Crossing the finish line - Gay Lea Foods Co

Fall 2011
Published in the interest of members and employees of Gay Lea Foods Co-operative
Crossing the finish line
Oxford County Students participate
in third annual Hickson Milk Run
Julie Schwartzentruber, Member
A
nother successful milk run was held September 20,
2011 at the home of Gay Lea Members Larry and Julie
Schwartzentruber. This is the third cross country run
they have held on their farm for Hickson School. Their farm
is located just west of Hickson.
Sixteen Oxford County schools participated in the annual
Milk Run hosted by the Schwartzentrubers. They had approximately 675 elementary school runners, both girls and
boys, from Grades 3 to 8. The Grade 3 and 4 students ran 1.5 km, Grade 5 and 6 students ran 2.0
km and Grade 7 and 8 students ran 2.5 km. The
run took the students beside a creek, through a
corn field and hay fields.
After each runner crossed the finish line they
were given chocolate or white milk, water and an
apple for their efforts. Thank you Gay Lea for the
generous donation of milk. Everyone thoroughly
enjoyed it.
Above: Grade 6 Students Laura Witmer and Emily Schwartzentruber enjoy Gay
Lea chocolate milk after their run. Below: Emily and Laura display their sponsor
board for the 3rd Hickson Milk Run.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
President’s Message
2
Participants Announced for Advanced LiG Program
3
Zone Annual Meeting Information
4
Ed Brady inducted into Hall of Fame
5
Learn To Do By Doing: The Woodhouse Family Way
6
Record Breaking Season for Museum
9
India’s AMUL Dairy Co-operative visits Gay Lea
10
BBQs a success at Gay Lea Branches
11
IYC: The Countdown is on
11
Return undeliverable Gazettes to:
Gay Lea Foods Co-operative
21 Speedvale Avenue West
Guelph, ON N1H 1J5
1
PRESIDENT’S REPORT — RAPPORT DU PRÉSIDENT
President’s Message
W
“Our expectations
are that we will
meet our 2011
profit targets,
slightly ahead of
last year.”
hile we have not yet seen final sales or financial
results for our fiscal year, we have clear indicators as to how the year will conclude.
Sales will be well ahead of last year, driven by significant
increases in fluid milk and cream, dairy ingredients and
yogurt. These gains reflect our focus on developing partnerships with other branded manufacturers and our continued
interest in developing a stronger dairy ingredient
business.
Unfortunately the margins on some of these segments
are much lower than our overall average and thus impacts
our profit margin results. We expect this to improve as we
increase our volumes and efficiencies on these new growth
segments.
Our core businesses did not perform as strongly due to
factors such as limited cream supply and softer than expected consumption.
Butter is most notable. In the first half of our year, butter sales were dramatically ahead of plan, driven by strong
promotional activity. In the last few months and with limited cream supply, we had to reduce our support, and as a
result sales will end the year slightly down from a year ago.
Aerosol whips (exports excluded) and sour cream were
stable in the past twelve months, while cottage cheese faced
continued category declines. Our Nordica brand held its
high market share but the overall category is down, and this
impacted our results. With the continued pace of innovation
and promotional activity in the yogurt category, we believe
we need to increase our marketing efforts on cottage cheese
to reverse the latest trend. This has already begun with our
Nordica ―Anything Goes‖ campaign.
N
2
ous n‘avons pas encore vu les dernières ventes
ou les résultats financiers de notre année financière, mais nous avons déjà des indications
claires de ce qui devrait se produire à la fin de l‘exercice.
Les ventes seront très supérieures à celles de l‘année
dernière, à cause d‘augmentations considérables des ventes
de lait et de crème, d‘ingrédients laitiers et de yogourt. Ces
progrès illustrent l‘accent que nous avons mis sur l‘établissement de partenariats avec les fabricants d‘autres marques
et notre intérêt continu pour l‘expansion et la consolidation
de notre commerce dans le domaine des ingrédients laitiers.
Malheureusement, les marges de quelques-uns de ces
secteurs sont beaucoup plus faibles que notre moyenne
générale, ce qui affecte nos marges de profit. Nous nous
attendons à une amélioration, à mesure que nous augmenterons les volumes et améliorerons l‘efficacité de ces
nouveaux secteurs de croissance.
Nos secteurs principaux n‘ont pas obtenu de résultats
aussi solides, à cause de facteurs tels que l‘approvisionnement limité en crème et une consommation plus faible que
prévu.
Ce fut le cas du beurre, en particulier. Pendant la première moitié de notre exercice, les ventes de beurre avaient
considérablement dépassé les prévisions, soutenues par une
From a margin and profitability standpoint, we have
seen large shifts. The retail environment continues to be
very competitive and retail margins have been under constant pressure. At the same time, we have been able to offset
these shifts with increased profitability from dairy ingredients and cheese. Our expectations are that we will meet our
2011 profit targets, slightly ahead of prior year.
Many of our plants were at or near full capacity in the
year, impacting results in a positive way. Capital investments throughout the year expanded our capabilities in
yogurt, with more planned that will impact other key sectors
in similar ways. There will continue to be increased demands to expand our production capabilities.
One of the more important projects in the past year has
been what we call Phoenix – development of a new, enterprise-wide information and management system. While the
first phase will not be completed until April of next year, we
are rethinking many of our business processes in anticipation of improving our business model.
We have always said that the stronger our business, the
stronger will be our co-operative. There was evidence of that
over the past year as we continued to contribute significantly to our communities and to other co-operatives. Our
latest efforts to assist co-operatives in the Canadian north
demonstrate both our commitment and our generosity.
As we look to 2012 we are bullish about building on
recent investments. We see increases in cultured products,
an expanded ingredient business (including milk protein
concentrates), increased innovation and a continued effort
to support and strengthen our team as being key to building
on a successful 2011.
Andrew MacGillivray
President and CEO
activité de promotion intense. Mais au cours des derniers
mois, et à cause d‘un approvisionnement limité en crème,
nous avons dû réduire ces efforts, ce qui a fait que le chiffre
des ventes à la fin de l‘année sera un peu plus faible que
l‘année dernière.
