Farms.com Home   Ag Industry News

Veal Farmers of Ontario comes into effect

Officially did so on Wednesday, April 1st, 2015

By Diego Flammini, Farms.com

Ontario’s veal producers now have new marketing board to call their own – Veal Farmers of Ontario (VFO).

The organization, that officially came into effect on Wednesday, April 1st, 2015, will have the power to regulate and collect its own licensing fee, currently set at $4.00 per head. The price is consistent with what Beef Farmers of Ontario previously collected.

Veal farmers will now also be exempt from the beef check-off system so they will not have to pay double the licensing fees.

The inaugural board of directors will consist of eight producers who the Farm Products Marketing Commission appointed. Their tenures on the board of directors will last at least for the first year of operations.

“I am pleased to represent Ontario’s veal farmers as we begin the work of the Veal Farmers of Ontario. The Ontario Veal Association built a solid foundation during the past twenty-five years of service to the veal industry,” said Brian Keunen, VFO Chair who along with his family operates a grain-fed operation near Palmerston, Ontario. “I look forward to strengthening the connections we have in the calf industry, starting with the dairy farm all the way through the production system to processors, retailers and consumers.”

Chris Vervoot has been appointed the Vice Chair, while Pascal Bouilly, Judy Dirksen, Randy Drenth, Joyce Feenstra, Tom Kroesbergen, Alisa Craig and Tom Oudshoorn make up the rest of the board of directors.

At this time last year, the province had 2,622 heads of veal.

Join the discussion and give us your thoughts on the newly formed Veal Farmers of Ontario and the impact you think it will have on veal production and value.


Trending Video

Dr. David Rosero: Fat Quality in Swine Diets

Video: Dr. David Rosero: Fat Quality in Swine Diets

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. David Rosero from Iowa State University explores the critical aspects of fat quality and oxidation in swine diets. He discusses how different types of lipids affect pig performance and provides actionable insights on managing lipid oxidation in feed mills. Don’t miss this episode—available on all major platforms.

Highlight quote: "Increasing levels of oxidized fats in swine diets reduced the efficiency of feed utilization, increased mortality, and led to more pigs being classified as culls, reducing the number of full-value pigs entering the finishing barns."

Meet the guest: Dr. David Rosero / davidrosero is an assistant professor of animal science at Iowa State University. His research program focuses on conducting applied research on swine nutrition and the practical application of smart farming. He previously served as the technical officer for The Hanor Company, overseeing nutrition, research, and innovation efforts.