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Beef Farmers Welcome Minister Sam Oosterhoff to Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness Portfolio
September 10, 2026
Sam Oosterhoff, Minister of Agriculture, Food & Agribusiness
The Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO) extends a warm welcome to Sam Oosterhoff following his appointment today by Premier Doug Ford as Ontario’s Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness. As a Member of Provincial Parliament for Niagara West since 2018, Minister Oosterhoff brings an understanding of the priorities of rural communities, and the importance of advancing rural economic development and reducing regulatory burden.
“We are ready to work closely with Minister Oosterhoff and all Members of Provincial Parliament to ensure Ontario’s beef farmers have access to the supports and resources they need to navigate the significant market volatility currently affecting our sector,” says Jason Leblond, BFO President. “These circumstances are beyond the control of our members, making effective government programs and partnerships more important than ever.”
As an immediate priority, BFO is prepared to work with Minister Oosterhoff to secure an increase to the individual operational cap under Ontario’s Risk Management Program (RMP). Maintaining a strong provincial risk management program is increasingly important given the uncertainty facing our sector and the potential for trade disruptions to quickly affect cattle markets and producer returns.
“We are also eager to continue advancing the Ontario Beef Breeder Loan Guarantee Program, which was developed to support young and beginning farmers, reduce barriers to entry and create opportunities to grow Ontario’s cow herd,” added Leblond.
On behalf of BFO’s Board of Directors and the 19,000 beef farmers we represent, BFO also extends its sincere appreciation to outgoing Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness Trevor Jones for his leadership and service. In particular, BFO recognizes his role in advancing our request for a provincial government guarantee to support the Ontario Beef Breeder Loan Program. We wish Minister Jones well as he transitions to his new role as Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development.
BFO congratulates all new and returning cabinet ministers on their appointments and looks forward to working collaboratively with the Government of Ontario to support and strengthen the province’s beef and broader agri-food sectors.
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To see a full list of cabinet changes, click here to visit the Government of Ontario website.