What is OSCIA all about?

Eleanor Renaud owns and operates a 1,000-acre fifth generation farm in Leeds County. It was a dairy farm and now she runs a cow/calf operation and grows corn, beans, barley, oats and hay. 

Eleanor has been part of Leeds County Soil and Crop for the last 10 years. She has also been part of the Leeds County Federation of Agriculture Board of Directors since 1988, serving in a number of positions from board member to President. She currently serves as Secretary-Treasurer. 

Eleanor served as a councilor for Elizabethtown-Kitley Township for 24 years and also served on the boards of the Rural Ontario Municipal Association and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario where she had input into the municipal budgets for 19 years. 

Eleanor served on the OFA Board representing Leeds County for many years until 2008, and then served as the Zone director for Leeds, Grenville, Frontenac and Dundas Counties from 2008 – 2017.

Eleanor is proud to now sit on the executive of OSCIA as president. As a member of the OSCIA board she represents OSCIA to Farm and Food Care. She also sits on a National Species at Risk committee again representing OSCIA. This committee is very educational from the point that not all Provinces have the same programs as we have in Ontario to protect natural lands as well as agricultural lands. She does not see the same types of BMPs. They could all benefit from an OSCIA type of organization in each province.

Andy van Niekerk, P.Ag, CCA-ON

Andy’s “farmer-first” attitude in all his dealings and a never-ending curiosity to learn new things gives Andy the edge on trying new things and products.

Andy holds a Bachelor of Science (Agr) from the University of Guelph in 1980 and has been a Professional Agrologist (P.Ag.) since 1990 and a Certified Crop Advisor (CCA-ON) since 1999; most recently passing his 4R Stewardship requirements in 2016.

Andy is also a long time director on the board of the Innovative Farmers Association of Ontario, serving as their research committee chairperson.  Serving also on the OSCIA board as Provincial Director for the Georgian Central Region since 2019.

Andy lives and farms with his family in Simcoe County, where he operates his agronomy consulting business from his farm.

John is a second-generation grain farmer from the St Marys area in Southern Perth County. Alongside his wife Alanna and family, he grows corn, soybeans, winter wheat and dry beans. He also grows a variety of cover crops some for feed for neighbouring dairy farms and/or for planting green using primarily no-till practices. In the past he has grown crops that include processing peas and sweet corn and quinoa.

John has participated in on several commodity board local committees in the past and has been a member and director of the Perth County SCIA for over 30 years and a part of the Heartland regional board since its formation. He feels his involvement within the organization has given him the opportunity to associate and learn from and with tremendously talented and inspiring individuals and hopes he can help to continue to evolve the OSCIA as an organization that can do the same for others to foster continual improvement for themselves, those around them and their farms.

Brady farms with his wife Jade in Victoria county, and surrounding areas. They grow soybeans, corn and wheat, mostly doing no till. Brady also runs a custom farming business and works full time at a local agromart. Jade and Brady are also growing their herd of Charolais cattle. Brady enjoys his role on the board to help evolve the future of OSCIA. Brady also enjoys all the knowledge shared and practices he can take home to his own farm.

Phil is a cash crop farmer with his father west of St. Thomas in Elgin county.  In 2015 the family began transitioning their farm to organic, and now operates a fully certified operation growing corn, soybeans, dry edible beans, and various winter cereals.  While challenging, farming organically has pushed the family into adopting innovative new technology such as camera guided equipment, precision implements, and even using electricity for weed control.  Phil also runs a small organic elevator providing custom services to other organic farmers.  Phil and his wife Rachel have three children aged 4, 8 and 9 who keep them busy with soccer practice, piano lessons, and the occasional trip to the emergency room.

Phil has been a director in his local soil and crop for the past decade and has Elgin Soil and Crop Improvement Association to thank not only for creating a culture of continuous improvement in Elgin County, but also for meaningful friendships around the shared goal of improving the health of our soil and water.