Nipissing-Sudbury Co-op director receives Ontario Master Forage title

James Parsons, dairy farmer from Cache Bay and long time customer and director with Co-operative Regionale de Nipissing Sudbury Ltd. has been named 2009 Ontario Forage Master at the 22nd Annual Ontario Forage Masters Competition at the Royal Agriculture Winter Fair in November.

Over 165 participants from 24 counties and districts across Ontario were involved where Parsons had the opportunity to present innovative ideas and forage management techniques to peers and guests.

After receiving this honour, Parsons said he was honoured to have been given this title and looks forward to representing Ontario in Missouri in June when he competes in the American Forage and Grassland Council’s Spokesperson Contest.

AGRIS Co-operative returns $500,000 in patronage to its farmer owners

An income before tax profit of $2.3 million for 2009 was reported by AGRIS Co-operative Ltd. board president, David Malott to the co-operative’s members at its annual meeting held at Club Lentinas, in Chatham.

AGRIS Co-operative recorded agronomy sales of more than $57 million for fiscal 2009. Based on these results, Malott announced that the board of directors declared a cash patronage of $250,000 and will issue new shares in the amount of $250,000 to their owners. In addition more than $405,000 in interest on investments with the co-operative will be returned to the member-owners of AGRIS and the local communities it serves. Patronage will be calculated based upon members’ purchases and grain sold.

In his year-end report, David Malott told members that previously, the co-op’s shareholders were referred to as members but in reality they are really owners of the co-operative. “Therefore, starting this fiscal year we will be using the term owners when referring to our member-shareholders,” said Malott.

The election of directors for the co-operative was held and re-elected to a three year term from the Cottam area were John Sauvé, from Chatham, Scott McGeachy, from Maidstone, Ray Simard and newly elected from the Thamesville area were Jim Anderson and David Sherman. The board of directors met immediately after the meeting and conducted the election of officers. David Malott was re-elected as president, Larry Pajot as vice-president and Pat Vanjeule as secretary.

Retiring board directors Dennis Jack (L) and Krin Dieleman ( R) are presented with appreciation awards by fellow director John Sauve.



 

Announcing 2009 GROWMARK University of Guelph scholarship award winners

Each year in Ontario, GROWMARK awards $4,000 in scholarship funds to several exemplary students attending the University of Guelph.

The award winners must have completed six credits of the B.Sc. Ag program or B.Comm. Agri Business or four credits of the Associate Diploma Programs at any campus of the Ontario Agriculture College. Students must have an average of 70%, demonstrated leadership abilities and have been involved in extracurricular activities, community service or agricultural employment. The University is responsible for the selection process.

This year’s recent Ontario scholarship winners are:

University of Guelph, Ontario Agriculture College, Guelph Campus:

• Matthew Setzkorn of Franklin, PA, USA—B.Sc. Ag-Agroecosystems
• Shuang Li, of Guangxi, China ---B.Sc. Ag Economics

Presenting GROWMARK OAC scholarship awards to Shuang Li and Matthew Setzkorn at Guelph Campus is Janice Johnson, marketing and communication specialist, GROWMARK Ontario Region.

 University of Guelph, Ontario Agriculture College, Ridgetown Campus:

• Matthew Finch of Belmont, ON – Associate diploma in Agriculture 
• Lorraine Kroes of Clinton, ON-Associate diploma in Horticulture

  

Presenting GROWMARK OAC scholarship awards to Lorraine Kroes and Matthew Finch at Ridgetown College Campus is Clark Aitken, crop sales specialist with AGRIS Co-operative Ltd.

University of Guelph, OAC- Kemptville College:

• Jacob Droogh of North Gower ON (Associate Diploma in Agriculture) 

University of Guelph, OAC- Campus d'Alfred (received May 2009): 

• Jean-Michel Provost of Chrysler, ON (Association Diploma in Horticulture)
• Daniel Poirier of Lefaivre, ON (Associate Diploma in Agriculture)

 Congratulations to all 2009 GROWMARK FS Co-operative Scholarship winners!