Board of Directors
The Board of Directors is responsible under the supervision of the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission for the definition of policy direction which the Turkey Farmers of Ontario will take, as well as ensuring the proper operation of the Board in fulfilling its’ mandate.
The Directors are also responsible to the producers in Ontario to ensure adequate turkey production, and to the Ontario consumers to ensure adequate supplies of turkey meat. Our province is divided into four districts as set out below. Prior to October 1, each district elects, from amongst themselves, committeemen based on one for every ten producers in the district on August 1 of that year.
From the elected committeemen, two directors from districts 1, 2 and 3 and one director from district 4 are elected to hold office for a two-year period. Districts 1 and 3 are elected in odd years and Districts 2 and 4 in even years. The following is a list of the districts along with the number of producers, committeemen, and amount of basic quota in that district as of 2020.
If you do not already have your local director’s contact information, please reach out to the TFO office by phone or email and staff will provide it for you.
DISTRICT #1 – ESSEX, KENT, LAMBTON,
MIDDLESEX, ELGIN AND OXFORD COUNTIES
Total number of 38 producers & 5 committeemen –
19,811,582 kgs of basic quota.
Represented by Directors: Matt Steele and Tim de Wit
DISTRICT #2 – BRANT, CITY OF HAMILTON,
CORPORATION OF HALDIMAND &
NORFOLK COUNTIES AND REGION OF NIAGARA
Total number of 23 producers & 4 committeemen –
11,677,789 kgs of basic quota.
Represented by Directors: Brian Ricker and Steven Vanderzanden
DISTRICT #3 – PERTH, WELLINGTON,
HURON COUNTIES AND REGION OF WATERLOO
Total number of 64 producers & 7 committeemen –
33,444,386 kgs of basic quota.
Represented by Directors: James Schlegel and Duane Dietrich
DISTRICT #4 – REMAINDER OF COUNTIES
NOT INCLUDED IN DISTRICTS 1, 2 & 3
Total number of 32 producers & 4 committeemen –
11,838,158 kgs of basic quota.
Represented by Director: Greg Lansink
Staff
The administrative functions of the Board and the day-to-day operations are performed by the following personnel:
General Manager: Jon-Michael Falconer, jon-michael@turkeyfarmers.on.ca
Office Administrator: Safiya Rahman, admin@turkeyfarmers.on.ca
Finance and Quota Administrator: Lynn Forrest, lynn@turkeyfarmers.on.ca
Marketing & Communications: Emily Haramule, emily@turkeyfarmers.on.ca
Manager, Field Operations: Amber Ritchat, amber@turkeyfarmers.on.ca
Markets and Policy Analyst: Krista Cressman, krista@turkeyfarmers.on.ca
Field Inspector: Robert Braybrook, robert@turkeyfarmers.on.ca