OSCIA is pleased to announce that Gord Speksnijder has accepted the position as Provincial Director for the Quinte Region.

Gord is from Northumberland County where his parents settled in 1956 after leaving Holland.   Poultry, specifically a broiler chicken operation, was the main business on the farm where Gord grew up, with cropping being a side business.  The land provided a place to spread the manure and the straw generated from the crops was utilized for the chicken bedding.

Gord went to the University of Guelph and obtained his MSc in Animal Bio Technology.  He worked for the University of Georgia in the genetics department, before moving  back to the area to help on the farm on a part time basis.  Working part time allowed him to take on other roles.  Gord has been  a research coordinator for both the Poultry Industry Council and the Canadian Poultry Research Council(CPRC).  He eventually became the executive director for the CPRC but as the roll grew, Gord realized he did not want to commit full time.  Instead, he returned to the farm, full time.

The family recently got out of the poultry business, leaving Gord and his brother to cash crop 300 acres.  With a lot more time on his hands, Gord has started to direct his energy and research skills into learning more about, and improving, his plant and soil health.  Gord has experimented with cover crops,  germination timing and products such as bio-stimulants.  Research provided an abundance of information that  made it challenging to find what was helpful and applicable.

Gord recognizes that with the overload of both facts and opinions that exist at our finger tips, it is essential to identify what truly works and is applicable  in our area.  He has seen the sharing of ideas and innovation that exists within the Soil and Crop community and is passionate about being part of it.

Gord brings a lot of positive energy to the Provincial Director role and we look forward to working with him to build on our previous successes.

To contact Gord, please feel free to reach out by email at gspeksnijder@ontariosoilcrop.org