
“Over the course of the past year, we’ve seen a huge emphasis on taking a team approach to achieve the best results – from buy Canadian promotions to political leaders working together to tackle issues like tariffs and interprovincial trade barriers and more,” says Spoelstra. “The work at OFA is also a team approach, from county federations to partners across the sector and beyond, and I appreciate the opportunity to serve as the OFA’s president for another year.”
Spoelstra first became president of the OFA in 2023 after serving as vice president and has been a director on the organization’s board – representing farmers in Halton, Hamilton/Wentworth and Niagara – since 2013. He farms with his family, growing crops, raising horses and producing high quality milk and beef. He also has a dealership for Pride Seeds and is a graduate of the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program.
Wood, a fourth-generation farmer from Perth County, is a Director-at-Large with OFA. She’s a graduate of the University of Guelph and the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program. Wallace represents farmers from Huron and Perth counties on the OFA board and farms just outside of Seaforth with his wife and children. Maurice sits on the OFA board representing farmers in Peel, Simcoe and York, and farms with his wife and son near Penetanguishene.
Steve Brackenridge (Zone 10 – Durham, Peterborough and Kawartha Lakes/Haliburton) has retired from the board after nine years as a director. Marnie Wood, a second-generation farmer from Cannington takes over from Brackenridge.
Livestock and crop farmer Maaike Campbell from Strathroy joins the board as the new director for Zone 6 – Lambton and Middlesex. She was elected to the role earlier this fall and replaces Crispin Colvin, who had served on the OFA board since 2016.
During the meeting, delegates re-elected Teresa Van Raay from Dashwood to a third three-year term as a Director-at-Large and voted Angela Field from Renfrew to a one-year Director-at-Large position.
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) represents 38,000 farm families across the province and serves as the leading advocate and strongest voice of Ontario’s farmers. As a dynamic farmer-led organization, the OFA represents and champions the interests of Ontario farmers through government relations, farm policy recommendations, research, lobby efforts, community representation, media relations and more.
Source : OFA