Crossing the finish line - Gay Lea Foods Members

1

Fall 2011 Published in the interest of members and employees of Gay Lea Foods Co-operative

Return undeliverable Gazettes to:

Gay Lea Foods Co-operative 21 Speedvale Avenue West Guelph, ON N1H 1J5

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 ap-

proximately 675 elementary school runners, both girls and

boys, from Grades 3 to 8. The Grade 3 and 4 stu-

dents 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.

Julie Schwartzentruber, Member

Crossing the finish line Oxford County Students participate

in third annual Hickson Milk Run

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.

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

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

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“Our expectations

are that we will

meet our 2011

profit targets,

slightly ahead of

last year.”

W hile we have not yet seen final sales or financial

results for our fiscal year, we have clear indica-

tors 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 partner-

ships 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 ex-

pected consumption.

Butter is most notable. In the first half of our year, but-

ter sales were dramatically ahead of plan, driven by strong

promotional activity. In the last few months and with lim-

ited 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.

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 con-

stant pressure. At the same time, we have been able to offset

these shifts with increased profitability from dairy ingredi-

ents 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 invest-

ments 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 de-

mands 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, enter-

prise-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 anticipa-

tion 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 signifi-

cantly 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

PRESIDENT’S REPORT — RAPPORT DU PRÉSIDENT

President’s Message

N ous n‘avons pas encore vu les dernières ventes

ou les résultats financiers de notre année finan-

cière, 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‘établis-

sement 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 aug-

menterons 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‘approvisionne-

ment limité en crème et une consommation plus faible que

prévu.

Ce fut le cas du beurre, en particulier. Pendant la pre-

mière moitié de notre exercice, les ventes de beurre avaient

considérablement dépassé les prévisions, soutenues par une

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 der-

niers mois, alors que le fromage cottage a continué à di-

minuer. Notre marque Nordica a conservé sa part con-

sidérable 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‘aug-

menter 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)

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We are pleased to announce this year’s winners of the 2011 Direc-tors’ 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 appli-cants 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.

Directors’ Scholarship Awards

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 Ad-

vanced 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 Direc-

tors. 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 all-

round communication and media skills

Strengthen their knowledge of business

finance and how to use financial informa-

tion appropriately

Have a greater understanding of the na-

tional 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 con-

ducted during the latter part of August in

Guelph and Belleville. After careful considera-

tion, 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 an-

nounce the participants of the first class of the

LiG Advanced Program:

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

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 con-

tinuera 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 termi-

née 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 con-

tribution à nos collectivités et aux autres coopératives. Nos efforts les plus ré-

cents 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 inves-

tissements. Nous voyons des augmentations dans le secteur de nos produits de

culture, un commerce accru des ingrédients (y compris les concentrés proté-

iques 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

(Suite de page 2)

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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: Registration

10:30 am — 2:00 pm: Business Meeting & Update

12:30 pm: 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.

Butter will be available for

purchase at the Zone meet-

ings. 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.

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, mov-

ing 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

Monday, December 5, 2011

Stratford Fairgrounds Banquet Facility

353 McCarthy Road, Stratford, Ontario

CURRENT ZONE 1 DIRECTORS:

Steve Dolson, Rowena Wallace

Steve Dolson is completing his 3-year term. Mr. Dolson 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.

Dennis Bryson, Steve Hallahan, three vacant positions.


Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Cambridge Holiday Inn, “Elora Hall”

200 Holiday Inn Drive, Cambridge, Ontario


John Ellison, Roger Harrop

Roger Harrop is completing his 3-year term. Mr. Harrop is






David Hawthorne, Anne Horsley, Jack Kuipers,

Steven Veldman, one vacant position.


Thursday, December 8, 2011

Durham Community Centre

451 Saddler Street West, Durham, Ontario


Alan Fisher, Mark Hamel

Alan Fisher is completing his 3-year term. Mr. Fisher is






Louise Ahrens, Warren Becker, Chancy Burgess,

Jim Christie, Don Dietrich.


Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Kemptville College, W.B. George Centre/Gymnasium

830 Prescott Street, Kemptville, Ontario


Barton MacLean, Dick Straathof

There will not be a Director election this year, as the Direc-

tor positions are not up for re-election.





