The Board of Directors for the Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers (OPVG) elected vice chairs for 2023:  Ron VanDamme (Port Lambton) and Carl Merrick (Strathroy).

The Board also welcomes Adrien Pinsonneault from Dresden who represents District 1 growers. Adrien was appointed by the Ontario Farm Products Commission to serve a two-year term as director.

“We appreciate both Ron’s and Carl’s commitment to serve as vice-chairs as the Board continues to serve the growers with purposeful leadership and success,” stated Dave Hope, chair.  

Adrien Pinsonneault is a third-generation tomato grower, a licensed mechanic and he replaces Tom Keller who stepped down from the Board.

The Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers is a marketing board regulated under the Farm Products Marketing Act and represents nearly 325 Ontario processing vegetable growers producing crops such as tomatoes, onions, sweet corn, carrots, cucumbers, green & wax beans, lima beans, green peas, and squash. Farm gate sales for processing vegetable crops in 2022 was $154 million. OPVG members are family-owned and operated businesses, growing vegetable crops for Ontario food-manufacturing companies.

Source:  Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers January 31, 2023 news release