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| July 25, 2005 |
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| SEED GROWERS ELECT KEITH MATTHIE PRESIDENT |
| For the next two years, Algonquin dairy farmer Keith Matthie will serve as president of the
Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association of which he has been a member and director for many
years.
During their annual meeting held in Lanark Village July 16, OVSGA directors moved Matthie up from his previous post as 1st vice-president. That spot has been filled by Douglas beef farmer Robert Dick, with Vernon’s Jim Arbuckle taking over the post of 2nd vice-president. Matthie replaces Almonte dairyman Bill Halpenny whom he thanked for the past two years spent directing the affairs of the OVSGA, including the annual Ottawa Valley Farm Show which the association has sponsored for 78 years. The 2006 edition of the Farm Show will be held at Lansdowne Park, Ottawa, March 14-16. The show draws more than 300 exhibitors and is the largest event of its kind in Ontario east of Toronto. Noting the financial success of the farm show, Matthie said the affairs of the OVSGA were well managed and promised to continue along the same path. “It was a great experience,” Halpenny commented about his term while thanking directors for their support. He’ll remain on the board as past president, with secretary-treasurer Mary Joynt and Farm Show manager Tom Van Dusen completing the executive. The association’s only paid staff, Joynt and Van Dusen had their one-year terms renewed by directors. Elected a director at large for the first time was Pakenham’s David Blair, while Manotick Station’s Lynda McCuaig became an honorary director. In other business, directors voted to give $150 to the eastern districts of the Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies to help sponsor the whole wheat bread class; and they decided to give $250 to the Christian Farmers’ Federation of Ontario to help cover costs of the annual meeting. Lanark’s Gord Munroe, recently named vice-president of Seaway Valley Farmers’ Energy Co- Operative, briefed directors on the progress of the $54 million ethanol plant at Cornwall. With $200,000 in the project, the OVSGA is one of its largest investors. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Tom Van Dusen, 613-445-3407 |
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