 
Business Experience
I own and operate a dairy and crop farm and have been a business owner and employer for thirty years. It
is a family farm I own in partnership with my wife, Kerri. We have a
milking herd of 270 cows, and have 750 acres cropped in alfalfa,
barley, corn and canola, along with 100 acres of pasture land. We currently are employing two full time, and two part time staff members in addition to myself.
We
have a successful business and continually try new things in order to
remain profitable and environmentally responsible. In 2011 we invested
in a new dairy barn, and are now one of several local farms to milk our
cows with robotic automated milking stalls. In 2020 our farm expanded
by purchasing a neighboring dairy farm, we currently have milking cow
herds at two sites managed by one group of people.
We
strive to operate in an efficient and sustainable manner, and continue
to invest in the farm to enable it to remain a successful local
business in our rural community.
Prior
to my first council term I served three two-year terms on the
Board of Directors of Thunder Bay Cooperative Farm Supplies. Our local
Coop is Member owned and sells fertilizer, feed and fuel to local area
farmers, businesses and homeowners. The Board oversees the manager and
his performance, and is responsible for long term planning and
investments that the Coop makes. While I served as a Board member, we
embarked on a successful expansion into a fertilizer blending facility
and several years later, a grain handling and soybean roasting facility.
From
2015 to 2018 I was on the Board of the Thunder Bay Agricultural
Research Association, which began as a local group of farmers who
wanted to see crop research continue in the Thunder Bay District. The
successful management of the Thunder Bay Agricultural Research Station
has greatly benefited farmers in our area and across Canada. I have
been able to expand my skills and abilities in managing people, tight
budgets and a challenging funding environment and our Board is proud of
the recent success of partnering with Lakehead University to continue
the long term viability of crop research in the Thunder Bay area.
In
2020 I was appointed to the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation
Board of directors and currently serve as Chair of the Governance
Committee. The NOHFC has a mandate to promote and stimulate economic
development initiatives across Northern Ontario. Since June 2018 NOHFC
has invested more than $473 million in 4244 projects across the North,
sustaining over 6600 jobs. Our internship program has supported
797 internships with $22.5 million in funding in the past four years.
The NOHFC Board has a diverse membership of business and community
leaders from across Northern Ontario and it has been good to get to
know and learn the similarities and differences we face as Board
members from across the North. http://nohfc.ca
I
have experience managing money in a community environment and the skill
and knowledge to handle your tax dollars in a responsible manner.
Thank you for considering me for your vote.
Web site and all contents © Copyright Bernie Kamphof 2014, All rights reserved.
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