Les produits fouettés en aérosol (sauf les exportations)
et la crème sûre sont restés stables au cours des douze derniers mois, alors que le fromage cottage a continué à diminuer. Notre marque Nordica a conservé sa part considérable du marché, mais l‘ensemble de la catégorie a
baissé, ce qui a affecté nos résultats. En même temps que
l‘innovation continue et les activités de promotion dans la
catégorie du yogourt, nous croyons avoir besoin d‘augmenter nos efforts de commercialisation du fromage cottage
pour renverser la tendance la plus récente. C‘est ce qui a
déjà été commencé avec notre campagne « Anything Goes »
de Nordica.
Du point de vue des marges et de la rentabilité, nous
avons connu de grands déplacements. Le milieu du détail
reste encore très concurrentiel, et les marges au détail ont
subi des pressions constantes. En même temps, nous avons
été capables de compenser ces changements au moyen
d‘une rentabilité accrue des ingrédients laitiers et du
(Suite — page 3)
DIRECTORS AND DELEGATES
Report from the Chair
Participants announced for Advanced LiG Program
G
ay Lea Foods and the Canadian
Co-operative Association’s REACH
have been developing an Advanced
Leadership in Governance Program that will
build on the skills and knowledge gained
through the Foundation Program. The Advanced Program will involve a more intensive
style of learning over an 18-month period,
challenging participants to develop themselves
even further. This program will involve six 1.5
to 2-day learning sessions, culminating in the
completion of a comprehensive group project
and presentation to the GLF Board of Directors. Individuals completing the Advanced
Program will benefit in many ways including:
 Increase their skill and competence in ful


filling their role as a Director or delegate
representative
Gain further insight and knowledge of the
function of corporate governance and how
it operates within the co-operative business
structure
Continue developing their leadership skills
and personal and professional growth
within GLF, their own farm business and
the wider rural community
Understand and demonstrate superior allround communication and media skills
 Strengthen their knowledge of business

finance and how to use financial information appropriately
Have a greater understanding of the national and international dairy sector
During the summer of 2011 the selection of
participants for the LiG Advanced Program
began with the assistance of an independent
selection committee. The committee was made
up of five members, with Denyse Guy (On
Co-op) as Chair, and Quintin Fox (CCA/
REACH), Mark Hamel (GLF Chair), Rowena
Wallace (TDC Chair), and Ove Hansen (GLF
Corporate Secretary) as members. A number of
applications were submitted by the deadline
and were reviewed by the selection committee.
Interviews of selected applicants were conducted during the latter part of August in
Guelph and Belleville. After careful consideration, the selection committee extended offers
of participation which were confirmed in early
September.
As Chair of the Board of Directors of Gay Lea
Foods Co-operative Ltd., I am proud to announce the participants of the first class of the
LiG Advanced Program:
(Suite de page 2)
fromage. Nous nous attendons à atteindre nos cibles de profit de 2011, un peu
plus élevé que ceux de l‘année dernière.
Plusieurs de nos usines ont fonctionné à pleine capacité ou presque au
cours de l‘année, avec un effet positif sur nos résultats. Les investissements de
capitaux de l‘année ont accru notre capacité de production du yogourt, et
d‘autres sont prévus qui apporteront des avantages semblables dans nos autres
secteurs clés. Le besoin d‘augmentation de nos capacités de production continuera à augmenter.
Un des projets les plus importants de l‘année dernière a été celui que nous
appelons Phoenix – la mise au point d‘un nouveau système informatique et de
gestion à l‘échelle de l‘entreprise. Bien que la première étape ne sera pas terminée avant le mois d‘avril prochain, nous repensons un grand nombre de nos
méthodes commerciales dans le but d‘améliorer notre modèle d‘affaires.
Nous avons toujours dit que, plus nos affaires sont bonnes, plus notre
coopérative est solide. Nous en avons vu des preuves au cours de l‘exercice qui
vient de se terminer, alors que nous avons continué à apporter une solide contribution à nos collectivités et aux autres coopératives. Nos efforts les plus récents visant à aider les coopératives du Nord du Canada démontrent à la fois
notre engagement et notre générosité.
Voyant venir 2012, nous sommes optimistes quant à nos derniers investissements. Nous voyons des augmentations dans le secteur de nos produits de
culture, un commerce accru des ingrédients (y compris les concentrés protéiques de lait), plus d‘innovation et un effort soutenu pour appuyer et consolider
notre équipe comme étant la clé qui nous permettra de tirer profit des succès
de 2011 afin d‘aller encore plus loin.
Andrew MacGillivray
Président et Directeur Général
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Louise Ahrens (Zone 3 – Walkerton)
Dennis Bryson (Zone 1 – Watford)
Don Dietrich (Zone 3 – Desboro)
Steve Dolson (Zone 1 – Atwood)
David Good (Zone 2 – Grand Valley)
Robert Goodwill (Zone 3 – Owen Sound)
Andrew Henderson (Zone 4 – Spencerville)
Chris Johnson (Zone 4 – Chesterville)
Larry Parkin (Zone 3 – Owen Sound)
Gerald Schipper (Zone 1 – Aylmer)
Bill Van Andel (Zone 2 – Moorefield)
Steve Veldman (Zone 2 – Embro)
On behalf of the Board, I congratulate these
participants on their successful application to
the program. I know that they will benefit from
the training and in turn, Gay Lea Foods will be
a stronger and more vibrant co-operative.
Mark Hamel
Chair
Directors’ Scholarship Awards
We are pleased to announce this
year’s winners of the 2011 Directors’ Scholarship Award Program.
Once again, the quality of the
applications made the selection
process difficult. The Gay Lea
Food’s Board of Directors had originally offered six
$500 awards. An anonymous Gay Lea Foods member
has generously donated a seventh award this year.
After careful consideration, the seven successful applicants of the $500 scholarship awards are:
 Chris Albrecht, Wellesley – University of Guelph
 Jennifer Charlton, Brantford – University of Guelph
 Brandon Dietrich, Desboro – University of Guelph
 Sarah Jeffs, Campbellford – Ridgetown College
 Brett Shute, St. Marys - Kemptville College
 Michelle Slaughter, Forest - University of Guelph
 Natalie Vink, Kirkton - Ridgetown College
We wish all of the applicants best wishes as they start
this exciting new chapter in their lives.
3
DIRECTORS AND DELEGATES
Gay Lea Foods Co-operative
Zone Annual Meeting Information
Y
ou are invited to attend your local Zone Annual Meeting of Gay Lea Foods
Co-operative Ltd., as indicated below.
