The Ontario Produce Marketing Association has three new directors and a new board chair, following appointments made at its Annual General Meeting, June 11 in Toronto.
The members of the board’s 2024-25 executive team includes Amanda Knauff of Taylor Farms as chair, Dan Tukendorf of the Ontario Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association as vice chair, Steve Moffatt of North American Produce Buyers as treasurer and Adam Donikian of Sobeys Ontario as immediate past chair, according to a news release.
Knauff, who will serve a one-year term as the new chair, has been on the OPMA board of directors since 2021, mostly recently as vice chair. She also is co-chair of the OPMA Women in Produce Committee, which she co-founded in 2023 with Leah Hardy of The Wonderful Company.
“I am honored and thrilled to serve as your new chair of the Ontario Produce Marketing Association, along with newly appointed Dan Tukendorf as vice chair,” Knauff said in the release. “Building on our current momentum, I'm excited to drive forward our current strategies and initiatives along with a strong board of directors.”
OPMA said the produce sector has faced multiple challenges in past years — including a changing economy and labor and supply chain issues — but it has weathered changes and continues to grow. One of the changes Knauff supports is the increase in diversity in the agricultural and produce industries workforce, including on OPMA’s board and membership, according to the release.
“When I think about this coming years’ key strategies, we must continue to encourage diversity across everything we do,” Knauff said. “Great strides have already been made with recent updates to our voting by-laws, and the formation of the OPMA Women’s Produce Network this past year. Let’s stay engaged with both the WPN and the Young Professionals Network. They're vital for our industry's future success, and I'm committed to their growth.”
OPMA announced at the June 11 annual meeting that two Directors had decided not to seek re-election. OPMA’s board thanked Matt Quiring of Nature Fresh Farms and Marc Wall of Sandy Shore Farms for volunteering their time toward the industry and the association.
Eric Biddiscombe from Algoma Orchards, Greg Ogiba from Mike and Mike’s, and Frank Spagnuolo from the Burnac Produce Group are the three new directors joining the board. They will each serve three-year terms from 2024 to 2027.
“We want to warmly welcome our 2024 board members — both new and returning — and thank them for their commitment toward the OPMA and the work that we do,” OPMA President Rebecca Harris said in the release. “We also want to thank our departing directors for their efforts, as well as the many volunteers in our membership that continually support our activities by giving freely of their time and expertise. We look forward to continuing to execute on our Strategic Plan and helping to foster and build growth and sustainability in the sector.”