Grain Farmers of Ontario welcomes member relations coordinator

GUELPH, ON (May 26, 2010) – Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) is pleased to welcome Valerie Gilvesy to the role of Member Relations starting June 1, 2010.

The Member Relations role will work closely with members, delegates, directors and staff at GFO to ensure an informed and active grain farmer community whose ideas and opinions will guide the organization.

Our organization believes the more active and informed our membership, the more value GFO can add to the sector.  Valerie will be the conduit of information about current grassroots issues to GFO’s management team.  By providing support and guidance to the delegates and directors, being the key contact and collaborating with grain producers in the development of the organization at the county and provincial level, her new position will add great value.

Valerie was born and raised on a Limousin beef and cash crop farm in Middlesex County.  She began working in the agricultural industry as a Member Service Representative in 1988 with the Ontario Federation of Agriculture in the counties of Waterloo, Wellington, Dufferin and later transferring to Elgin and Oxford. For the past 2 ½ years, Valerie has been with the Chicken Farmers of Ontario as a Services and Inspection Representative, principally conducting On-Farm Food Safety Audits.

Valerie is a graduate of the Class III Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program. She lives on a farm in Oxford County with her husband George and son John.

Grain Farmers of Ontario

Grain Farmers of Ontario is the province’s largest commodity organization, representing Ontario’s 28,000 corn, soybean and wheat farmers. The crops they grow cover 6 million acres of farm land across the province, generate over $2.5 billion in farm gate receipts, result in over $9 billion in economic output and are responsible for over 40,000 jobs in the province.

Contact:

Barry Senft, CEO – 1-800-265-0550; bsenft@gfo.ca