Agenda:
10:00 am —10:30 am:
10:30 am — 2:00 pm:
12:30 pm:
Butter will be available for
purchase at the Zone meetings. To pre-order, please fill
out your preferences on the
reply card. There is a limit of
2 cases of 20 x 1lb per family.
Payment is by cash or
cheque only, at time of
pickup. Additional Gay Lea
Foods products will be
available to purchase at the
meetings on a first come, first
served basis.
Registration
Business Meeting & Update
Lunch
To register, please complete the enclosed postage-paid reply card and return by
Friday, November 18, 2011, or phone Lee Davis at 519-822-5530 x 2267. Please note
that producer members may attend any zone meeting, but they are only eligible to
vote in their own zone.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The current delegate representation per zone is: Zone 1=15,
Zone 2=15, Zone 3=18, Zone 4=12. It is the intent of Gay Lea Foods Co-operative to
adjust the number of delegates in Zone 3 and Zone 4 over the next three years, moving one delegate position each year (Dec. 2011, 2012, 2013) from Zone 3 to Zone 4.
These orderly reductions in delegate positions are tied to delegate retirements. These
adjustments will provide for equitable representation across all zones, with all four
zones having 15 delegates by December 2013.
ZONE 1 ANNUAL MEETING
ZONE 2 ANNUAL MEETING
Monday, December 5, 2011
Stratford Fairgrounds Banquet Facility
353 McCarthy Road, Stratford, Ontario
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Cambridge Holiday Inn, “Elora Hall”
200 Holiday Inn Drive, Cambridge, Ontario
CURRENT ZONE 1 DIRECTORS:
Steve Dolson, Rowena Wallace
Steve Dolson is completing his 3-year term. Mr. Dolson is
eligible for re-election.
CURRENT ZONE 2 DIRECTORS:
John Ellison, Roger Harrop
Roger Harrop is completing his 3-year term. Mr. Harrop is
eligible for re-election.
ZONE 1 DELEGATE ELECTIONS: (5 Positions)
The following members are Delegates in Zone 1. Their term of
office expires in December. They are eligible for re-election as
long as they continue to meet Delegate criteria.
ZONE 2 DELEGATE ELECTIONS: (5 Positions)
The following members are Delegates in Zone 2. Their term of
office expires in December. They are eligible for re-election as
long as they continue to meet Delegate criteria.
Dennis Bryson, Steve Hallahan, three vacant positions.
David Hawthorne, Anne Horsley, Jack Kuipers,
Steven Veldman, one vacant position.
ZONE 3 ANNUAL MEETING
ZONE 4 ANNUAL MEETING
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Durham Community Centre
451 Saddler Street West, Durham, Ontario
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Kemptville College, W.B. George Centre/Gymnasium
830 Prescott Street, Kemptville, Ontario
CURRENT ZONE 3 DIRECTORS:
Alan Fisher, Mark Hamel
Alan Fisher is completing his 3-year term. Mr. Fisher is
eligible for re-election.
CURRENT ZONE 4 DIRECTORS:
Barton MacLean, Dick Straathof
There will not be a Director election this year, as the Director positions are not up for re-election.
ZONE 3 DELEGATE ELECTIONS: (5 Positions)
The following members are Delegates in Zone 3. Their term of
office expires in December. They are eligible for re-election as
long as they continue to meet Delegate criteria.
ZONE 4 DELEGATE ELECTIONS: (5 Positions)
The following members are Delegates in Zone 4. Their term of
office expires in December. They are eligible for re-election as
long as they continue to meet Delegate criteria.
Louise Ahrens, Warren Becker, Chancy Burgess,
Jim Christie, Don Dietrich.
Hugh Graham, Kelvin Kerr, Gerald Vander Ploeg,
John Wynands, one vacant position.
4
DIRECTORS AND DELEGATES
Ed Brady inducted into Hall of Fame
E
d Brady was inducted into the Canadian Co-operative Hall
of Fame in June 2011, at the Canadian Co-operative Association‘s (CCA) Gala Dinner held in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Ed, a native of Perth, Ontario, devoted his whole working life
to Ontario co-operatives, both rural and urban. Ed believed that
co-operatives could do more than improve standards of living: he
believed co-ops could foster learning, personal development, and
bridge the gap of understanding between urban and rural Ontario.
Ed was active in the resurgence of the co-operative movement
in eastern Ontario, holding positions with the Glen Tay Buying
Club, Perth District Co-operative, and United Farmers of Ontario,
before joining United Co-operatives of Ontario in 1955.
In 1958, when UCO spun off its dairy and poultry division, Ed
moved to the newly-incorporated United Dairy and Poultry
Co-operative, now Gay Lea Foods Co-operative. His expertise in
the industry quickly led him to the position of General Manager
and later, Chief Executive Officer, until his retirement in 1980.
Ed implemented a strategy of consolidating the production of
small co-op creameries and egg producers in the province to large
efficient plants in Guelph, Tara and Toronto, while maintaining the
co-op involvement of their producer-members. In 1992, Ed was
inducted into the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame.
The Canadian Co-operative Hall of Fame is Canada‘s first
virtual Hall of Fame recognizing and celebrating the legacies and
achievements of outstanding
Canadian co-operators. At the
beginning of CCA‘s anniversary
year, Canadian co-operators
were asked to put forth names of
co-operative pioneers who made
significant and lasting contributions to the development of Canadian co-operatives and credit
unions. Fourteen outstanding individuals were nominated. From
these fourteen individuals, CCA went back to the co-operative
community, seeking their online vote for the one person who
would be given the additional recognition of Canada‘s Greatest
Canadian Co-operator. Co-operators from coast-to-coast developed campaigns to raise the awareness and gather support for
their particular ‗Greatest Canadian co-operator‘ and in the end
there were more than 8,000 votes cast.
This site honours and pays tribute to the men and women who
have developed, built and promoted the co-operative model and
co-operative values in Canada and around the world. The first
group of inductees includes the fourteen co-operative pioneers and
also recipients of the Global Co-operator Award, and Canadian
Co-operative Achievement Award, past and present.
Visit the Hall of Fame at: http://www.coopscanada.coop/
public_html/hof/index.htm.
