Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission: members

Overview

The Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission (commission) comprises a chair, vice chair and other members, all appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council.

The diverse membership is made up of producers and processors with a variety of business, industry and commodity experience.

Brendan Byrne, chair

• Commission chair since 2025
• Current manager of cash crop farm operation
• Former director of District 1 Essex - Grain Farmers of Ontario
• Former chair of Grain Farmers of Ontario
• Former vice chair of Presidents Council
• Former chair of Essex County Soil and Crop Improvement Association
• Graduate Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (Class 17)

Ralph Dietrich, vice chair

• Commission vice chair since 2023
• Commission member since 2019
• Current owner and partner of Character Dairy Genetics
• Current dairy farmer
• Former chair of the Dairy Farmers of Ontario
• Former chair of Gay Lea Foods Co-operative

Cameron McWilliam, member

• Commission member since 2019
• Current turkey, beef cattle and cash crop producer
• Current director of Community School Alliance
• Past Mayor of Dutton/Dunwich
• Past Warden of Elgin County
• Former chairman of the Dutton Highland Games committee
• Former fundraiser for the St. Thomas-Elgin General Hospital Foundation, Bobier Villa and the John Kenneth Galbraith Reference Library

William George, member

• Commission member since 2022
• Current owner and president of George II Farms Ltd. (Wine Grape grower in the Niagara Region)
• Former chair of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association
• Former chair of Grape Growers of Ontario
• Former chair of the Presidents’ Council
• Former Ontario director of the Canadian Horticulture Council

Cheryl Firby, member

• Commission member since 2023
• Retired 2022 from Maple Leaf Foods as vice president of live agricultural operations (chicken and turkey) and industry relations
• Former chair and director of the Association of Ontario Chicken Processors
• Former vice chair and director of Ontario Broiler Hatching Egg and Chick Commission
• Former alternate director for Canadian Hatching Egg Producers
• Former member of Canadian Poultry and Egg Processors Council
• Served on various working committees provincially and nationally to support improvements to animal welfare, food safety, COVID-19 and avian influenza responses