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February 22, 2008 (Guelph) – More than 500 beef farmers from across Ontario congregated in Toronto this week for the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) Annual General Meeting. Guest speakers at the meeting included Ontario Minister of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs, The Honourable Leona Dombrowsky and Mr. John Nay, US Consul General to Canada. Major topics of discussion included the need for longer-term funding to beef producers who are currently suffering crippling pricing lows. The financial crisis is due to a number of factors including: changes in government regulations; impact of the ethanol industry; trade complications, and the rapid rise of the Canadian dollar.

This year’s AGM also included a special panel discussion entitled “Meeting Our Challenges”. Panelists included Alistair Polson of Wanganui, New Zealand; Mike Buis, former OCA President and Advisory Councillor from Kent County; and Jim Oehmke of the George Morris Centre. Given the financial crisis in the beef industry, they spoke about what they are doing to face challenges personally, and challenges and opportunities in the global economy.

Leading the 2008 Board of Directors is President, Gord Hardy of Middlesex County. Along with his family, Hardy operates a feedlot near Lucan. 

“I’d like to thank the beef producers of this province for their confidence and faith,” says Hardy. “I know that times are tough for all of us. But, we are in this together and my commitment to all of them is that the 2008 OCA Board will work hard on their behalf with government to create solutions and help meet our challenges in the immediate future.”

“I look forward to working closely with Gord in meeting the needs of producers of the next year,” says Curtis Royal, Feedlot Director from Simcoe County, who begins his first term as Vice-President. “I don’t expect it will be easy and I know there are a lot of tough decisions ahead for the OCA Board. But I also know that OCA’s Board is dedicated, and, along with the OCA staff, we are in a good position to achieve some great things.”

Ian McKillop, former President stepped down this year, as did John Newman, who was Director for Eastern Ontario.

Re-elected to the Board was Doug Kaufman representing Feedlot producers. Doug and his family live and operate their farm in Oxford County. New to the Board are Rick Hobbs (cow/calf) from Ottawa District, Bill Herron (backgrounder) from Grey County, and Hank Hiddink (Eastern) from Prince Edward County. Continuing to serve out their terms are cow/calf producers Kim Sytsma of Leeds County and Dan Darling of Northumberland; Feedlot Directors, Curtis Royal of Simcoe County and Paul Sharpe of Wellington County. Gord Hardy of Middlesex County continues to serve as Director from the South and Jim Martin of Manitoulin Island as Director from the North. Rounding out the Board of Directors are Directors-at-Large Bob Gordanier of Wellington County and John Gillespie of Waterloo County.

Following a 2003 restructuring of the organization, OCA’s Board of Directors consists of 12 elected officials  – three from the cow/calf sector, three from the feedlot sector, one from the backgrounder sector; three representing geographic regions of Ontario and two elected on an At-Large basis. Directors are elected for three-year terms on a rotating basis. Each year, voting delegates to the AGM elect three members to the Board.

The Ontario Cattlemen’s Association represents the interests of 19,000 Ontario beef producers. The complete 2007 OCA annual report can be viewed on the OCA Web site at www.cattle.guelph.on.ca after March 7th.

For Further Information: 
Gord Hardy, OCA President: (519) 227-1113 
Lianne Appleby, OCA Communications Manager: (519) 824-0334
Dave Stewart, OCA Executive Director: (519) 824-0334