Overview

The Excellence in Agriculture Awards recognizes excellence in the agriculture and food industry. Its purpose is to:

  • honour and encourage outstanding efforts that drive the agriculture and food sector forward
  • raise awareness of Ontario’s $50.7 billion agri-food sector that employs over 871,000 people and its enormous impacts on the province’s economy

Recipients receive engraved glass awards for their efforts, while honourable mentions receive certificates. Both gain access to a wordmark that can be used for promotional purposes.

Minister’s Award Winner

Award Winner: Growing Chefs! Ontario — Middlesex County

Growing Chefs! Ontario is a registered charity advancing food literacy by connecting chefs, growers, educators, and community members through hands-on food education projects. Their school programming has reached over 5,000 students and contributed to provincial curriculum development. They support food access through community gardens, nutrition programs and food box distribution, while fostering partnerships that strengthen local food systems across Ontario.

Research and Innovation Excellence

Demonstrating excellence in research and innovation and how those efforts are supporting the efficiency and/or effectiveness of Ontario’s primary production or processing/manufacturing agriculture and food sector.

Award Winner: Haven Greens — Regional Municipality of York

Kinghaven Farms Cultivation Limited, known as Haven Greens, is an innovative primary producer with its first-of-its-kind, fully automated greenhouse, producing over 3,500 kg of lettuce daily. Launched in 2025, they are pioneering advanced Controlled-Environment Agriculture (CEA) technology, including a mobile gully system and a nano-bubble irrigation system, while actively sharing their insights to support innovation across industry, community and academic partners.

Award Winner: Vineland Research and Innovation Centre — Regional Municipality of Niagara

Vineland Research and Innovation Centre is a non-profit organization operating a 218-acre campus with advanced research facilities driving horticulture innovation within Ontario. They strengthen Ontario’s agri-food supply chain by identifying growth opportunities, providing expertise, developing and commercializing Canadian-bred horticulture products, and by offering their facilities as test sites for new technologies.

Food Processing Excellence

Demonstrating excellence in food processing and how those efforts are supporting the efficiency and/or effectiveness of the Ontario agriculture and food processing sector.

Award Winner: BMKC Canada Inc. — Bruce County

BMKC Canada Inc. is an international award-winning food processor with a line of over 30 products, specializing in BBQ sauces, dry rubs, marinades and hot sauces. A female-led business, BMKC Canada Inc. prioritizes supporting Ontario growers and suppliers by sourcing over 85 per cent of their ingredients from within the province. They also work with other producers by providing co-packaging solutions, helping smaller producers access new markets and scale up their businesses.

Honourable Mention: Stone Bridge Flour — Bruce County

Stone Bridge Flour is a certified sustainable mill near Ripley, Ontario, producing high-quality stone-milled flour using grains from their farm and local farms while prioritizing long-term environmental stewardship. Their vertically integrated approach to production ensures traceability and oversight throughout their processes, providing high quality stone-milled flour throughout Ontario.

Education Excellence

Demonstrating excellence in awareness-building, innovation, training and/or skill development and how those efforts are supporting growth within Ontario’s agriculture and food sector.

Award Winner: Growing Chefs! Ontario — Middlesex County

Growing Chefs! Ontario is a registered charity advancing food literacy by connecting chefs, growers, educators, and community members through hands-on food education projects. Their school programming has reached over 5,000 students and contributed to provincial curriculum development. They support food access through community gardens, nutrition programs and food box distribution, while fostering partnerships that strengthen local food systems across Ontario.

Award Winner: Hillmanor Holsteins — Perth County

Hillmanor Holsteins, a family owned and operated dairy farm near Mitchell, Ontario, uses advanced technology such as robotic milking systems, automated feeders and real-time animal health monitoring to ensure herd health and increase production. Their operation was purpose built with an education and demonstration facility where they regularly host industry and public events including ‘Breakfast on the Farm’ in 2024.

Honourable Mention: Ontario Farmland Trust and the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, University of Guelph — Wellington County

The Ontario Farmland Trust, a not-for-profit organization, partnered with the University of Guelph to co-develop a graduate course, ‘Planning for Farmland Conservation’, which equips future agri-food professionals with the knowledge, skills and leadership capacity to safeguard the province’s agri-food systems. 

Promotional Excellence

Demonstrating excellence in promotion and how those efforts are encouraging consumers to buy Ontario grown and made agriculture and food products.

Award Winner: Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers — Essex County

Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG) is a non-profit organization representing approximately 170 greenhouse growers across Ontario, spanning over 4,300 acres. Their ‘Greenhouse Goodness’ digital campaign highlights the nutritional and sustainability benefits of greenhouse-grown vegetables. The campaign has significantly increased traffic on their webpage and digital resources, which include information on greenhouse produce, recipes and opportunities to connect with local producers.

Supply Chain Excellence

Demonstrating excellence in managing the journey from farm to fork and how those efforts strengthen and provide improved stability to Ontario’s agriculture and food supply chain.