Hugh Graham, Kelvin Kerr, Gerald Vander Ploeg,

John Wynands, one vacant position.

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E d Brady was inducted into the Canadian Co-operative Hall

of Fame in June 2011, at the Canadian Co-operative Asso-

ciation‘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 contribu-

tions 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 devel-

oped 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.

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 pro-

moting, 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 com-

mittee made up of members of the CCA Board of Directors, the

CDF Board of Directors and the CCA International Program Com-

mittee.

A commemorative booklet of the event detailed our achieve-

ments 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 interna-

tional 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 com-

munity; 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 sup-

ported 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 As-

sociation to deliver ground breaking delegate and director train-

ing. Its recognized health and safety programs, its industry rec-

ognized quality programs, its strong support for leadership de-

velopment and the Co-operative Youth Leadership (CYL) pro-

gram 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.”

Gay Lea Foods recipient of Global Co-operator Award

Ed Brady inducted into Hall of Fame

6

PROFILE

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 Jenni-

fer 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 dedica-

tion put forth by my parents in their farming career,‖ Randy

stated, ―it would not have been possible for us to own and op-

erate 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 Cen-

tralia 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 re-

cent 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 pro-

fessionalism 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.

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 vari-

ous committees, the Woodhouses have four lovely young daugh-

ters who are also very active and

involved.

Hannah, the eldest daughter

Learn to do by doing The Woodhouse Family Way

Randy Woodhouse, along with his four daughters, Beth, Hannah, Charlotte and

Abby, at their Woodhill Holstein Farm.

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.

7

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 orches-

tra. When asked what her future aspirations are, Han-

nah 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 Danc-

ing. Abby was selected for two special events taking

place this fall. She has been invited to sing at a perform-

ance 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 pre-

4-H dairy club. She is also a member of the Coyote run-

ning club, loves swimming and is involved in figure skat-

ing and gymnastics.

Charlotte, aged four, has embarked on an exciting new

endeavour this fall as she is now enrolled in school in Jr. Kinder-

garten. 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 num-

ber of 4-H events and Fall Fairs attended by one family annually.

This year alone, they have taken dairy calves and sheep to the fol-

lowing fairs: Lucknow, Markdale, Hanover, Meaford, Beaver Val-

ley, Dundalk, Owen Sound, Chatsworth, Collingwood and Rock-

lyn. 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 genera-

tion 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 bear-

ing their ―Woodhill‖ prefix, were transferred to the four Wood-

house 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.

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 com-

prend 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 deve-

nir 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 la-

itière 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 lui a

(Suite — page 8)

Fall Fair time for the Woodhouse family: Jennifer and Randy Woodhouse, top,

with Beth, Charlotte, Abby and Hannah.

8

NEWS & EVENTS

demandé de se rendre à la ferme laitière

« Foothills » pour s‘occuper d‘une vache

qui avait mal à une patte. Dès cette pre-

mière 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 anni-

versaire 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 développe-

ment personnel 4-H. Elle est aussi respon-

sable 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‘administra-

tion de l‘exposition Beaver Valley et mem-

bre 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 événe-

ments spéciaux cet automne. D‘abord, elle

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 nord-

américain 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‘exposi-

tions. 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 gym-

nastique.

Charlotte, quatre ans, vient d‘entre-

prendre quelque chose de très excitant cet

automne, car elle vient de commencer l‘é-

cole 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 probable-

ment le record de participation annuelle

d‘une famille à des événements et des ex-

positions agricoles. Simplement cette an-

née, 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, Chats-

worth, Collingwood et Rocklyn. Ils ont

aussi conduit leurs filles à un certain nom-

bre 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 con-

seils de mes parents, ils étaient d‘excel-

lents guides, » dit Randy. La dernière vo-

lonté d‘Arnie et Wilma au moment de leur

décès était que le préfixe « Woodhill » con-

tinue 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 pro-

duit 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 tra-

vail 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 dif-

férent 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 suf-

isamment de travail et d‘engagement, ils

trouvent le temps de faire partie de comi-

tés et de soutenir les événements com-

munautaires afin d‘en assurer le succès. Ils

sont des modèles pour leurs amis, leurs

voisins et les membres de leur famille élar-

gie, et nous sommes fiers de compter cette

famille parmi les membres de la Coopéra-

tive Gay-Lea.

