Responsibilities of a Director
NO SUNDAY CALLS PLEASE!
George Molson, Provincial Director, District 1
Kent, Essex, Lambton, Elgin & Middlesex counties
Contact: Phone: (519) 695-2936 Fax: (519)
695-2053
email: george12@mnsi.net
George and his wife Ruth own and operate a farm in Middlesex County near the town of Newbury. They have a herd of 50 Romanov cross-bred sheep which are housed under their 300 doe rabbit operation.
George has been involved in farming all of his life. He has also owned and operated a construction company for 25 years. He is a collector of antique tractors and a member of the Tri-County Heritage Club. He is also involved with the Country Heritage Park in Milton.
For the last several years George has been a District Director with District 1. He has also been on the Board of Directors for the Ontario Commercial Rabbit Growers Association and served as chair.
For more information on how to contact this producer, please contact OSMA at 519-836-0043
Dennis Fischer, Provincial Director, District 2
Grey & Bruce counties
Contact: Phone: (519) 363-3819 Fax: (519)
363-3118
email: bdfischer@bmts.com
Dennis was raised on a mixed farming operation and joined the OSMA Board in October 2007. Dennis along with his wife Brenda Ann and their four children operate a farm just outside of Elmwood. They have a commercial ewe flock consisting of 450 ewes, and a small cow/calf operation. When not at home, Dennis works as a controller for a local company.
He has been involved with the local hockey association for several years, and currently schedules referees for three local arenas. He has also been involved with the local 4-H sheep club.
Dennis replaces Vince Stutzki who was on the OSMA Board for the past 6 years.
For more information on how to contact this producer, please contact OSMA at 519-836-0043
Jamie
Heffer, Provincial Director, District 3
Huron, Perth, Waterloo & Oxford counties
Contact: Phone: (519)335-3635 Fax: (519)335-4193
Jaime Heffer was acclaimed to the Provincial Board of Directors for District 3 in September of 2002. Heffer represents the counties of Huron, Perth, Waterloo & Oxford. Jaime and his wife Lori are full-time shepherds, together with six children ranging in age from 3 - 17, and a brother, they operate a 400 head flock along with a beef cow-calf herd. Jamie was born and raised on the farm he operates near Wingham.
For more information on how to contact this producer, please contact OSMA at 519-836-0043
Dianne Booker,
Provincial Director, District 4
Hamilton-Wentworth,
Brant, Haldimand-Norfolk & Niagara counties
Contact:
Phone: (905) 899-3748 Fax: (905) 899-2552
email: cwbooker@mergetel.com
Dianne Booker, along with her husband Craig and 3 children have a commercial sheep and cow-calf operation. They crop 700 acres along with growing all feeds for their operation. They feed a total mix ration of corn silage, haylage, dry hay and cob meal to their flock. Dianne has been involved in her district and now hold the seat of District 4 Provincial Director. Dianne enjoys working for the producers in the province and also is the sheep leader for Haldimand 4-H
For more information on how to contact this producer, please contact OSMA at 519-836-0043
Andrew Gordanier , Provincial Director, District 5
Dufferin, Wellington, Peel, Halton counties
Contact: Phone: (519)925-6502
email: jgordanier2001@yahoo.ca
Andrew lives in the town of Shelburne with his wife and two children. Their home farm is about ten minutes drive south of town. Andrew grew up on a cow-calf operation and bought his first ewe four years ago.They have about 175 commercial Rideaus and 25 Purebred Ile de France sheep. Andrew studied Agriculture at the University of Guelph for tow years in their two-year diploma course from 1995-1997.
For more information on how to contact this producer, please contact OSMA at 519-836-0043
Markus Wand, Vice-Chair, Provincial Director, District 6
Simcoe county, District of Parry Sound and Muskoka
Contact: Phone: (705) 724-2314
Fax: (705) 724-6455
email: mwand@sympatico.ca
Markus farms full time in partnership with his parents in Powassan where they operate a sheep flock of 400 ewes and 100 beef cows. Markus graduated from the University of Guelph in 2003 with an Honours Degree in Agricultural Science (focusing on Animal Science) while excelling in track and field. He currently is a national calibre Scottish Highland Games Heavy Events competitor, having placed third at the 2006 Canadian Championships.
