Leadership

Art Alblas, Chair

Art Alblas  

OSF Chair

District 1

Art joined the Ontario Sheep Farmers board in October 2021. He grew up on a dairy farm, and currently raises a commercial crossbred and registered purebred Dorper and Southdown flock, marketing lambs and replacement breeding stock while growing field crops. In between his grassroots farming experiences, Art had a 40-year career in agribusiness, employed at Masterfeeds Inc. for most of that time. In his role at Masterfeeds he held senior management roles in provincial sales, marketing, animal nutrition, and national executive management as division general manager. He is a graduate of Centralia College of Agricultural Technology – Agri Business Management.

As an OSF board member, Art is involved in a variety of committees including, animal husbandry, GenOvis technical, governance, Maedi-Visna, convention, and the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission Sheep Industry Advisory.

Art is optimistic about the opportunities in today’s Ontario sheep industry, fueled by the energy of our new entrants, citing the potential for tremendous growth in the provincial, national and global marketplace.

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Ken Lamb, 1st Vice Chair

Art Alblas 

Director

District 7

Full-time farmer and part-time volunteer, Ken Lamb joined the Ontario Sheep Farmers (OSF) board in 2021. But he’s no stranger to participating in various community and farm organizations. He’s been chair of his local district, is a founding member of Trillium Lamb Inc, – a lamb marketing company and is the current chair of Large Flock Operators – a producer management group.

Ken has a B.Sc. (Agr) in agricultural economics from the University of Guelph, and has been raising sheep since 2010 when he made the switch from hogs and cattle. He’s inspired by the awesome people who make up the sheep industry. And he’s working to help create an environment that helps all sheep producers thrive, including the next generation that has joined him on the family farm.

Ken knows leadership is hard work. But he also knows the process of gaining insights from multiple views and working together to move forward is worth the effort. On the OSF board, he’s part of the finance, RMP, and vegetative abatement committees. 

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Karen Davis, 2nd Vice Chair 

 

Karen Davis 

Director

District 9 

Karen is a full-time producer as well as a Certified Nutrient Management Planner/Consultant, presently working part-time for Crop Quest Inc. in Eastern Ontario. She has been operating a pasture based, annual lambing operation since 2012.

Karen has been an active member in her district prior to joining the OSF Board. She graduated from the University of Guelph, Animal Science program in 2003. She currently sits on the OSF Animal Husbandry, Vegetative Abatement, Recruitment and Environmental Resource Rep. committees.

Operating as a large flock of 1000 ewes she felt it was important to run for a position on the board to give a voice to large pasture-based operations.  She loves the diversity in the Ontario Sheep Industry from meat to milk, large to small flock sizes, pasture to confinement, young producers to retiring age producers.  Karen believes it is important that our industry meets the needs of all these groups and offers success and profitability for whatever management chosen.

Karen, her husband and her 3 children are all hands on in the success and day-to-day operations of the farm.

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Jay Lennox 

Jay Lennox 

Director

District 2

Jay is a second-generation full-time shepherd and has been farming since 2018 near Ayton, Ontario. He operates a flock of Canadian Arcott and Rideau Arcott ewes. Jay lambs on an accelerated system indoors and uses intensive pasture management for dry and breeding ewes. He markets lambs through the production system including new crop lambs, heavy lambs as well as Canadian Arcott breeding ewes and rams. 

Jay was involved with OSF prior to joining the board as District 2 Chair and Vice Chair. He holds a Diploma in Agriculture Management and a Degree in Agribusiness, both from Olds College, AB. He currently sits on the OSF Research, RMP and a new committee supporting 'new producers'.

He looks forward to supporting the OSF strategic plan and moving the industry forward in a way that supports sheep farmers in making their businesses profitable and sustainable. In his spare time, he enjoys doing some contract shearing occasionally, playing hockey in the winter and competing in plowing matches in the fall. Jay represented Canada at the 2017 World Plowing Match in Kenya.

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Keith Todd, Director

Keith Todd

Director

District 3

A fourth generation Ontario sheep farmer, Keith Todd raises a commercial and purebred flock (Southdown, Suffolk, Ile de France, and Dorset) of 600 ewes. Keith is currently serving his second year as an Ontario Sheep Farmers director and sits on the dairy sheep, genetics, and governance committees. He is also the president of the Canadian Sheep Breeders Association.

