Jeffray begins third term at Ontario Pork with new challenges

Friday, April 8, 2011

by BETTER FARMING STAFF

Expanding its service to include Ontario’s weaner industry, putting the details to an industry-wide risk management plan and developing a financial protection plan are the major tasks ahead for 2011 says Ontario Pork’s chair.

This week, Wilma Jeffray was acclaimed for her third term in the lead position on Ontario Pork’s board.

Jeffray, who runs a family-owned diversified farming operation in the Grey Bruce region, says the board will work closely with the Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ office to round out the risk management plan. It’s “going to take a lot of work in a compressed period of time, so that’s an immediate priority,” she says. The Hog Industry Advisory Committee is taking the lead on developing the financial protection plan and Ontario Pork is also involved. That project will be “ongoing” this year, she says.

Currently, only those with market hogs are paying into Ontario Pork’s universal services. “During 2011 that’s something that will be worked on and developed so that the weaner pig aspect of the industry will be incorporated and fees will be put in place there,” she says.

During the newly-elected board’s first meeting on April 5, Huron County producer Amy Cronin was elected as vice chair. Of the seven other board members, five are returning from the previous board: Doug Ahrens, Beth Clark, Oliver Haan, Curtiss Littlejohn and Teresa Van Raay. Bill Wymenga and John de Bruyn are newcomers; Wymenga, however, has served on previous boards.

Littlejohn and Wymenga will be the organization’s representatives on the Canadian Pork Council.

Having such a knowledge bank and skill to take into the future on the board of the newly structured organization “is of benefit,” Jeffray says.

She says the board will next meet at the end of April and will be looking at the organization’s strategic plan. Also on the table at that time is governance. BF