HAMILTON — The Ontario Federation of Agriculture re-elected both incumbent vice-presidents — Thunder Bay dairy farmer Peggy Brekveld and Waterloo County chicken and cash crop farmer Mark Reusser — at its annual general meeting on Nov. 20 in Hamilton.
Simcoe County cash crop farmer Keith Currie was acclaimed as OFA president for the second straight year. Elections were held at the annual general meeting on Nov. 19-20.
Western Ontario commercial beekeeper Hugh Simpson was elected as one of three directors-at-large, joining Brekveld and Middlesex County cash crop and beef farmer Crispin Colvin.
OFA general manager Neil Currie said one of the top priorities for 2019 will be reducing red tape.
“We’re happy to see the (provincial) government going gangbusters on red tape, so we’ll work with them really closely on making fewer but certainly more effective regulations,” he said.
The OFA will continue to push its Producing Prosperity report, which focuses on improving rural communities’ social infrastructure services, such as broadband access for faster Internet service, drainage, better transportation access and mental health.
The OFA is the largest farm organization in Ontario, with more than 37,000 member families.
