2024 Ontario Bean Growers
Annual General Meeting
February 20, 2024
Best Western, The Arden Park Hotel – Stratford
Annual Report – coming in early February
Registration
The 2024 Ontario Bean Growers Annual General Meeting will be held at the Best Western, The Arden Park Hotel on Tuesday February 20 beginning at 9:00am.
Pre-registration is required.
You must register for the meeting by Tuesday February 13, 2024 at midnight.
Elections
In 2024, membership will elect three directors to the Ontario Bean Growers Board of Directors to a two-year term – one from each of the three districts.
A grower is eligible to vote and run for a director position on the Board of Directors if they grew dry edible beans of any market class in 2022 and/or 2023 and paid their annual license fees, or if they have a contract to grow beans in 2023. New growers who plan to grow beans in 2024 and who wants to vote at the AGM will be asked to complete an affidavit signed by their bean dealer as an indication of their commitment to grow beans in 2024 and pay board license fees. These can be Emailed in advance to jennifer@ontariobeans.on.ca.
If the farm is not individually owned, only one person may represent that farm entity. This can be an employee, shareholder, director or partner in the business. In order to vote on behalf of a farm with multiple owners, the individual voting on behalf of the business must identify themselves as such on the online registration form.
A grower who produces beans in more than one district may vote and run for the position of director to the OBG Board of Directors in only one district. If a grower wishes to vote and/or be nominated to run for the position of director to the OBG Board of Directors, in a district other than the district in which they reside, that grower must make declaration to the OBG Board Office in written form on or before January 16, 2024. Such a declaration will change the grower’s district designation in the OBG database until such time as a different written declaration is received by the OBG Board Office. Otherwise, each grower will be assigned to the district in which they reside according to the current OBG database.
Nominations
Director Nominations
Nominations for District Directors and Director at Large must be made using the online nomination form at the link below. All nominations must be submitted by the deadline of 4 pm EST on February 13, 2024.
For those who have previously served as a director on the Ontario Bean Producers’ Marketing Board and/or the Ontario Coloured Bean Growers Association, there is a maximum 15 combined years of service after which a grower is not eligible to run for a director position on the OBG board. Years of service as a delegate and/or committee man do not count in this aggregate.
District Delegate Nominations
In an effort to streamline the election process, we are strongly encouraging that nominations for District Delegates to be made in advance of the AGM. Nominations can be made using the online form available on the OBG website. There will also be a call for nominations from the floor. If any elections for the board of directors are held, unsuccessful candidates can choose to have their names added to the Delegate ballot for their district. There are six positions open for each of the three districts.
Role of a Delegate
Delegates will participate in three meetings per year:
RESEARCH DAY
The August meeting at the Huron Research Station in Centralia for a tour of the plots, an overview of OBG’s research investments and an opportunity to provide feedback and input into the direction of research at OBG. This day also includes a meeting exclusive to Delegates covering any topic on which the board may require input.
DELEGATE MEETING
A winter meeting organized specifically to engage delegates and garner feedback on the issues of the day.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The OBG AGM which takes place each year between February 15 and March 15 where delegates are responsible for bringing resolutions to the AGM from their districts.
Delegates also have the opportunity to participate on the Research and/or Market Promotions & Communications Committees.
2024 Election Process
Elections will be held at approximately 11:20am on Tuesday February 20, 2024. Elections will be conducted by secret ballot. Each voting delegate will receive a ballot for their district upon check in at the registration table.
Resolutions
Resolutions can be made using the online form linked below. The submission deadline for resolutions is February 16, 2024 at 4:00pm.
2024 AGM Sponsors
Thank you so much to all our sponsors! We appreciate your continued support of the Ontario Bean Growers!