Gay Lea Foods recipient of Global Co-operator Award
G
ay Lea Foods received top honours at the annual Canadian
Co-operative Association‘s (CCA) Gala Dinner held June
28, 2011 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, as the 2011 recipient of the
Global Co-operator Award.
The Global Co-operator Award was established in 2005 in
order to recognize individuals and/or organizations who have
consistently demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to promoting, developing, advocating and supporting the development
of co-operatives internationally.
The Global Co-operator Award is the highest honour that CCA
and CDF can bestow on an individual and/or organization.
Recipients of this annual award are selected by an awards committee made up of members of the CCA Board of Directors, the
CDF Board of Directors and the CCA International Program Committee.
A commemorative booklet of the event detailed our achievements that led to this prestigious award.
“Established in 1958, Gay Lea Foods Co-operative is owned
by 1200 dairy farmers in Ontario. As the largest dairy
co-operative in Ontario, it serves both the Canadian and international marketplace with its brand leading consumer products
that dominate the Ontario marketplace and powder blends that
are shipped globally.
Gay Lea Foods has reaffirmed its co-operative values in
reaching out to
both the local
and global community; whether
support for the
Canadian Arctic, or
in communities in
Nepal, El Salvador,
or Ghana, the principle
of co-operatives helping
other co-operatives is supported fully.
Gay Lea Foods is a Leadership in Co-operative Governance
Award winner, is recognized as a Top 100 employer in Canada,
and has recently partnered with the Canadian Co-operative Association to deliver ground breaking delegate and director training. Its recognized health and safety programs, its industry recognized quality programs, its strong support for leadership development and the Co-operative Youth Leadership (CYL) program and its employee engagement history has allowed Gay Lea
Foods to become an employer and partner of choice.
Gay Lea Foods is a proud co-operative that recognizes that a
co-operative can be both principled and successful.”
5
PROFILE
Learn to do by doing
The Woodhouse Family Way
N
estled in the rolling hills of beautiful Beaver Valley,
in Grey County, sits Foothills Dairy, a 500 acre, 45
cow dairy operation owned and operated by Jennifer and Randy Woodhouse and their four daughters, Hannah,
Abby, Beth and Charlotte.
Current herd classification at Foothills Dairy is 5 EX, 24
VG, 24 GP with a herd BCA average of 200 composite.
Randy and Jennifer credit Randy‘s parents, Arnie and
Wilma Woodhouse for providing them with an opportunity to
become dairy producers. ―Without the hard work and dedication put forth by my parents in their farming career,‖ Randy
stated, ―it would not have been possible for us to own and operate the dairy we have today.‖ Whitey Strong, a fieldman for
Gay Lea Foods was instrumental in transitioning Arnie and
Wilma‘s farm from cream to milk in 1975, when there was a
bulk tank purchase program. Following graduation from Centralia College in 1984, Randy returned home to farm. He
opted not to join an existing partnership with his parents;
instead, he chose to farm as a sole proprietor. He bought two
foundation purebred cows from well established herds and
registered their offspring under his ―Foothills‖ prefix. Randy
traded labour for equity in the farm and any salary he could fare
went towards purchasing quota and shares in machinery. In those
years, Randy twilighted as a disc jockey, playing for many dances
throughout the community. This made for many a late night when
only a few hours of sleep were had before the alarm went off to get
up and milk the cows in the early morning hours.
Jennifer and Randy met in 1992. At that time, Jennifer, a recent graduate of the Ontario Veterinary College, was working for
the Markdale Vet Clinic, when a call came into the office for her to
go out to ―Foothills‖ dairy and treat a cow that had a sore foot.
―Jen earned my respect from the first time I met her with her professionalism and her work ethic with the animals,‖ Randy said.
―When Jen left the farm that day, she took my cheque and my
heart.‖ The couple were married two years later on a beautiful fall
day in the Beaver Valley. This October, they will celebrate their
17th wedding anniversary.
While we all might reflect on our own personal lives and think
we lead busy lives, the Woodhouse family are very active in their
community, to say the least.
Randy Woodhouse, along with his four daughters, Beth, Hannah, Charlotte and
Abby, at their Woodhill Holstein Farm.
Being good stewards of the land and leaders amongst their
own community, Jennifer and Randy believe in giving back to the
community in which they live.
Jennifer commits her time to participating in Gay Lea Foods
Co-operative Ltd as a Delegate representing Zone 3. She leads the
Rocklyn 4-H Sheep Club and is also a 4-H Life Skills leader. She
is a Girl Guide leader, assists with the Rocklyn Skating Club and is
a coach for the Meaford Gymnastics Club.
Randy is a member of the Grey County Milk Committee, a 4-H
Dairy Club leader for the Rocklyn 4-H, a Director on the Beaver
Valley Fair Board and a member of the Grey County Holstein
Club.
On top of all of these responsibilities and participation on various committees, the Woodhouses have four lovely young daughters who are also very active and
involved.
Hannah, the eldest daughter
The Woodhouse family members are involved in many events.
Below are (l-r): Beth, Charlotte, Abby, and Hannah, as they showcase their dairy cows and sheep.
6
at 14, is involved in cross country running, hockey,
horseback riding, 4-H for both the dairy calf club and life
skills clubs as well as involvement in her school orchestra. When asked what her future aspirations are, Hannah would be interested in becoming a veterinarian, like
her Mom, or something to do with agriculture.
Twelve year old Abby has a love of the arts. She is a
wonderful singer and also competes in Highland Dancing. Abby was selected for two special events taking
place this fall. She has been invited to sing at a performance at the Meaford Theatre with Robert Phili, a famous
vocalist who has performed in Phantom of the Opera
and Les Miserable. Abby was also selected to travel to
Chicago in October, to compete in a North American
Highland Dance competition. She is also involved in the
4-H sheep club and is a member of the Rocklyn figure
skating club.
Beth, the third daughter of Jennifer and Randy, who
is seven, is very keen to be involved in showing calves as
well. Beth is a member of the Midget Calf Club, a pre4-H dairy club. She is also a member of the Coyote running club, loves swimming and is involved in figure skating and gymnastics.
Charlotte, aged four, has embarked on an exciting new
endeavour this fall as she is now enrolled in school in Jr. Kindergarten. The last of the Woodhouse girls is off to school. Charlotte
loves horses, swimming and showing a dairy calf as well as lambs,
along with her sisters.
