GUELPH, ON [July 16, 2026] – Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) members in southwestern and eastern Ontario will be voting in an election to choose their representatives on OFA’s provincial board of directors.
Elections will be held in Zone 1, representing Kent and Essex counties, and Zone 11, representing Dundas, Frontenac, Grenville and Leeds counties. Four candidates are seeking the two available director positions, with one director to be elected in each zone for a three-year term.
Returning directors in three other regions were acclaimed following the close of nominations. Andrea McCoy-Naperstkow will continue to represent Zone 8, which includes Arnprior, Lanark, Ottawa and Renfrew; Brian Crews will serve another term as director for Zone 12, representing Hastings, Lennox and Addington, Northumberland and Prince Edward; and Bill Groenheide will represent Zone 15, Northern Ontario, for three more years.
“I want to thank all of the candidates who have put their names forward and are willing to serve Ontario’s farm community,” says OFA President Drew Spoelstra. “Our organization is strongest when members are engaged, so I encourage everyone in the regions holding elections to learn more about the candidates and take the time to cast their ballot. The directors elected this fall will help bring local perspectives to the provincial board and shape OFA’s priorities and advocacy on behalf of farmers across Ontario.”
OFA’s board of directors provides leadership and direction for the organization and represents the interests of Ontario farmers and farm businesses. The board includes 15 Zone Directors elected by members across the province and three Directors-at-Large elected by delegates at OFA’s Annual General Meeting in November.
Candidates in Zone 1 – Essex and Kent
In Zone 1, Laura Mastronardi of Kingsville and Scott McGeachy of Chatham are seeking election to replace Louis Roesch who has held the seat since 2014.
Mastronardi is a third-generation farmer whose family grows apples, cherries, field tomatoes, corn and peaches near Kingsville and operates a local farm market. She is also a district committee representative with the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers.
McGeachy farms with his family south of Chatham, producing wheat, soybeans, commercial corn, seed corn and machine-harvested cucumbers. He is a past president of the Kent Federation of Agriculture and has a long history of industry involvement.
More information about Zone 1 candidates can be found here: ofa.on.ca/zone1election.
Candidates in Zone 11 – Dundas, Frontenac, Grenville and Leeds
In Zone 11, incumbent director Clint Cameron of Cardinal is running against Julian Whittaker of Prescott.
Cameron, whose family farm business includes a Boer goat breeding facility, grain and hay production, and a custom agricultural services business, first joined the OFA board as a director three years ago.
Whittaker is a sixth-generation farmer and vice-president of the Grenville Federation of Agriculture. He is also a member of OFA’s Policy Advisory Council.
More information about Zone 11 candidates can be found here: ofa.on.ca/zone11election.
Election process
OFA members in Zones 1 and 11 will receive election packages by mail during the week of August 10. Online, phone and mail voting opens Monday, August 17 and will be open until the end of the business day on Friday, September 11.
An election for a Director-at-Large will take place at OFA’s 2026 Annual General Meeting. Nominations for that position will open October 15.
About the Ontario Federation of Agriculture
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) represents 38,000 farm families across the province and serves as the leading advocate and strongest voice of Ontario’s farmers. As a dynamic farmer-led organization, the OFA represents and champions the interests of Ontario farmers through advocacy and government relations, research and farm policy recommendations, media and public relations, community representation, and more.
For more information or to arrange an interview:
Tyler Brooks
Director, Communications and Stakeholder Relations
Ontario Federation of Agriculture
519-821-8883
[email protected]