For Release: September 28, 2005
Ontario Government Positions Agri-Food Industry For The
Future
New Policy Institute Promises Innovative Approach
GUELPH - The Ontario government is strengthening the province's
agri-food industry by helping it develop innovative plans with long-term
benefits that will improve our quality of life, Minister of Agriculture,
Food and Rural Affairs Leona Dombrowsky announced today.
"Ontario's economy relies on the agri-food industry. It is in our
best interests to plan now for future success," said Dombrowsky.
"The new Institute of Agri-Food Policy Innovation will take the lead
in ensuring that Ontarians can continue to enjoy the benefits of home-grown
products for generations to come."
The institute, developed in partnership with the University of Guelph,
will identify and assess policy issues of special significance to the
agri-food industry and rural communities. The result will be innovative
policy proposals that protect the environment, provide safe and nutritious
food, and have long-term benefit for all Ontarians.
"The agri-food industry is changing at an incredible pace and policy
is hard-pressed to keep up," said David Sparling, the Institute's
newly appointed executive director. "The Institute will tackle some
of today's big issues, but focus on looking ahead to future policy needs."
Sparling will work with an eight-member Board of Directors - leaders
from industry, government, and academia - with a wide range of expertise
in the farming, agribusiness, food, rural and consumers sectors.
"The ministry and the university have a long history of working
together and fully understand the benefits of strong partnerships,"
said Craig Pearson, board chair and dean of the Ontario Agricultural College.
"The creation of this institute will bring independent advice, a
global perspective and thinking 'outside the box' to the policy debate.
It is the natural next step towards a vital, internationally-competitive
industry."
In a strategic review conducted by the Ontario Agricultural College at
the University of Guelph, representatives of Ontario's agriculture, food
and rural communities expressed a strong desire for the college to take
a leading role in the development of forward looking policies.
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Contacts:
Kelly Synnott
Minister's Office
416-326-6439
David Sparling
Institute for Agri-Food Policy Innovation
519 824-4120 ext. 52775
BACKGROUNDER
BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE
INSTITUTE OF AGRI-FOOD POLICY INNOVATION
The institute will assess policy issues of special significance to the
future well-being of Ontario's agri-food economy and of associated rural
communities and the natural environment. It will communicate the results
of these analyses to agri-food and rural leaders, other policy makers,
the interested public and peers through the media and journals. The overall
goal is to stimulate the consideration, development and implementation
of agri-food and rural policies with long-term benefits for all Ontarians.
The Board of Directors is drawn from across the agri-food and rural sector:
Craig Pearson
Board Chair and Dean, Ontario Agricultural College (OAC)
Dr. Craig Pearson took over the leadership of Ontario Agricultural
College at the University of Guelph in December, 2001. He was formerly
a chief scientist with the federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries
and Forestry in Australia. Prior to that, Dr. Pearson was pro vice-chancellor
of the Gatton campus of the University of Queensland and executive dean
of its faculty of natural resources, agriculture and veterinary science.
In addition to his duties as dean of OAC, Craig is a professor of agricultural
policy in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Business.
Bob Bedggood
Chair, Agricultural Adaptation Council
Bob Bedggood is one of Ontario's outstanding farm leaders. Mr. Bedggood
joined the Agricultural Adaptation Council Board of Directors in 1999
and has served on its executive committee since 2000, and as chair since
2003. A former president of the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario
(CFFO), Mr. Bedggood also served on the national Agricultural Policy Framework
advisory committee on the environment and as co-chair of the Ontario Farm
Environmental Coalition . He continues to serve as a member of the Johnston
Hall Group that advises the dean of OAC on research, education and outreach
needs.
Most recently, he served as a member of the Agricultural Advisory Team
appointed by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
to investigate farm concerns related to the Greenbelt.
Ezio Di-Emanuele
Ontario Director, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
Ezio Di Emanuele is co-chair of the Canada-Ontario Agricultural Policy
Framework (APF) management committee and ex-officio board member of the
Ontario Agricultural Adaptation Council. He is also a board member with
Soy 20/20, BioEnterprise, and the Agriculture Research Institute of Ontario
(ARIO).
This year marks Mr. Di Emanuele's 25th year with the federal government.
His career to date has included Ottawa-based assignments as a policy advisor
to the Federal Minister of Agriculture (1980-84), and an AAFC Senior International
Trade Officer responsible for the People's Republic of China and Japan
desk from 1984-1988. He subsequently completed a 10 year (1988-1998) stint
with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
with assignments as a Senior Trade Commissioner at the Canadian Embassy
in Tokyo and the Canadian High Commission in Great Britain. While in London,
he was elected Chairman of the International Grains Council. Mr. Di Emanuele
holds a B.A. in Political Science from Lake Superior State University
and completed all course work for a Masters in Public Policy (M.P.P) from
the State University of New York at Buffalo.
