AAC Board of Directors

The AAC is made up of almost 60 Ontario agricultural, agri-food and rural organizations. It is these member organizations that annually elect 16 directors to serve on the AAC board. They are joined by 2, non-voting, liaisons from the federal and provincial government.

As a corporate body, the AAC directors have one client: the Ontario agri-food industry. The AAC board of directors has a unique understanding of funding program requirements, farming and agribusiness. It’s who they are and what they do. A complete list of the AAC’s membership and sectoral structure can be found by clicking here.

Joann Chechalk

Joann Chechalk

Representing: Horticulture

Joann is part of Chausser’s Farms which has been a farming operation for 4 generations. The farm has evolved from a 200 head Dairy Goat milking operation to the current operation of Beef Cattle, Sheep and cash crops.  As she became involved in the farm, she further evolved to grow the acres owned and rented, added greenhouses and several acres of Garlic and Vegetables. She is a CPA, who has spent a good deal of her career as a staff member at both the Municipal and Provincial levels of Government. She sits on various boards and committees including President of the Garlic Growers Association of Ontario (GGAO) , Fresh Vegetable Growers of Ontario (FVGO) organization, and Chair of the Governance Committee of Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association (OFVGA). Joann has also sat on West Lincoln Council for 8 years as Chair of Planning, Development and Sustainability, the West Lincoln Chamber of Commerce as well as the hospital, the Local Utility, the Agricultural Society and 4-H.