The Woodhouse family probably break the record for the number of 4-H events and Fall Fairs attended by one family annually.
This year alone, they have taken dairy calves and sheep to the following fairs: Lucknow, Markdale, Hanover, Meaford, Beaver Valley, Dundalk, Owen Sound, Chatsworth, Collingwood and Rocklyn. They have also taken their daughters to a number of fitting
and showing days, the Junior Dairy Show at Elora, Britespan 4-H
Invitational Show and the Grey County Judging Competition.
When asked what Randy and Jennifer‘s goal‘s in life are, their
answers are very simple:
 Strive to do the best with what we have
 Instill values of respect and hard work to our children
 Maintain a healthy balance of work and family
 Enjoy every day to the fullest
Randy‘s parents have passed on now, leaving the next generation to run the farm. ―I admired my parents for their wisdom and
guidance. They were great mentors,‖ Randy stated. It was Arnie
and Wilma‘s wish upon their passing that their ―Woodhill‖ prefix
continue on.
Upon their death, forty head of purebred Holstein stock bearing their ―Woodhill‖ prefix, were transferred to the four Woodhouse daughters. Revenue generated through net milk and cattle
sales from their cattle, goes toward their Education Savings Plan.
While they recognize their life is very busy with running kids
to all their events, trying to stay on top of farm work, housework
and such, they realize their friends with young families mirror
their lifestyle. Jen and Randy state, ―It‘s in that camaraderie they
joke about it and forge ahead!‖
The Woodhouses truly are an amazing family. As if running a
dairy operation is not enough work and commitment, they find
time to participate on committees and support community events
to ensure their success. They are role models to friends, family
and neighbours and a family that we are proud to call ―Gay Lea
Foods‖ members.
Fall Fair time for the Woodhouse family: Jennifer and Randy Woodhouse, top,
with Beth, Charlotte, Abby and Hannah.
N
ichée sur les collines verdoyantes de la belle vallée de
Beaver, dans le comté Grey, se trouve Foothills Dairy,
une exploitation de 45 vaches laitières sur 500 acres
gérée par ses propriétaires, Jennifer et Randy Woodhouse, avec
leur quatre filles, Hannah, Abby, Beth and Charlotte.
La composition actuelle du troupeau de Foothills Dairy comprend 5 vaches de classe excellente, 24 de classe très bonne, 24 de
classe bonne plus, avec une moyenne de classe de race combinée
de 200.
Randy et Jennifer sont reconnaissants aux parents de Randy,
Arnie et Wilma Woodhouse, qui leur ont offert l‘occasion de devenir producteurs laitiers. « Sans le travail acharné et le dévouement
de mes parents au cours de leur carrière agricole, dit Randy, il
nous aurait été impossible de posséder et d‘exploiter la ferme laitière que nous avons maintenant. » En 1975, Whitey Strong,
agent technique de Gay Lea, a aidé à transformer la production de
la ferme d‘Arnie et Wilma de la crème au lait, alors qu‘il existait
un programme d‘achat de réservoirs réfrigérants. Randy, après
avoir obtenu son diplôme du Centralia College en 1984, est revenu
chez lui pour travailler à la ferme. Il a préféré ne pas se joindre à
la société de personnes déjà établie par ses parents et choisi d‘être
seul propriétaire de sa propre ferme. Il a acheté deux vaches de
race devant servir de souche à son troupeau et a enregistré leur
progéniture sous son préfixe « Foothills ». Randy a échangé son
travail contre des droits sur l‘actif de la ferme, et le montant entier
du salaire qu‘il pouvait obtenir était consacré à l‘achat du quota de
lait et de quote-parts de machinerie. Pendant ces années, Randy
travaillait le soir à titre de disc-jockey et animait de nombreuses
soirées dansantes un peu partout dans le voisinage. Il lui arrivait
souvent de travailler tard dans la nuit, avec quelques heures de
sommeil seulement avant de devoir se lever pour traire les vaches
au petit-matin.
Jennifer et Randy se sont rencontrés en1992. Jennifer venait
de recevoir son diplôme du Collège de médecine vétérinaire de
l‘Ontario et avait été employée par Markdale Vet Clinic, qui
7 lui a
(Suite — page 8)
NEWS & EVENTS
C’est en faisant qu’on apprend
La façon de la famille Woodhouse
Suite de page 7
demandé de se rendre à la ferme laitière
« Foothills » pour s‘occuper d‘une vache
qui avait mal à une patte. Dès cette première rencontre, Randy a été impressionné
par l‘attitude professionnelle de Jen et son
respect des bêtes. Randy nous a dit : « Ce
jour-là, Jen est repartie en emportant mon
chèque et mon coeur.» Ils se sont mariés
deux ans plus tard, pendant une belle
journée dans la vallée Beaver. En ce mois
d‘octobre, ils vont célébrer leur 17e anniversaire de mariage.
Nous pouvons souvent penser que nos
vies sont très bien remplies, mais rien ne
se compare à la présence de la famille
Woodhouse dans la collectivité..
Jen et Randy, qui exploitent la terre de
façon responsable et sont des chefs de file
dans leur propre collectivité, croient en
l‘importance de redonner à la collectivité
dans laquelle ils vivent.
Jennifer consacre son temps à la
Coopérative Gay Lea Foods en agissant à
titre de déléguée représentant la Zone 3.
Elle dirige le cercle de 4-H Rocklyn sur le
soin des moutons et brebis, en plus d‘être
animatrice d‘un programme de développement personnel 4-H. Elle est aussi responsable d‘un groupe de Guides, aide le club
de patinage de Rocklyn et entraîneuse du
club de gymnastique Meaford.
Randy est membre du comité de lait du
comté Grey, chef du cercle laitier 4-H de
Rocklyn, membre du conseil d‘administration de l‘exposition Beaver Valley et membre du Club Holstein du comté Grey.
En plus de tout cela, les Woodhouse
ont quatre belles jeunes filles qui sont elles
aussi très actives et impliquées.
Hannah, l‘aînée de 14 ans, fait de la
course de fond, du hockey, de l‘équitation,
est membre des cercles 4-H sur les bovins
et le développement personnel, en plus de
faire partie de l‘orchestre de son école.
Quant à son avenir, Hannah dit être
intéressée à devenir vétérinaire comme sa
maman, ou à faire quelque chose dans le
domaine agricole.
