Gilvesy retires as chair of farm group

George Gilvesy. (Jeff Helsdon Photo).

Jeff Helsdon

A Tillsonburg man is hanging up his hat after nearly two decades with the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG).

George Gilvesy’s last day as the chair of the OGVG was Oct. 31. He served as chair of the board from 2015 to 2024 and was the general manager of the organization from 2009 to 2015. Prior to that, he was on the Ontario Flue-Cured Tobacco Growers’ Marketing Board for 18 years, of which he was chair for four years and vice-chair for six years. Gilvesy was a third-generation tobacco grower, who started growing on his own farm in 1978.

After Gilvesy was done his tenure with the tobacco board, the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission asked if he would assist OGVG on a limited basis. He found the skills he used as the head of the tobacco board could be used for other agriculture commodities.

OGVG represents the greenhouse tomato, cucumber and pepper growers of the province. There are 170 grower members. Gilvesy helped on an interim basis in 2004 and 2005 and then became the general manager in 2009. The position of chair of the board was an appointment from the Farm Products Marketing Commission until 2023. In 2024 the growers were allowed to appoint their own chair, which Gilvesy undertook for a year before deciding he would like to retire.

“I said I’m comfortable to go one more year and it would be in the board’s best interest to look for a new chair for the transition,” he said.

Gilvesy explained the difference between the two positions is the general manager oversees operations and implements the policies outlined by the board while the chair leads the board through the decision-making process, and guides board members through policies and regulation. The chair also advocates for OGVG with government. This meant Gilvesy spent a fair amount of time in Toronto, Ottawa and Washington talking to politicians and bureaucrats.

An OGVG press release announcing his retirement heralded Gilvesy for the work he had done on sustainability, food security, trade, market development and environmentally-friendly growing practices that benefitted OGVG members and agriculture in general.

“I have had the pleasure of serving with George, who has inspired me and given me so many new perspectives on how agriculture and government can work together to achieve common goals,” said Rick Mastronardi, District 1 Vice Chair. “He will be sadly missed by many across the agricultural sector.”

One of the hurdles that Gilvesy tackled in his early days with OGVG was the Netherlands dumping peppers into the Canadian market. OGVG hired legal counsel and took the issue to the Canadian International Trade Tribunal and won.

“It was a significant step forward for the organization,” Gilvesy said.

COVID was another huge challenge for OGVG members to keep operating and growing food for the marketplace. Gilvesy said one of the big hurdles was the offshore labour. The Medical Officer of Health for Windsor-Essex, where many of the greenhouse operations are located, said foreign workers were not allowed.

“In 35 years, I’ve never seen such a machine going into resolving that,” Gilvesy recounted. “The Premier, Doug Ford, was instrumental in getting that turned around, getting local, provincial and federal officials working together.”

The whole issue was resolved within 72 hours.

In 2009, OGVG members had 1,575 acres of greenhouses. This has grown to 4,100 acres today in Ontario, with over 80 percent of the product exported to the United States. Gilvesy gave credit to the growers for the huge expansion, saying they had both the technology, knowledge and the aggressiveness.

“This is all on them,” he said. “It’s not necessarily what OGVG did but we tried to facilitate their growth as much as we could.”

Gilvesy reflected back on his time with OGVG, saying, “It’s been extremely rewarding to represent a group like this. It’s been an outstanding opportunity. They are some of the most enterprising farmers in the world.”

With more time on his hands, Gilvesy hopes to enjoy more time golfing, flying his plane and working on farm projects.

“There’s going to be no shortage of things to keep me occupied, but first I’m going to catch my breath,” he said.

OGVG announced that former Elgin-Middlesex-London MPP, Minister of Agriculture and St. Thomas mayor Steve Peters will be replacing Gilvesy as chair.