Huron County pork producer Tara Terpstra has been elected Ontario Pork’s new chair. Ottawa Valley producer Bruce Hudson is the organization’s new vice-chair.
“I’m deeply honoured and excited to embark on this journey,” Terpstra said in a release. “Serving as the chair of Ontario Pork offers a unique chance to champion the needs of pork producers in animal care, risk management, processing, and other areas.”
Terpstra said that serving four years as a board member and as vice-chair for the past 12 months was enhanced by the mentorship and leadership of the outgoing chair, John deBruyn, who served 13 years as chair.
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“I vividly remember meeting John back in April of 2018. I had just completed the leadership training program at Ontario Pork, and John and I were both en route to Ottawa to participate in the lobby day,” Terpstra said of deBruyn at Ontario Pork’s annual meeting last month. “I was both excited and really nervous. John, with his wealth of experience and his calm demeanour, didn’t just make the trip enlightening—he made it inspiring.”
Bruce Hudson previously served as an Ontario Pork board member, and much like Terpstra, has deep roots in the farming community and shares an interest in advancing the industry.
Karen Sanders, Tanya Terpstra, Arno Schober, and Jolanda Van Den Broek round out the board, with Philip Van Raay, TJ Murray and Eric Schwindt serving as At Large board members.
“I look forward to working with pork producers and industry on fostering collaboration and unity within the pork sector as we navigate the challenges ahead and seize the opportunities to create a thriving, sustainable future for all involved,” Terpstra said in the release.
