2022–2023 Sollio Next Generation Award
Sollio Agriculture, the Agri-business Division of Sollio Cooperative Group, would like to congratulate the three Ontario farmers who earned a distinction under the Farm Succession Award category at its Sollio Next Generation Award gala on February 23, 2023. Hakkesteegt’s Poultry Farm Ltd., in Brighton, earned the top prize, ahead of the two other finalists, Chadwick Farms Inc., in Deseronto, and Lankhuijzen Farms Ltd. in Port Burwell.
The Sollio Next Generation Award is the only recognition of its kind for Canadian agricultural businesses. It recognizes farming families who have successfully transferred or started a farm business while ensuring its sustainability and the equity of all stakeholders. For the first time in 20 years, the contest included a category for clients of the Agromart Group, a Sollio Agriculture partner network.
“The successful transfer of a farm business depends largely on human factors and on the ability to pass down a vision, a passion and a commitment to the land and generations to come,” said Casper Kaastra, Chief Executive Officer of Sollio Agriculture. “Together with our partners from The Agromart Group, we are proud to celebrate the inspiring stories of courage and perseverance of Hakkesteegt’s Poultry Farm Ltd., along with those of the other two finalists, Chadwick Farms Inc. and Lankhuijzen Farms Ltd. Congratulations! Your determination helps feed the world!”
Hakkesteegt’s Poultry Farm Ltd.
Hakkesteegt’s Poultry Farm Ltd. is a family affair that goes back four generations and now includes grandparents, parents, children, spouses and grandchildren. In 1975, the Brighton, Ontario, farm had henhouses and 70 acres of crops. Now, in 2023, it has roughly 500 acres of farmland (corn, soybean, wheat and forage crops) and produces broiler chickens, purebred cattle and solar energy. The farm applied to the contest on advice from its agri-advisors Larry Hutchinson and Robert Teasdale from TCO Agromart. Learn all about their story here: Sollio Next Generation Award - Hakkesteegt's Poultry Farm Ltd.
Chadwick Farms Inc.
Robert Chadwick, 38, holds a bachelor’s degree from Queen’s University. He took over the farm from his father, Brian, and his uncle Wayne in 2014—a transition that took 18 months. Chadwick Farms Inc., located in Deseronto, near Napanee, has 1,400 acres of farmland (corn, soybean, winter wheat), solar panels and 72 dairy cows. Robert and his wife have two daughters. The farm applied to the contest on advice from its agri-advisors Terry and Sandra O'Neill from TCO Agromart. Learn all about their story here: Sollio Next Generation Award - Chadwick Farms Inc.
Lankhuijzen Farms Ltd.
Born in the Netherlands, André Lankhuijzen and his wife, Annemiek, launched Lankhuijzen Farms Ltd. when they arrived in Canada after spending many years in Africa. Today, the farm belongs to their son Anselm and his wife, Anita. The light soils around Port Burwell on the north shore of Lake Erie have long been associated with growing tobacco, but the Lankhuijzen chose to focus on a different crop: processing potatoes. The farm applied to the contest on advice from its agri-advisor Jonathan Sebok from Underhill's Farm Supply. Learn all about their story here: Sollio Next Generation Award - Lankhuijzen Farms Ltd.
About the Sollio Next Generation Award
For more than 20 years now, the Next Generation Award has showcased the Sollio Cooperative Group and Agromart Group farming families who have successfully transferred or started a farm business. A pan-Canadian cooperative, Sollio Agriculture seeks to provide farmer entrepreneurs with the opportunity to draw on the best local models for farm transfers and start-ups. To learn more, visit https://sollio.coop/en/SollioNextGenAward.
2023–2024 contest
Farmers who would like to register for the 2023–2024 Next Generation Award can speak with their Agromart partner or visit the Sollio Group Cooperative website. Registration closes on May 1, 2023.
About Sollio Agriculture
Sollio Agriculture, the Agri-business Division of Sollio Cooperative Group, is a Canadian leader in the agriculture industry. It specializes in merchandising farm inputs and providing value-added services to benefit farmers, cooperatives and partners. Its business model combines the strength of a local approach with the power of a national presence to offer innovative solutions, work on adopting sustainable farming practices and help local farming families prosper. Present across the country, it has 1,300 employees and made $2.929 billion in sales in 2022.
About The Agromart Group
The Agromart Group includes 22 independent agricultural retail businesses across Eastern Canada. Each Agromart is a 50:50 joint venture between Sollio Agriculture and the local business owners/operators. The Agromart Group provides crop nutrients, crop protection products, seed, custom applications and associated services to farmers.
In the photo, in the usual order: Casper Kaastra (CEO of Sollio Agriculture), Michel Brosseau (member of the judging panel), Ryan, Angela and Asher Mcleod with Kirby and Arlene Hakkesteegt (Hakkesteegt's Poultry Farm Ltd.), Sandra and Terry O’Neill (TCO Agromart Ltd.), Jean-Philippe Côté and Muriel Dubois (members of the judging panel), Ghislain Gervais, former President of Sollio Cooperative Group.
Photo credit : Christophe Champion
Information :
Pierre Tessier
pierre.tessier@cominfrarouge.com
514 233-1636