The manager in charge of research work for Ontario’s wheat, soybean and corn growers’ groups will now also be in charge of their market development file.
Crosby Devitt was named Monday to a new combined title as manager of research and market development for the Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO), the province’s merged corn, soy and wheat growers’ groups.
“The merging of research and market development emphasizes the effort GFO is making to move the research done in the lab into the commercial environment, which is always a challenge,” GFO CEO Barry Senft said in a release.
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Guelph-based GFO said its broader market development strategy remains focused on:
- building “long-term consumer awareness of product innovations” such as new food products, bioproducts and fuel that can be made with grain;
- taking consumer demand to the “next level” by establishing infrastructure in Ontario or identifying high-value export markets; and
- working to enhance these domestic and export opportunities by refining Ontario grains to meet more specialized and higher-value market opportunities through new varieties and identity-preservation (IP) systems.
Devitt, who lives in Guelph but also farms at Ripley, about 140 km northwest, arrived at what later became GFO in 2005, as manager of research and innovation for the Ontario Wheat Producers’ Marketing Board.
He later also managed research work for the Ontario Soybean Growers and Ontario Corn Producers’ Association before their merger into the GFO.
Devitt said in the same release he’s “looking forward the challenge of building on the work that was started by our legacy organizations,” noting the work of GFO’s market development committee in “guiding the market development objectives” as well as “a solid industry with innovative product development happening in Ontario to build on.”
