Women’s Grain Symposium
Making Connections
Grain Farmers of Ontario’s Women’s Grain Symposium is an opportunity for networking, professional development, and leadership development.
The Women’s Grain Symposium is open to women who are grain farmers, active members of their family grain operation, or working within the grain sector or agriculture business with a direct connection to farmers.
Cost: $150, includes one night hotel accommodation at the Delta.
Save the date for the 2025 Women’s Grain Symposium
December 9-10, 2025
Delta Hotel
50 Stone Rd W, Guelph, ON N1G 0A9
Interested in sponsoring the Women’s Grain Symposium? Contact:
Joanne Tichborne
Advertising Sales Representative
jtichborne@gfo.ca
226-332-3637
2025 Agenda
Tuesday
| Noon | Lunch Sponsored by Diageo |
| 1:00 p.m. | Welcome remarks |
| 1:30 p.m. | Leadership Opportunity A panel discussion with Grain Farmers of Ontario Directors highlighting the various leadership programs, training, and industry involvement that they have pursued during their careers, with a focus on the opportunities that have opened to them through their involvement with GFO. Invited panelists: Grace Pearson (Director District 1 Essex), Julie Maw (Director District Lambton), Ann Vermeersch (Director District 5 Elgin, Norfolk), Angela Zilke (Director District 7 Oxford, Waterloo). Sponsored by Diageo |
| 2:30 p.m. | Active Networking An interactive session led by Eventology to foster participant engagement and create a collaborative environment. Teams will work through mental, physical, and creative challenges designed to help identify individual strengths and leadership abilities. Sponsored by The Andersons |
| 4:00 p.m. | Break Sponsored by ALCO |
| 5:00 p.m. | Reception An opportunity for networking while enjoying light refreshments. Sponsored by SeCan |
| 6:30 p.m. | Dinner Grain Farmers of Ontario’s Board of Directors has been invited to participate in our evening activities. |
| 8:00 p.m. | Reinventing Leadership A keynote speaker session with Hamza Khan, two-time bestselling author and multi-award-winning entrepreneur. Khan empowers audiences to amplify human potential through collaboration and technology while prioritizing long-term impact. |
| 9:00 p.m. | Hospitality Suite Networking continues until midnight. Sponsored by SeCan |
Wednesday
| 7:00 a.m. | Breakfast |
| 8:30 a.m. | Succession Planning Success Points Four 30-minute sessions that will provide insights into navigating the financial and emotional aspects of family farm transitions. Confirmed speakers: Andrea DeGroot (Farm Credit Canada), Trevor McLean (MNP), Desjardins, Scotiabank. Sponsored by Desjardins Insurance, Farm Credit Canada, MNP, Scotiabank |
| 10:30 a.m. | Break Sponsored by Bayer |
| 11:00 a.m. | Women in Leadership This session will highlight the advancement of women in leadership positions in agriculture over the past decade and provide tips on effective and strong leadership within the workplace. Confirmed speaker: Jennifer Wright, Executive Director, Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council. Sponsored by Syngenta |
| Noon | Lunch |
| 1:00 p.m. | Navigating Uncertainty A panel discussion led by Sankalp Sharma, senior economist with Grain Farmers of Ontario, exploring the role of ag policy to support farmers through volatile markets and uncertain economic times. Confirmed panelists: Margaret Zafiriou (Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute), Stephen Duff (OMAFA), Mike von Massow (University of Guelph). Sponsored by Agricultural Credit Corp |
2025 Speakers
Hamza Khan
Future of Work and People-First Leadership Expert
Hamza Khan believes the future of work is more human, not less. He’s on a mission to help organizations revolutionize leadership and rehumanize the workplace by adopting a bold “people first” approach. Khan is a two-time bestselling author and multi-award-winning entrepreneur whose TEDx talk “Stop Managing, Start Leading” has been viewed millions of times. As a world-renowned keynote speaker, he empowers audiences to amplify human potential through collaboration and technology while prioritizing long-term impact.
Khan is the Co-Founder of SkillsCamp, an award-winning learning and leadership development company whose clients include FIFA, Shopify, Peloton, Deloitte, Microsoft, Mercedes-Benz, The United Nations, and hundreds of colleges and universities. These world-leading organizations trust Khan to enhance modern leadership, inspire purposeful productivity, nurture lasting resilience, and navigate constant change.
Trevor MacLean
Partner
MNP
Trevor MacLean, MBA, BMgt, is a Partner with MNP’s Agriculture team. With a strong background in agribusiness and financial services, Trevor brings a unique and balanced perspective that allows him to fully understand his clients’ business. Trevor provides business and advisory services to agricultural producers and agribusinesses across Canada, delivering creative, customized and practical solutions to help his clients achieve their goals and enhance their success.
Jennifer Wright
Executive Director
Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council
Jennifer grew up working in her family’s farm equipment dealership and helping on the farm in southwestern Ontario. She has worked in the field of human resource research and development for more than twenty years. Jennifer has worked with several industries, including agriculture, leading initiatives related to inclusion and diversity, attraction and retention, work integrated learning, labour market research, skills development, training and education. In addition to her work experience, she holds a Masters of Business Administration from Royal Roads University. Jennifer worked with the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council as a consultant for more than ten years before joining the staff in 2019 and is currently serving as the Executive Director.
Margaret Zafiriou
Senior Research Fellow
CAPI
Margaret Zafiriou, ( M.A. Economics) is an agricultural professional, with a career as an economist and policy analyst formerly with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). Her more recent experience has involved consulting work for industry, including the Dairy Processors of Canada (DPAC), the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) and the Livestock Research Innovation Corporation (LRIC) on trade, biodiversity and livestock innovation issues. She has consulted with the Edmonton Regional Metropolitan Board on its long term growth plan and related land use policies, and has completed several projects with the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI) on climate change and agriculture, externalities, competing pressures on land use in Canada, and productivity and competitiveness of the Canadian food and beverage processing sector. She is currently a Senior Research Fellow with CAPI.
Steve Duff
Chief Economist
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agri-business
Coming from dairy and beef background in Northumberland county, Steve completed a Masters in Ag Economics from the University of Guelph in 1996 focusing on trade liberalization in dairy between the US and Canada. After a year as policy researcher for the Ontario Milk Marketing Board, Steve joined OMAFRA in late 1997.
For close to 20 years, Steve was OMAFRA’s lead on business risk management programs such as AgriStability and the Risk Management Program. Steve is currently OMAFRA’s Chief Economist. Steve is also an adjunct professor in agricultural economics at the University of Guelph. Steve and his wife Robyn operate a beef and cash crop operation near Colborne Ontario. Steve is currently in his second term on the board of Farm Management Canada as a farmer director and is currently board Chair.
Michael Von Massow
Bio coming soon.
Thank you to the 2025 Women’s Grain Symposium sponsors!
Sponsors
Supporters