Abby a douze ans et aime les arts. Elle
chante de façon merveilleuse et participe à
des compétitions de danse écossaise. Elle a
été invitée à participer pour deux événements spéciaux cet automne. D‘abord, elle
8
aura la chance de chanter au cours d‘un
spectacle au Meaford Theatre avec Robert
Phili, un grand artiste qui a fait partie de la
distribution de Phantom of the Opera et de
Les Misérables. Abby fut également choisie
pour se rendre à Chicago en octobre afin
de participer à un concours nordaméricain de danse écossaise. De plus, elle
fait partie du cercle 4-H des moutons et
agneaux et du club de patinage artistique
de Rocklyn.
Beth, la troisième fille de Jennifer et
Randy, a sept ans et s‘intéresse beaucoup à
la présentation de veaux au cours d‘expositions. Elle fait partie du Midget Calf Club,
un cercle 4-H destiné aux débutants du
domaine laitier. Elle est membre du club
de course Coyote, aime la natation et fait
du patinage artistique et de la gymnastique.
Charlotte, quatre ans, vient d‘entreprendre quelque chose de très excitant cet
automne, car elle vient de commencer l‘école en première année de maternelle. Elle
aime les chevaux, la natation, et a du
plaisir à présenter des veaux laitiers et des
agneaux au cours d‘expositions agricoles,
en compagnie de ses soeurs.
La famille Woodhouse bat probablement le record de participation annuelle
d‘une famille à des événements et des expositions agricoles. Simplement cette année, les Woodhouse ont présenté des
veaux de race laitière et des moutons au
cours des foires suivantes : Lucknow,
Markdale, Hanover, Meaford, Beaver
Valley, Dundalk, Owen Sound, Chatsworth, Collingwood et Rocklyn. Ils ont
aussi conduit leurs filles à un certain nombre de journées de préparation et de
présentation, au Junior Dairy Show à
Elora, à l‘exposition 4-H sur invitation de
Britespan 4-H et à la Grey County Judging
Competition.
On a demandé à Randy et Jennifer
quels étaient leurs buts dans la vie; ils ont
répondu très simplement :
 essayer de faire de notre mieux avec ce
que nous avons;
 enseigner à nos enfants la valeur du


respect et du travail;
maintenir un équilibre sain entre le
travail et la famille;
profiter pleinement de chaque journée
Les parents de Randy sont maintenant
décédés, laissant la ferme à la génération
suivante. « J‘admirais la sagesse et les conseils de mes parents, ils étaient d‘excellents guides, » dit Randy. La dernière volonté d‘Arnie et Wilma au moment de leur
décès était que le préfixe « Woodhill » continue d‘exister. C‘est ainsi que la propriété
de quarante têtes de bêtes de race Holstein
portant le préfixe « Woodhill » est passée
aux quatre filles des Woodhouse. Le produit net des ventes de lait et de bovins
provenant de leur troupeau est versé à leur
régime d‘épargne-études.
Bien que leur vie soit très remplie avec
toutes les activités de leurs enfants, le travail de la ferme, l‘entretien de la maison et
le tout, les Woodhouse se rendent compte
que leur mode de vie n‘est pas très différent de celui de leurs amis qui ont de
jeunes familles. Jen et Randy ajoutent que
« c‘est cette camaraderie qui leur apporte
du plaisir et les aident à continuer! »
La famille Woodhouse est vraiment
étonnante. Comme si l‘exploitation d‘une
ferme laitière ne représentait pas déjà sufisamment de travail et d‘engagement, ils
trouvent le temps de faire partie de comités et de soutenir les événements communautaires afin d‘en assurer le succès. Ils
sont des modèles pour leurs amis, leurs
voisins et les membres de leur famille élargie, et nous sommes fiers de compter cette
famille parmi les membres de la Coopérative Gay-Lea.
NEWS & EVENTS
Gay Lea welcomes
the following
new members:









1647622 Ontario Inc., Tara
Record
Breaking
Season for
Museum
Agcom Inc. , New Hamburg
by Taryn McBride




David Heffer, Wingham
Edna Eileen Beckett, Tara
Mary Lynne Benninger, Chepstow
Jeffrey Brigden, Walkerton
Joyce Crawford, Ingersoll
Joshua Eigenbrood, Frankford
Gensagg Farms Inc., Stratford
Grandview Concrete Grooving Inc.,
Arthur
Bruce & Grace Johnson, London
Lisa Newton, Ayton
Rajeevkumar Ponnudurai,
Mississauga
 Cynthia Purvis, Kitchener
 Wilfried & Michel Raats,
Winchester
 Sevenhills Holsteins Ltd.,
Orangeville




Shiness Holsteins Ltd., Embro






Vrederijk Dairy Ltd., Tavistock
Pooja Singh, Woodbridge
Johanna M. Van Pelt, Fraserville
Mike & Brian Vandenberg,
Fraserville
Kevin Werry, Oshawa
Rick Werry , Oshawa
Aria Zekveld, Bowmanville
Hannah Zekveld, Bowmanville
Henry & Annette Zekveld,
Bowmanville
 Nickolas Zekveld, Bowmanville
Gay Lea
swag
spotted
An old director’s
hat was spotted
during the
summer.
Proudly wearing
his new hat is
Brady Hasson.
T
he 2011 season here at the Museum has
been the busiest one yet. With the season starting off with the Shunpikers Tour,
where we saw about 2,500 people come
through our doors, we were off to a head
start. The months that followed proved not to
be a disappointment. Each month, we
smashed our monthly attendance records
from the previous year without even breaking
a sweat.
Our travelling exhibit was busy on the
pavement this past summer and went to various different fairs including Paisley, Teeswater, Chesley, and the International Plowing
Match near Hawkesbury, Ontario. Hundreds
of people all across Ontario were able to get a
small taste of our exceptional collection.
With next year being the International
Year of Co-operatives, we are very busy here
at the museum brainstorming ideas of how
we are going to participate in the celebrations. We are looking forward to the exciting
year ahead.
Located just outside of Aylmer, on Jamestown Line, the Gay Lea Dairy Heritage Museum, with its 98 acres of Carolinian forest,
is a fantastic place for members, employees
and their families to step back in time and
embrace their agricultural history.