John FitzGibbon
Director, School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, University
of Guelph
John FitzGibbon teaches community-based resource and environmental
management, water resources planning and management and land use planning,
primarily at the graduate level. He has also been involved in delivering
short courses on resources management internationally.
Mr. FitzGibbon is chair of the steering committee of the Ontario Farm
Environment Coalition that has been involved in developing environmental
farm plans on 12,000 farms in Ontario. He participates on several Agriculture
and Agri-Food Canada committees, and is actively involved in seven other
provincial, county and local committees dealing with land and water issues.
Catherine McKinley, MBA
President, CAM Corporation & McKinley Farms (St. Mary's) Ltd.
Catherine McKinley received her MBA in 1987 from the IVEY School of
Business, Dean's Honour List, University of Western Ontario. She has been
president of CAM Corp. since 1994, offering consulting services to the
agriculture, food, cosmetic and wine import sectors, and has also been
president of McKinley Farms Ltd. since 2000. Prior to that, she was chief
financial officer for McKinley Hatchery (St. Mary's) Ltd. and McKinley
Farms Ltd for nearly 20 years. Ms. McKinley is a director on the Vaccine
and Infectious Diseases Organization (VIDO) at the University of Saskatchewan
and chairs the Business and Finance Committee. She has also served as
a board member and vice-chair of the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission.
A founding director of the Poultry Industry Council, Ms. McKinley has
acted as chair of both its research and education committees. She was
awarded the Poultry Industry Council's Award of Merit for service to the
Canadian Poultry Industry in 1998.
Barbara Miller
President, Barbara Miller and Associates Incorporated
Barbara Miller works with clients whose business plans require the
successful collaboration between the private and public sectors. Previously,
she served as deputy minister of Ontario's Ministry of Economic Development
and Trade, serving as a champion for innovation and competitiveness in
Ontario.
Ms. Miller has extensive experience in the business world, and a background
in the food industry. In the private sector, she has held senior executive
positions with the Campbell Soup Company, Ault Foods and Parmalat, both
in Canada and internationally. She holds a bachelor of science from the
University of Guelph, and an MBA from Queen's University.
John Scott
President, Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers (CFIG)
Mr. Scott is an economist by profession, and following his post-graduate
studies in economics at Queen's University, moved to Alberta and was involved
in several business and government related ventures. From 1978 to 1990,
Mr. Scott was president of the economic consulting firm Scott & Fenrich
Consultants Incorporated, acting as a consultant to independent and chain
grocery operations across Canada and the United States. He was appointed
the economist on northern development by the government of Alberta for
two consecutive terms in 1985 and 1990, and was also contracted to develop
and implement the $130 million Alberta Heritage Fund Small Business and
Farm Interest Shielding Program.
Mr. Scott was appointed president of The Canadian Federation of Independent
Grocers in 1991. He is involved in a number of national industry and government
committees as well as several boards in his home community of Unionville.
Mr. Scott is also is a frequent speaker to audiences throughout North
America on the direction of the retail food industry. He has delivered
keynote addresses on the Canadian food industry at national events and
had the honour, on behalf of Canada, of speaking to the food industry
and government in Japan.
Jim Wheeler
Assistant Deputy Minister,
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA)
Mr. Wheeler has been with OMAFRA for the past 31 years. He has held
a number of director positions, was chair of the Ontario Farm Products
Marketing Commission, and assistant deputy minister of the Agriculture
and Rural Division.
In 2003, Mr. Wheeler assumed leadership for the policy and programs division
as its assistant deputy minister. His responsibilities include the ministry's
federal-provincial relations, the Agricultural Policy Framework, Farm
Income, Business Risk Management programming, trade issues and policy
co-ordination within the ministry. He has a keen interest in innovative
policy thinking and is known to challenge conventional approaches and
thinking.
David Sparling, B.Sc, MBA, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Institute of Agri-Food Policy Innovation
David Sparling combines an agri-food experience with a science and
business education. He was an associate professor in the Department of
Agricultural Economics and Business at University of Guelph.
He has been president of an agricultural production company, agri-business
insurance company and a biotechnology start-up commercializing a fibre-optic
DNA identification technology. His teaching and research interests are
in policy, value chain management and the commercialization of new technologies.
Mr. Sparling was a senior associate at the University of Melbourne, teaching
in the electronic Master of Agribusiness Program, and he recently developed
and taught an MBA course at the Australian Graduate School of Management
in Sydney.
Mr. Sparling has spoken at numerous conferences and workshops in the
United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland on issues related
to trade and animal health policy, innovation, value chains and biotechnology.
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Contact:
David Sparling
Institute of Agri-Food Policy Innovation
519 824-4120 ext. 52775