Award Winner: Stone Bridge Flour — Bruce County

Stone Bridge Flour is a certified sustainable mill near Ripley, Ontario, producing high-quality stone-milled flour using grains from their farm and local farms while prioritizing long-term environmental stewardship. Their vertically integrated approach to production ensures traceability and oversight throughout their processes, providing high quality stone-milled flour throughout Ontario.

Honourable Mention: Guelph Poultry Veterinary Services — Wellington County

Guelph Poultry Veterinary Services, led by Dr. Anastasia Novy, provides proactive flock health programs across Ontario. Working with producers and processors, the clinic helps prevent diseases, improve bird welfare and ensure food safety. Through on-farm care and innovation support, they strengthen the province’s poultry sector and food supply chain.

Indigenous, Métis or Inuit-Owned Business or Community Excellence

Demonstrating leadership and/or excellence and how those efforts are supporting the growth and development of Ontario’s agriculture and food sector. The applicant must be an Indigenous, Métis or Inuit community, or a business wholly owned and operated by Indigenous, Métis or Inuit peoples.

Award Winner: Alexiou Farms — Simcoe County

Alexiou Farms, owned and operated by first-generation potato grower John Alexiou, integrates knowledge on Indigenous agriculture principles including crop rotation and soil stewardship to provide fresh potatoes to local consumers and regularly donates to food banks and churches. Through social media, John shares the process of potato production, providing education and awareness of the Ontario agri-food sector.

Farm Family Excellence

Demonstrating leadership and excellence and how those efforts are supporting the growth and development of Ontario’s agriculture and food sector.

Award Winner: The Fifty Acre Garden — Simcoe County

The Fifty Acre Garden, a family-run farm in Coldwater, Ontario, uses Korean Natural Farming methods and hydroponics to grow nutrient-rich food without synthetic inputs. Committed to sustainability, they avoid herbicides, donate a third of their produce to a local food bank, and offer volunteers a workshare program for fresh food.

Honourable Mention: Goldsmith’s Farm Market and Bakery — Grey County

Goldsmith's Farm Market and Bakery in Thornbury, Ontario, is a multi-generational on-farm grocery store offering local produce and baked goods. By showcasing in-season foods and sourcing locally, they support Ontario farmers and promote agri-food education in their community.

Women’s Excellence

Demonstrating leadership and/or excellence and how those efforts are supporting the growth and development of Ontario’s agriculture and food sector.

Award Winner: Canadian Women in Food — City of Toronto

Canadian Women in Food (CWIF) is an organization dedicated to advancing the success of women entrepreneurs, leaders and innovators in the agriculture and food sector. Through targeted programming, CWIF addresses the systemic under-representation of women in the industry and shifts perceptions to prove women’s leadership is essential in Ontario’s agricultural growth, sustainability and resilience.

Honourable Mention: Donna Small, Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority — Municipality of Chatham-Kent

Donna Small, Agricultural and Phosphorus Reduction Coordinator at Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority developed and delivered the ‘Precision Phosphorus Reduction Program’, a watershed management system reaching more than 180 farms spanning more than 10,000 acres. She also provides educational opportunities to local farmers through information sessions and participation in industry events.

Honourable Mention: Hereward Farms — Dufferin County

Hereward Farms is a woman-founded Ontario-business that cultivates lavender and sunflowers on 250-acres in East Garafraxa. Hereward Farms produces natural skincare, culinary goods and promotes sustainability, innovation and agri-tourism through its on-farm cafe and lounge.

Youth Excellence

Demonstrating leadership and/or excellence and how those efforts are supporting the growth and development of Ontario’s agriculture and food sector. The applicant/nominee must be 28 years old and younger.

Award Winner: Konrad Borowski, Beekon — Regional Municipality of Waterloo

Konrad Borowski, 23, founded Beekon, a Kitchener-Waterloo agri-tech company addressing pollinator health. Beekon’s recyclable, buoyant beehives adapt to flooding and support pollination in wetlands. Prototypes are active in the Great Lakes, including a formal testing site in Fort Erie, with an international pilot project underway in Malawi, Africa.

Northern Business Excellence

Demonstrating leadership and excellence and how those efforts are supporting the growth and development of Ontario’s agriculture and food sector. The business must be located in Northern Ontario.

Award Winner: Northern Wildflowers — Greater Sudbury

Northern Wildflowers, based in Lively, Ontario, produces high-quality, native wildflower and vegetable seeds for habitat restoration and sustainable gardening. Grown on their Northern Ontario farm and by Canadian partners, they have supported over 50 restoration projects. Their Seed Enhancement Lab and community donations advance biodiversity, education, food security and regreening across Eastern and Central Canada.

Honourable Mention: Cornell Farms — Rainy River District

Cornell Farms, operated by Rebecca and Kelsey Cornell in Emo, Ontario, produces and sells local beef while raising purebred cattle that can be found on farms throughout Northern Ontario. As a veterinarian, Rebecca supports herd health, trains vet students, and provides specialized services like embryo transfers in the community.

Contact us

If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at excellenceinagriculture@ontario.ca.