The museum is now closed for the season.
We are open to visitors by appointment only.
Appointments can be made by calling 1-888773-2955. Be sure to check us out online
www.dairyheritagemuseum.ca and follow us
on Twitter http://twitter.com/DairyMuseum
Mother Nature
co-operates at IPM
T
his year at the International Plowing Match located in Chute-àBlondeau (Eastern Ontario), the Gay
Lea Dairy Heritage Museum set up an
interesting display of some of its collections. Tuesday began with a bit of a wet
start; however, as the sun emerged in
the afternoon and into Wednesday, this
did not prevent passers-by from enjoying a
glimpse of dairy farming‘s intriguing past.
The more than 1,000 volunteers and 500
exhibitors at this year‘s IPM cheerfully
greeted the 1,500 RV owners and campers.
Many thousands of visitors from across
Ontario, Quebec, and Northeastern United
States came each day to enjoy the cultural,
educational, and historical aspects of the
largest Canadian agricultural and rural exposition.
Above: Plowing the hard way at the IPM.
Below: Member Relations Rep, Shannon Kavanagh,
at the IPM.
9
NEWS & EVENTS
India’s AMUL Dairy Co-operative visits Gay Lea
I
n July, Gay Lea was fortunate to
host visitors from AMUL, a milk
processing co-operative in India, which
boasts over 3 million producer members and handles more than 13 million
litres of milk each and every day. The
group was on a study tour of North
America and made time to stop at Gay
Lea‘s Guelph plant, The Guelph Food &
Technology Centre, Shur Gain in St
Marys and also the CN Tower and Niagara Falls.
Special thanks to Ontowa Farms –
Ralph and Judy Martin and family; and
Cranston Farms – Doug and Joan Cranston and family for allowing our AMUL visitors to visit your farms. The group was very
grateful for Gay Lea‘s hospitality and thoroughly enjoyed their
time in Ontario.
AMUL visitors, shown above with Directors Rowena Wallace and Steve Dolson,
enjoy visiting Ontowa’s new dairy operation. Ralph and Judy Martin are pictured
in the centre.
Draw held at Outdoor
Farm Show
G
ay Lea Foods, with assistance from Delegates and Directors, once again had a
busy three days at the Outdoor Farm Show in
Woodstock and saw lots of interest in joining
the co-operative and also great visits from existing members. The winners of our free draw
are:
 John Treur, Norwich, ON – Gay Lea
Heritage Museum Package (4 admission
passes plus a $100 voucher to the New Sarem Diner)
 Peter Angst, Lucknow, ON - 20 lbs of Gay Lea Butter
 Bruce Schieck, Moorefield, ON – Ivanhoe Cheese Basket
(Valued at $50)
Gift Baskets are
ready to order
Call Gay Lea’s Teeswater
Farm Fresh Country Store, or
Ivanhoe Cheese, to place
your gift basket orders now.
Over 40,000 visitors attended the 2011 Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show in
Woodstock, Ontario. Above left: MR Staff Sandra Alton, Shannon Kavanagh
and Denis Séguin. Right: Delegates Gerald Johnson and Doug Johnston
meet with visitors.
DID YOU KNOW?
 Membership is now open.
 To apply for producer
membership with Gay Lea
Foods, you must be a
minimum of 18 years of age.
 To apply for investor membership with Gay Lea Foods,
there is no minimum age.
Teeswater Farm Fresh Country Store: (519) 392-6864
Ivanhoe Cheese: (800) 268-0508
10
 Currently, the youngest investor member of Gay Lea
Foods is 1 year old.
 As of September 30, 2011, there were 3,823 members.
NEWS & EVENTS
BBQs a success at Gay Lea Branches
S
ummer is BBQ season and at the Gay
Lea branches this year it was no exception. Each location had a time set aside to
enjoy the outdoors and also the great food
that was cooked by the supervisors and HR
staff. This is always a highlight of the summer and everyone agreed that they had a
good time and enjoyed the food and camaraderie around the ―table‖. Congrats to all who
participated. It
was agreed that
the BBQs were a
huge success
again this year.
Photos clockwise:
 Andrea Boileau,
Orbitor, and Lara
Bennett, Guelph,
are all smiles at the
Guelph BBQ.
 Darren Ireland flips the burgers at the Teeswater BBQ while Corry Mayberry-Milton, Orbitor,
Jen McNeil, Teeswater, and Corrinna Knopp,
Teeswater, look on.
 Digging in at the Guelph BBQ are Mandy
Morrison, Melanie Hill, Urszula Rojek, Blair
Rankie, Brian Stevenson, and Jeff Miller.
 Longlife employees enjoy an evening BBQ:
Zeff Dema, Seyed Nasih, Baldev Singh,
Cobbama Forson, Yaw Serbebah, Kajen
Kirabakkaran, and Chime Dhorji.
NEW:
The thick & rich sour cream
consumers have been waiting for!
Great for cooking
and baking, this is a
premium product
with a rich taste and
look. Gold Premium
Sour Cream is a
thicker, creamier
product that is great
for everyday meals,
but even better when
shared on
special occasions.
IYC: The Countdown is on
As the International Year of
Co-operatives draws closer, people in
Canada and around the world are posting
their ideas and thoughts online around
events they are planning for 2012.
The Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA), in conjunction with Le Conseil canadien de la coopération et de la mutualité (CCCM) have launched a great new website
with information, news releases and updates.
Their goal: ―The legacy of the International Year of
Co-operatives will be the recognition of co-operatives, by the
Canadian Government, different Canadians and international
organizations and youth, as co-operatives and mutuals who contribute to a sustainable prosperity.‖
To follow everything that is happening, or to post your
thoughts, go to: www.canada2012.coop.
11
MARK THE DATES:
Zone 1 Annual Mtg: Mon. Dec. 5, 2011
Zone 2 Annual Mtg: Tues. Dec. 6, 2011
Zone 3 Annual Mtg: Thurs. Dec. 8, 2011
Zone 4 Annual Mtg: Tues. Dec. 13, 2011
Gay Lea Foods Co-operative AGM:
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Member Relations
www.gayleafoodsmembers.com
nder:
Remi ember
al M
e
Annu ents will b
m
e
t
t
Sta
d ou
maile mber.
ve
in No
Product Depots
are
scheduled for N
ovember &
December. Wat
ch for your
notice in Novem
ber.
