The vice-president of strategic development for the new Grain Farmers of Ontario is leaving the post just three months after the group became the official marketing body for the province’s corn, soy and wheat growers.
Dale Petrie, who had previously been the general manager of the Ontario Soybean Growers (OSG) since September 2007, will step down as of Friday (March 26), the GFO said in a release earlier this week.
Petrie’s duties at the GFO included oversight of market development, research and innovation, and public affairs and communications — tasks which will be managed by GFO staff starting next week until a replacement is named.
The process to fill Petrie’s position will start “immediately,” the GFO said.
Petrie “has been instrumental in working through the transition from the three boards to GFO and focusing the organization on adding value to producers,” the GFO said in its release.
The GFO, which merged and replaced the former OSG, Ontario Corn Producers’ Association and Ontario Wheat Producers’ Marketing Board starting Jan. 1, didn’t give reasons Monday as to why Petrie was leaving the organization.