Markus Wand joined the Provincial Board in October 2006 in replacement of long-time board member and Chairman, John Hemsted. Markus adds youth and enthusiasm to the Board and currently serves as Vice-Chair, Finance Committee Chair and is an Ontario representative on the Canadian Sheep Federation Board of Directors.
For more information on how to contact this producer, please contact OSMA at 519-836-0043
Ruco Braat, Provincial Director, District 7
Haliburton, Peterborough, Victoria, Duham, York, Toronto counties
Contact: Phone: (705) 939-2366 Fax:
(705) 939-1896
email: goldenfleece@nexicom.net
Ruco Braat is the District 7 representative at the Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency (OSMA). Ruco and his partner Kim, have a son Adrian who is 6, and a daughter Isabelle who is 4. Their farm is Goldenfleece Farms. They presently have about 400 Rideau ewes. They just started experimenting with crossing a few Rideau ewes with British Suffolks, and they are making a nice terminal cross says Ruco.
For more information on how to contact this producer, please contact OSMA at 519-836-0043
Chris
Kennedy, Provincial Director, District 8
Hastings, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington, Prince Edward & Leeds
counties
Contact: Phone: (613) 389-0554 Fax: (613)
389-2124
email: kennedy_chris@hotmail.com
Provincial Director for District 8, Chris joined the Board in June 2000. He is part owner, Chairman and General Manager of Topsy Farms Ltd. In 2001, Chris was elected a three year term as Vice-Chair of the Provincial Board in 2001.
Starting with sheep in 1974, the farm now runs about 600 ewes in a pasture based system on Amherst Island. Lambs are sold through Cookstown and the freezer trade. Recently Topsy farms has started marketing wool through value-added products.
Chris was born and raised in England. He completed his formal education with an Agricultural degree from Cambridge University. Then he worked with sheep in England and Scotland before coming to Canada in 1973. He is now a Canadian citizen.
Chris has played a very active role in representing the sheep industry on the Ontario Farm Environmental Coalition and the Ontario Farm Animal Council on environmental issues, and was a member of the Provincial Nutrient Management Advisory Committee. He continues to be involved in environmenal issues, including predation, on OSMA's behalf, and is the OSMA representative to the Ontario Federation of Agriculture.
For more information on how to contact this producer, please contact OSMA at 519-836-0043
Allan
Burn, Chair, Provincial Director, District 9
Renfrew, Lanark counties
Contact: Phone:
(613) 264-0801 Fax: (613) 812-8407
email: cairnfarm@xplornet.com
Perth-area producer Allan Burn was acclaimed to the Provincial Board representing District 9 in September, 2002. Burn and his wife Gail are members of the Canadian Sheep Breeders’ Association and raise Dorset Horned sheep. Burn is a graduate of Macdonald Agricultural College in Quebec. Burn replaces Philip Jones, also of Perth who has served on the OSMA board since 1999.
For more information on how to contact this producer, please contact OSMA at 519-836-0043
Gary Lapier, Provincial Director, District 10
Ottawa Carleton, Prescott & Russell, Stormont, Dundas, & Glengarry,
Leeds & Grenville counties
Contact: Phone: (613) 989-2792 Fax:
n/a
email: rockyhylandfarm@ripnet.com
Gary was born and raised on a mixed dairy farm in Eastern Ontario. His formal education includes an honours degree in Science and Bachelor of Education degree from University of Toronto in 1975. Gary held a position as a high school teacher (teaching Biology, Chemistry, Computers and Special Education) with the Carleton Board of Education until taking early retirement in the summer of 2006.
Gary has played an active role in District 10 for the last number of years; originally as President of the St Lawrence Farm Business Management Association and as secretary, treasurer, and chair of District 10’s Sheep committee.
Gary has been a part-time farmer for a number of years: raising beef, milking a herd of Jerseys and raising sheep. Now a full time sheep producer living near Kemptville. He feeds 325 commercial (Rideau x Dorset) ewes and markets his lamb at Leo’s (weekly livestock auction near Ottawa) or via the freezer trade.
For more information on how to contact this producer, please contact OSMA at 519-836-0043
Mark Lenover , Provincial Director, District 11
Nipissing, Sudbury, Manitoulin, Algoma counties
Contact: Phone: (705) 563-2966 Fax:
n/a
email: lenover@ontera.net
Mark took over duties of Provincial Director in October 2007 from long standing OSMA Director, Ron Wight.
For more information on how to contact this producer, please contact OSMA at 519-836-0043