Classifieds
SERVICES:
Bruce Square Baling. For your large square baling —3 ft x 3 ft and
3 ft x 4 ft contact Jim Batte (519) 392-8282 or Gary Whytock (519)
392-8158
Haugholm Books, Classic Tractor, Car & Gas Engine Books. Decal
sets for older tractors & gas engines. Please contact Allan Haugh,
RR #1, Brucefield, ON N0M 1J0 (519) 522-0248
New Suspended Tie Stalls, headrail from 38” to 50” high, four
models to choose from. Also, full line of livestock confinement equipment plus ventilation. Call (519) 925-4317.
Registered Black Morgan at stud, horse boarding, new facilities with
40 acres of trail rides. Robmarann Farm—Cathy & Bob McNeil
RR #3, Grey Road 28, Hanover, ON N4N 3B9
Phone: (519) 364-6930 Fax: (519) 364-0889
WATER: Specialized in non-electric water softeners / iron filters / UV
disinfection / sulphur removal, etc. Your Kinetico rep is Tom
Diemand (519) 577-0187.
Hoof Trimming—fully hydraulic chute, no tilt, safest for cows,
easiest for trimmer, places feet in ideal trimming position.
Technician—Dean Dobinson, London Phone/fax: (519) 666-0388
We at Evergreen Hill Farm offer a horse drawn funeral hearse pulled
by two beautiful Belgian draft horses. A nice tribute to the farmer who
grew up walking behind horses. Call Scott at (519) 426-2155 or
email [email protected].
Add some humour to your next event.
Contact Paul Mussell Farmer/Comedian. (613) 826-2959
Hay and Forage Supplies. Bale wrap, Net wrap, Poly Baler twine,
Bunker covers, Forage inoculants, Hay preservative and Grass
seeds. Serving all of Western Ontario. Riacrest Agri-Products.
(519) 533-8947. [email protected].
Product Ordering:
To better serve our members, Gay Lea
Foods Co-operative has implemented a
minimum 5 business-day ordering
timeline for all orders placed. This new
Manager, Member Relations &
Corporate Secretary
45 Sparberry Street, R.R. #2
Mount Forest, ON N0G 2L0
Office:
(519) 323-9613
Fax:
(519) 323-1955
[email protected]
Sandra Alton
We sell vinyl fences for farms and residences, and around pools and
backyards. Also available are vinyl decks, porch railing (3 styles) and
posts in Colonial Style. Bobmur Fence Co., Robert and Muriel
Hawthorne, RR #1, Listowel (519) 291-1968.
Do you want to live your life to the fullest on all levels: body, mind and
spirit? I provide the following services: Life Activation, Energetic
Balancing, Full Spirit Activation and Emotional Cord Cutting. For
more information call Dennis Dietz at (519) 327-8522.
FOR SALE:
7 compartment Farmatic Electric Roller mill with control panel;
Massey Ferguson #36 Swather; Kools forage blower model # KB-54
with 6 – 9 inch blower pipes; 7 ft. double auger Barfoot snow blower.
All items in very good condition. Best offer.
Owen Sound (519) 376-0105.
Supervisor, Member Relations
7647 Wellington County Rd 10
R.R. #1, Moorefield, ON N0G 2K0
Office:
(519) 638-7721
Toll Free:
(877) 638-7728
Fax:
(519) 638-7720
Toll Free Fax: (877) 638-7720
[email protected]
Pam Emmott
Member Services Rep Zones 1, 2, 3
South Western & Central Ontario
Currently on Maternity Leave.
Returning Summer 2012.
Plastic lick-wheel protein tub — in excellent condition. $150.00.
Call Bob at (519) 364-6930 or fax (519) 364-0889.
What is it?
This is a gravity cream
separator. Prior to hand
cranked cream separators,
gravity cream separators were
used to separate cream from
milk. The cream would rise to
the top, leaving the milk in the
bottom. The nozzle on the
bottom of the drum would be opened to release the
milk, leaving only the cream behind. Once the milk
was drained, the cream could be drained.
Wendy Hasson
Member Services Rep Zones 1, 2, 3
South Western & Central Ontario
351355 17th Line East Garafraxa
RR #2, Orangeville, ON L9W 2Y9
Office:
(519) 940-5813
Toll Free:
(877) 940-5813
Fax:
(519) 940-5815
Toll Free Fax: (877) 940-5815
[email protected]
Denis A. Séguin
Member Services Rep Zone 4
Eastern & Northern Ontario
change should eliminate short shipped
products. Please keep this 5-day policy in
mind the next time you place a member
order. Thank you.
Member Relations Welcomes New Rep
Shannon Kavanagh,
Representative for
Zone 4, serving Eastern
and Northern Ontario,
joined the Member
Relations Team earlier
this fall. Shannon will
be job shadowing
Denis Séguin, who is
planning to retire at the end of this year.
Shannon is no stranger to dairy farming.
She grew up on a small farm in Saint-Marthe,
12now lives on a dairy farm in EastQuebec and
Ove Hansen
ern Ontario. She is proud to be part of the Ag
Community.
Shannon graduated from McGill University
in Ag Economics and has been working in
Eastern Ontario for six years. She began as an
Ag Account Manager for Desjardins, and recently as Farm Business Management Consultant for the GGAO.
Welcome to Gay Lea, Shannon!
Contact Info: 3262 Rollin Rd, St-Pascal-Baylon, ON
Office: (613) 618-9039
Toll Free: (855) 845-9039
Email: [email protected]
1428 Route 600W
St-Albert, ON K0A 3C0
Office:
(613) 443-4884
Toll Free:
(866) 376-4884
Fax:
(613) 443-0866
Toll Free Fax: (866) 443-0866
[email protected]
Kathy Tjart
Administrative Assistant
Member Relations
255 Pioneer Drive
Kitchener, ON N2P 1M9
Office:
(519) 894-9868
Toll Free:
(888) 636-2745
Fax:
(519) 894-7115
Toll Free Fax: (888) 272-5492
[email protected]
Lee Davis
Administrative Co-ordinator
Member Relations
21 Speedvale Avenue West
Guelph, ON N1H 1J5
Office:
(519) 822-5530 x 2267
Fax:
(519) 821-2668
[email protected]