They are Amy Cronin, chairman of the Ontario Pork marketing
board, Scott Graham, chairman of the Egg Farmers of Ontario marketing board, consultant
Ted Bilyea who was executive vice-president of Maple Leaf Foods Inc., Jim
Brandle who is chief executive officer f the Vineland Research and Innovation
Centre, Christian von Twickel who is executive vice-president of Dr. Oetker
which recently opened a pizza-production facility at London, and Norm Beal,
president and founder of Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery.
The committee is chaired by Deb Stark, deputy of the Ontario
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
Jamison Steeve of the Martin Prosperity Institute within the
Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, is also a member.
They face a daunting challenge because the number of farmers quitting continues and huge processing plants have been shutting down, including the Heinz ketchup plant in Leamington, the Kellogg breakfast cereal plant in London, the Schneider meats plant in Kitchener and Standard Brand's meat-processing plant in Toronto.
But in a news release, Ontario Agriculture Minister Jeff Leal says “Ontario's agriculture and agri-food sector is a
pillar for our economy.
"By bringing together experts from a wide range of
backgrounds, this committee will focus on strategic opportunities to achieve
the premier's target of 120,000 new jobs in the sector by 2020.”
Premier Kathleen Wynne announced that goal when she was also serving as agriculture minister.
