District Meetings
Each January, Grain Farmers of Ontario supports its 15 districts in holding District Meetings. These meetings serve as annual elections for district representation, and District Director elections are held every other year (even numbered districts in even numbered years, odd numbered districts in odd numbered years).
Grain Farmers of Ontario provides organizational updates to attendees and districts are encouraged to bring forward any new resolutions for discussion.
2024 District Meetings
The date and time of your district meeting has been confirmed and is noted below. Information is subject to change.
The Annual District Meetings are called to elect voting delegates and alternates for the coming year. All farmer-members who have sold grain (barley, corn, oats, soybeans, or wheat) within the past two years are eligible to let their name stand for delegate or alternate. If you would like more information on being a delegate, please contact your current district director or Rachel Telford, manager of Member Relations, at rtelford@gfo.ca. You can learn more about the role of a delegate and alternate here.
Nominations for delegate and alternate will be taken from the floor during the meeting. Online participants, and those unable to attend their district meeting, can let their name stand for delegate or alternate by confirming their intent in writing (text message or email your district director noted below, or contact Grain Farmers of Ontario Member Relations). Written confirmation must be received by 9 a.m. the day of your district meeting.
Directors will be elected in even-numbered districts to serve a two-year term. Only elected delegates vote for the district director.
Please note that voting for district delegates will be done in-person only.
Online participation
Meetings will have a Zoom option. Links to all meetings can be obtained by clicking on your District below. District-specific meeting information will be sent to all farmer-members via a postcard mailer in December.
Grain Farmers of Ontario is offering a Zoom option for farmer-members who are unable to attend their January District Meeting in-person. Please note that anyone who utilizes this courtesy offering will have limited interactive capabilities with the meeting. Online participants will be able to hear the presenters, view the presentations, and ask questions via the chat feature. You will not be able to directly voice a question. In the event of a technical difficulty online, the in-person meeting will not be halted, and portions of the meeting may be missed online. Voting is not available to those attending their district meeting online. Online participants are not eligible for the District Meeting Prize Draw.
If you have any questions or concerns about the January District Meetings, please contact Rachel Telford, manager, Member Relations, 226-979-5581 or rtelford@gfo.ca.
2024 Annual District Meeting Schedule
DISTRICT | DATE/TIME | LOCATION / DISTRICT DIRECTOR |
DISTRICT 1 Essex Zoom link | Jan 18 – 9 a.m. | St. John’s Parish Hall County Road 46, Woodslee, ON Director: Brendan Byrne, GFObrendan@gmail.com |
DISTRICT 2 Kent Zoom link | Jan 17 – 3 p.m. | Hidden Hills Golf and Country Club 25393 St. Clair Road, Dover Centre, ON – dinner provided Director: Gus Ternoey, gus@dashwheelfarms.ca Speaker: TBD |
DISTRICT 3 Lambton Zoom link | Jan 15 – 4 p.m. (registration: 3:45 p.m.) | Wyoming Fair Grounds 595 Main Street, Wyoming, ON – dinner provided Director: Julie Maw – julie@juliemaw.com Speaker: TBD |
DISTRICT 4 Middlesex Zoom link | Jan 18 – 9 a.m. | Ilderton Community Centre 13168 Ilderton Rd, Ilderton, ON Director: Steve Twynstra, steve@twilightacrefarms.ca |
DISTRICT 5 Elgin, Norfolk Zoom link | Jan 9 – 9 a.m. | Malahide Community Place 12105 Whittaker Road, Springfield, ON – lunch for $10 Director: Scott Persall, spersall.sp@gmail.com |
DISTRICT 6 Haldimand, Brant, Hamilton, Niagara Zoom link | Jan 15 – 9 a.m. (registration: 8:30 a.m.) | Mutual Room, Riverside Exhibition Centre (Caledonia Fairgrounds) 151 Caithness Street E, Caledonia, ON – lunch provided Director: Jeff Barlow, jeff@barlowfarms.ca |
DISTRICT 7 Waterloo, Oxford Zoom link | Jan 19 – 9 a.m. | Innerkip Community Centre 695566 17th Line, Innerkip, ON Director: Angela Zilke, angzilke@gmail.com Speaker: TBD |
DISTRICT 8 Huron Zoom link | Jan 16 – 9 a.m. | Holmesville Community Centre 180 Community Centre Road, Clinton, ON Director: Keith Black, bkblack@hurontel.on.ca |
DISTRICT 9 Perth Zoom link | Jan 17 – 5:30 p.m. | Mitchell Golf and Country Club 81 Frances Street, Mitchell, ON – dinner provided Director: Josh Boersen, jboersen@gmail.com Speaker: TBD |
DISTRICT 10 Grey, Bruce, Wellington Zoom link | Jan 19 – 9:30 a.m. | Clifford Community Hall 2 William Street, Clifford, ON – lunch provided Director: Steve Lake, lake.steve@gmail.com |
DISTRICT 11 Dufferin, Simcoe, Halton, Peel, York Zoom link | Jan 10 – 10 a.m. (registration: 9:30 a.m.) | Faith Community Presbyterian Church 206 Murphy Rd., Baxter ON Director: Leo Blydorp, leo.blydorp@gmail.com Speaker: TBD |
DISTRICT 12 Durham, Northumberland, Kawartha, Peterborough, Hastings Zoom link | Jan 11 – 9:30 a.m. | The Best Western Plus 930 Burnham Street, Cobourg, ON Director: Jeff Harrison, jeffh.gfo@gmail.com Speaker: TBD |
DISTRICT 13 Prince Edward, Lennox, Addington, Frontenac, Lanark, Leeds, Grenville, Renfrew, Ottawa Zoom link | Jan 10 – 10 a.m. (coffee: 9:30 a.m.) | Elgin Lions Club 19 Pineview Drive, Elgin, ON – hot lunch/pie provided Director: Lloyd Crowe, gfolloyd@gmail.com Speaker: TBD |
DISTRICT 14 Prescott, Russell, Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry Zoom link | Jan 9 – 9 a.m. | North Stormont Place 16299 Fairview Drive, Avonmore, ON – lunch provided Director: Scott Fife, scott.fife@outlook.com Speaker: TBD |
DISTRICT 15 Northern Ontario Zoom link | Jan 11 – 9 a.m. | Kerns Community Hall 279279 Milberta Rd, New Liskeard, ON – lunch provided Director: Chuck Amyot, charlesamyot@gmail.com |
2024 District Meeting Prize Draw
All current Grain Farmers of Ontario farmer-members that attend their January District Meeting in-person will receive a chance to win 1 of 3 vacation prizes!
Grand Prize: $2,500 CAA Travel Gift Card, plus 1-year Premier CAA membership
Two Runner-up prizes: A staycation package which includes a Grain Farmers of Ontario two-seat lawn chair, 1 Yeti 45 hard sided cooler, 2 Yeti 473ml Ramblers, and a 1-yr CAA premier membership.
Three qualifiers from each District will be selected by random draw during the January District Meeting (must be present at end of meeting to win) and entered into the Grand Prize and Runner up draws. District qualifiers will receive a Grain Farmers of Ontario prize pack.
2024 Giveaway Terms and Conditions
The District Meeting Prize Draw is open to Grain Farmers of Ontario’s Farmer-Members excluding Grain Farmers of Ontario Directors and staff, and their households.
CAA Travel Gift Card and Premier Memberships will be awarded based on the specific CAA Ontario region of each prize-draw winner. Prizes will be awarded as described unless a substitution is deemed necessary by Grain Farmers of Ontario. No cash option is available for prizes.
2024 Meeting results
Director election results will be posted here as January District Meetings are completed.