C’est en faisant qu’on apprend La façon de la famille Woodhouse

Suite de page 7

9

NEWS & EVENTS

Gay Lea welcomes

the following

new members:

1647622 Ontario Inc., Tara

Agcom Inc. , New Hamburg

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

David Heffer, Wingham

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

Pooja Singh, Woodbridge

Johanna M. Van Pelt, Fraserville

Mike & Brian Vandenberg,

Fraserville

Vrederijk Dairy Ltd., Tavistock

Kevin Werry, Oshawa

Rick Werry , Oshawa

Aria Zekveld, Bowmanville

Hannah Zekveld, Bowmanville

Henry & Annette Zekveld,

Bowmanville

Nickolas Zekveld, Bowmanville

T he 2011 season here at the Museum has been the busiest one yet. With the sea-

son 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 vari-ous different fairs including Paisley, Teeswa-ter, 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 celebra-tions. We are looking forward to the exciting year ahead.

Located just outside of Aylmer, on James-town Line, the Gay Lea Dairy Heritage Mu-seum, 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 1-888-773-2955. Be sure to check us out online www.dairyheritagemuseum.ca and follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/DairyMuseum

Record

Breaking

Season for

Museum by Taryn McBride

T his year at the International Plow-

ing Match located in Chute-à-

Blondeau (Eastern Ontario), the Gay

Lea Dairy Heritage Museum set up an

interesting display of some of its collec-

tions. 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 ex-

position.

Mother Nature co-operates at IPM

Gay Lea

swag

spotted An old director’s hat was spotted during the summer. Proudly wearing his new hat is Brady Hasson.

Above: Plowing the hard way at the IPM.

Below: Member Relations Rep, Shannon Kavanagh,

at the IPM.

http://www.dairyheritagemuseum.ca/

http://twitter.com/DairyMuseum

10

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.

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

Draw held at Outdoor

Farm Show

G ay Lea Foods, with assistance from Dele-

gates 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 ex-

isting 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)

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 mem-

bers 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 Niag-

ara Falls.

Special thanks to Ontowa Farms –

Ralph and Judy Martin and family; and

Cranston Farms – Doug and Joan Cranston and family for allow-

ing our AMUL visitors to visit your farms. The group was very

grateful for Gay Lea‘s hospitality and thoroughly enjoyed their

time in Ontario.

India’s AMUL Dairy Co-operative visits Gay Lea

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.

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.

Teeswater Farm Fresh Country Store: (519) 392-6864

Ivanhoe Cheese: (800) 268-0508

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.

11

NEWS & EVENTS

S ummer is BBQ season and at the Gay

Lea branches this year it was no excep-

tion. 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 sum-

mer and everyone agreed that they had a

good time and enjoyed the food and camara-

derie around the ―table‖. Congrats to all who

participated. It

was agreed that

the BBQs were a

huge success

again this year.

BBQs a success at Gay Lea Branches

Photos clockwise:

Andrea Boileau,

Orbitor, and Lara

Bennett, Guelph,

are all smiles at the

Guelph BBQ.

Darren Ireland flips the burgers at the Teeswa-

ter 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 Associa-

tion (CCA), in conjunction with Le Conseil canadien de la coopéra-

tion 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 con-

tribute to a sustainable prosperity.‖

To follow everything that is happening, or to post your

thoughts, go to: www.canada2012.coop.

12

Ove Hansen 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 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.

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

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]

Product Depots are scheduled for November & December. Watch for your notice in November.

Member Relations www.gayleafoodsmembers.com

Reminder:

Annual Member

Statements will be

mailed out

in November.

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

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 equip-ment 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].

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.

Plastic lick-wheel protein tub — in excellent condition. $150.00. Call Bob at (519) 364-6930 or fax (519) 364-0889.

Classifieds

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,

Quebec and now lives on a dairy farm in East-

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 re-

cently as Farm Business Management Consult-

ant 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]

Member Relations Welcomes New Rep

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.

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

change should eliminate short shipped

products. Please keep this 5-day policy in

mind the next time you place a member

order. Thank you.

Documents

Crossing the finish line - Gay Lea Foods Members