Before becoming a full-time farmer in 2005, Keith was a nutritional consultant and sheep specialist for Land O'Lakes Inc. He is a graduate of Ridgetown College, achieving an Associate Diploma in Agriculture.

As a leader and mentor in the sheep industry, Keith actively encourages others to enter the sheep industry. He believes it’s important to share knowledge and experiences to help others succeed on their own farms and collectively grow the provincial sheep sector together. 

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Marusha Kostuk, Director

Marusha Kostuk

Director

District 4

Marusha Kostuk didn’t set out to be a sheep farmer. She grew up in the family restaurant business, obtained a BA in food management from the University of Guelph, and is now a part-time sheep farmer. Marusha purchased her farm more than 10 years ago and raises light market lambs from her 100-ewe commercial flock. She loves the process of raising her lambs, working with butchers, and seeing the enjoyment from her customers.

Marusha joined the Ontario Sheep Farmers (OSF) board in 2021, and participates on research, environment, and governance committees. She’s inspired by the diversity of the industry – the people, management styles, and flock sizes, and also by the similarities, they all share in working together to be successful and raise healthy animals.

When it comes to leadership, Marusha brings the perspective of someone newer to the sheep business and agricultural community and wants to help build the industry for small and large producers alike.

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Ryan Schill, Director 

Ryan Schill

Director

District 5

Ryan is serving in his first term as director. He is a full-time producer along with his wife Romy. Together they run a modified accelerated lambing system, with a group usually lambing every other month. Their operation focuses on maternal prolific crosses and pure Dorsets for maternal and terminal traits and use a TMR to feed their flock. He is a first-generation shepherd and joined OSF 18 years ago when he started production.  Prior to joining the board, he was involved at the district level and was, most recently, the Secretary for the last few years.

Starting as new sheep producers (with zero experience), he and Romy have been working full-time at home for the last 4 years and also run a wool retail business. Ryan attended Lakeland College in Vermilion AB and received an Agricultural Certificate.

He currently sits on the OSF Finance, RMP and Research Committees. Ryan decided to run and join the board because he would like to help drive the industry forward. He has 3 children that are eager to help with lambs and chores. In his spare time he likes to go skiing and snowboarding with his family. 

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 Grant Cowan, Director 

Grant Cowan

Director

District 6

Granrt is currently serving his first term on the Ontario Sheep Farmers (OSF) Board of Directors.

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Wesley Godden, Director

 

Wesley Godden

Director

District 9

Wesley is currently serving his first term on the Ontario Sheep Farmers (OSF) Board of Directors.

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Devon Wensink, Director

 

Devon Wensink 

Director

District 10

Devon is currently serving his first term on the Ontario Sheep Farmers (OSF) Board of Directors.

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Jenna Wight, Director

Jenna Wight

Director

District 11

She farms part time with her father in northern Ontario running a pasture-based system with annual lambing. When not focusing on the board Jenna works in Ontario and Quebec as a ruminant consultant for Purina. 

Jenna’s family has had sheep her entire life and has been actively involved in the Ontario sheep industry. She holds a Bachelor of Science in agriculture from the University of Guelph in Animal Science. Prior to joining the OSF board, was involved in several different organizations such as the OAC Sheep and Goat club and also in the local 4H and Ontario Youth Lamb producers. 

Jenna currently sits on the dairy sheep committee and new entrance committee. She joined the OSF board knowing she wanted to continue being part of agriculture in Ontario from a leadership perspective and would like to see other young producers be able to stay in the industry. She is passionate about agriculture in the north. 

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To find out what counties each district represents click here.

Communication with the Board of Directors

While Ontario Sheep Farmers Board meetings are held in closed session, we are committed to ensuring open communication between member producers and the Board of Directors. Producers are invited to submit any matter pertaining to the business of Ontario Sheep Farmers for consideration by the Board.

Producers may make a submission to the Board of Directors. All written materials, including a written summary of any proposed oral submission to the board, must be delivered to the Ontario Sheep Farmers' office to the attention of the General Manager, three weeks prior to the Board meeting date.

The Ontario Sheep Farmers Board will make every effort to accommodate all producer requests in a timely fashion unless the proposed matter has already been duly considered by the Board, or is deemed to be a matter, which falls outside the jurisdiction of Ontario Sheep Farmers.

Unless otherwise stated all Board meetings are held in Guelph.