Our Role

The mission of the Ontario Forage Council is to provide leadership to the Ontario forage industry through communication, research, technology transfer, market development, advocacy, policy development and bringing stakeholders together.

Organization Objectives:

  • to act as the primary forage information source,
  • to collaborate with other Ontario agricultural organizations for the development of information and educational materials as well as other service related projects for forages,
  • to assist in the objective development of research priorities, coordination of research projects, and patent registration related to forage production, management and marketing,
  • to promote the positive environmental impacts of forage and grassland on soil and water conservation, carbon sequestration, reclamation, wildlife habitat and aesthetic value,
  • to identify, receive and distribute funds to support development of the Ontario forage industry,
  • to develop and promote market innovations at the local and export levels (i.e. pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products).

Our Executive Team

President

Birgit Martin Independent birgit@pureislandbeef.com

1st Vice President

Scott Bowman Speare Seeds
sbowman@speareseeds.ca

2nd Vice President

Joe Dickenson Beef Farmers of Ontario joe@dickensonfarms.com

Past President

Terry Nuhn
Nuhn Forage
terrynuhn@yahoo.ca

Our Directors

NameCompanyEmail Address
Joe DickinsonBeef Farmers of Ontario (2nd Vice)joe@dickensonfarms.com
Roger BoersenDairy Farmers of Ontarioroger.boersen@milk.org
Erin MorganOntario Sheep Farmersemorgan@ontariosheep.org
Patricia EllingwoodOFC Staffsupport@ontarioforagecouncil.com
Terry NuhnNuhn Forage (Past Chair)nuhnforage@quaro.net
Sam LuckhardtOntario Hay Marketing Forumskluckhardt@gmail.com
Fritz TrauttmansdorffOntario Hay and Forage Co-opfritz@dunleafarms.com
Geoff BedardCan Grow Crop Solutions Inc.gbedard@biolinecorp.ca
Dave SchraaOSCIAdschraa@ontariosoilcrop.org
Birgit MartinIndependent (CHAIR)birgit@pureislandbeef.com
Fred BrownQuality Seedsfred@qualityseeds.ca
Scott BowmanSpeare Seeds (Vice Chair)sbowman@speareseeds.ca
Stephen RongitsGROWMARKsrongits@growmark.com
Barry RobinsonSemicanbrobinson@semican.ca
Scott FisherMapleseedscott.fisher@mapleseed.ca
Chris MeierA & L Canada Laboratoriescmeier@alcanada.com
Donna HancockUniversity of Guelphdhancock@uofguelph.ca
Tom FaulknerProrich Seedsdeb_prorich@hotmail.com
Travis GrubbKubota Canadatravis.grubb@kubota.com
Bob KerrIndividual Memberbobpatkerr@gmail.com
Ryan ParishDLF PICKSEEDryan.parish@dlfpickseed.com
Jack LeggSGS Agrifood LaboratoriesJack.legg@sgs.com
Scott ThompsonInternational Stock Foodss.thomson@quadro.net
Neil WidemanSilo Kingneilwideman@yahoo.ca
Mark HorstMarcrest Manufacturing, Inc.carol@balebaron.com
Christine O’Reilly (ex-officio)OMAFRA Forage & Grazier SpecialistChristine.OReilly@ontario.ca

Our Staff

general Manager

Patricia Ellingwood
PO Box 463
Markdale, Ontario
NOC 1H0
Phone: 877-892-8663
Fax: 519-986-2643
support@ontarioforagecouncil.com 

Communications Assistant

Joan McKinlay
RR 1
Ravenna, Ontario
NOH 2E0
Phone: 519-599-6236
Fax: 519-599-6236
jmckinlay@bmts.com

Executive Assistant

Pending

Thank you to our website sponsors!

Bronze Level