Michael Denys was elected first vice-chair and Ken Hamm was elected second vice-chair at the Board of Directors meeting held January 13, 2020. Michael Denys, Wallaceburg, has been the on the Board since 2017. Ken Hamm, Leamington, has been on the Board since 2018.

Ryan Leclair and Ron VanDamme also joined the Board through a new electoral voting process implemented by Farm Products Marketing Commission which used an electoral officer to conduct the district votes for Board representation. Mike Lenders was also re-elected to serve as District 2 Director and Dan Froese was acclaimed in District 3 as Director for a second term.

“We are pleased to have Ron VanDamme and Ryan Leclair join the Board and look forward to their leadership,” stated Dave Hope, chair of the Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers (OPVG). “We have great leadership, skills and depth on this Board and have a great deal of work to accomplish to support growers as they deal with the new regulations on tomatoes and carrots.”

The OPVG is a marketing board regulated under the Farm Products Marketing Act and represents nearly 340 Ontario processing vegetable growers producing crops such as tomatoes, onions, sweet corn, carrots, cucumbers, green, wax & lima beans, green peas, squash and pumpkin. Farm gate sales for our processing vegetable crops in 2019 was just under $90 million. OPVG members are family-owned and operated businesses, growing vegetable crops for Ontario food manufacturing companies.

Source:  Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers January 13, 2020 news release