2025 President Report
Eleanor Renaud
Leeds County, Ottawa Rideau Region
Serving in the role of OSCIA President is one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had, because I’ve gotten to see firsthand how our research partnerships, knowledge events, and cost-share initiatives deliver real, on-farm value across Ontario.
What makes OSCIA’s work unique is that it’s driven by Ontario producers. Projects are carried out locally, on real farms, led by passionate farmers and industry partners implementing practices under real, in-field conditions. Together, these efforts generate results that save time, reduce costs, improve profitability, and leave soil, water, air, and crops healthier for the next generation.
To deliver meaningful value to members year after year, OSCIA must also be supported by a strong and well-governed organization behind the scenes. Over the past year, OSCIA has undertaken significant planning and review to strengthen our internal capacity and ensure we are well positioned to serve members effectively, now and into the future.
As part of this work, we have introduced a new, collaborative organizational structure and appointed Julie Henderson as OSCIA’s first General Manager. In this role, Julie serves as the primary link between staff and the Board, supporting clear communication, transparency and alignment between organizational strategy and program delivery. Julie, together with OSCIA’s Senior Leadership Team, brings proven expertise in supporting members, advancing program delivery, and strengthening partnerships across the organization.
This structure represents a deliberate shift away from a single-leader model toward shared leadership. A Senior Leadership Team now guides key operational and strategic decisions, supported by Senior Managers who provide day-to-day leadership to staff teams and ensure programs are delivered consistently and effectively.
For members and partners, these changes mean improved transparency, stronger internal coordination, and more timely decision-making informed by both on-farm realities and organizational expertise. Program administration—including applications and claims—will be better supported through a coordinated leadership approach, and our education and research efforts will be more closely aligned with the needs and priorities of farmers.
Thank you for your patience and understanding throughout this transition. We recognize this has been a cultural change and that adjustments of this nature can involve a period of learning and refinement. However, we are confident this structure strengthens OSCIA’s ability to serve its members and reinforces our long-standing commitment to collaboration, accountability and innovation.
At the same time, we’ve built on our already-strong relationships with our government funding partners and are actively exploring new opportunities and partnerships that we look forward to sharing in the coming year.
Our education and research programs, and the cost-share initiatives we administer, continue to be successfully implemented and embraced by producers. These benefit all farmers in Ontario, no matter what commodity you’re in. Whether it’s building better soil health, improving crop performance, strengthening nutrient management, or supporting better feed and animal health, the impact reaches well beyond individual projects or programs.
In 2025, we identified strengthening member service and communication as a key priority, and we have made meaningful progress. While our new Director of Member Services was also called upon to provide support to our Research and Programs divisions over the past year—which temporarily divided capacity—we are looking forward to renewing our focus on member service and communication in 2026.
Looking ahead, I’m excited about the opportunities in front of us: continued collaboration with OSCIA leadership and staff, new partnerships, and building on the strong relationships we have with our funding partners.
I’d like to end with a reminder: while OSCIA provides the opportunities—research, education and knowledge sharing at events throughout the year, and cost-share programs—it’s up to all of us to take advantage of them. I encourage you to share what you’ve learned with other producers. Talk about the value these opportunities bring, and invite others to participate.
Because we only get better when we learn from each other—and together, we’re building a stronger future for Ontario agriculture.
