Senator Oh with some of the team at Huron Ridge Greenhouses
Honourable Canadian Senator Victor Oh made a special trip to Bluewater over the final weekend in August, and made stops at various agricultural sites throughout the area.
Senator Oh is currently a member of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry among others.
One of his stops was at local meat producer CedarVilla Farms – co-owner and operator TJ Klopp said that the senator’s visit to their pig barn was informative,
Senator Oh with Co-Owner and Operator Jocelyn Klopp
Klopp says that it’s of note that his farm is part of the foreign worker program, which is something that Senator Oh has been involved in in the past,
Senator Oh also made some remarks at the Zurich Bean Festival Breakfast, and was spotted walking around town throughout the day. President of the festival committee Winona Bailey said that it was a great way to mark 56 years for the festival,
He also visited Huron Ridge Greenhouses near Bayfield, Marketing Manager Sandra Regier says that one thing that Senator Oh expressed interest in was the way that the local economy supports itself,
She says that having boots on the ground like Senator Oh is important in helping them make good policy decisions,
The Senator toured the facility and their growing fields
Access to small business grants was also something that they discussed, as Regier’s business has made good use of some of them to help keep their facility the hustling bustling place that it is.
The Senator said in a statement that “Zurich and Huron County emanate the true values of Canada: hard work, community values, and a love of Canadian agriculture… I was impressed with the innovation of the many organizations that sustain the region. I’d like to personally thank the many people that have shown me the excellent work they do to produce many of the high-quality foods Canadians continue to enjoy.”
Having a Senator that makes decisions about agriculture in Ontario visit our own community is a testament to it’s contributions to the local economy and beyond. Local businesses welcomed him with the hospitality and generosity that we’re known for, and hope to make a lasting impression to influence policy for years to come.
Written by: B. Shakyaver