Celebrating World Soil Day 2025

Deputy Minister, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness

John Kelly became Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) in August 2020.

John brings more than 25 years of leadership in the agricultural, food and life sciences industries, spanning private, public and not-for-profit sectors. Prior to joining OMAFRA, John was Chief Innovation Officer at Bioenterprise Corporation, where he was responsible for leading the acceleration of agri-tech business ventures. John has also held senior-level roles in organizations such as DNAstack Inc., Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association and MaRS Landing.

John holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from the University of Guelph and a Master of Science from the University of Alberta.

Lisa’s passion for Canada’s agriculture sector—and its role as a global leader in production, innovation, and sustainability—was shaped by her upbringing on her family’s farm in Southwestern Ontario. This early interest led her to pursue post-graduate degrees in Ireland, Germany, and most recently at the University of Guelph, where she completed a PhD focused on the governance of scaling natural climate solutions in Canadian agriculture.

Currently, Lisa is the Director of Agriculture Policy at RBC Thought Leadership, where she leads agriculture and food research and stakeholder engagement. Prior to joining RBC, she was the Sustainability Lead at Grain Farmers of Ontario and worked as a consultant, helping not-for-profit organizations and companies develop and implement regenerative agriculture strategies.

Dr. Claudia Wagner-Riddle is a professor and Stephen A. Jarislowsky Chair in Climate-Smart Soils in the School of Environmental Sciences.

Wagner-Riddle is an expert in the application of micrometeorological flux techniques to measure agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. Wagner-Riddle leads an internationally-renowned research program utilizing the measurement of greenhouse gas emissions to determine the carbon footprint of food, feed, and fuel produced by agriculture. Wagner-Riddle has received numerous awards, including Fellow of the Soil Science Society of America and of the American Meteorological Society, and the 2020 IFA Borlaug Award of Excellence in Crop Nutrition. 

Wagner-Riddle leads CanN₂ONet, a national network dedicated to reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, and is the Canada lead of NICCEE, the Global Nitrogen Innovation Center for Clean Energy and the Environment, which involves multi-stakeholders from the agricultural sector, including industry, government and farmer organizations.

Dr. John Lauzon is an associate professor in the School of Environmental Sciences. His research focuses on nutrient cycling and management within the agroecosystem. His specific current interests include: the evaluation of manure management strategies to decrease losses of nutrients and bacteria to the environment and improve the agronomic availability of the nutrients, and investigating spatial variability of soil nutrients and plant response. 

Dr. Adam Gillespie is an assistant professor in the School of Environmental Sciences. His research focuses on soil organic matter and soil health. Soil organic matter is widely recognized as an integral part of sustainable agriculture, soil health and ecosystem resilience. It is critical for soil function, providing a source of nutrients, substrates and energy for the microbial population.  His research program is one which examines land use and ecosystem influences on soil organic matter (SOM) dynamics and their relationship with soil fertility and carbon cycling in both the lab and field settings. He believes very strongly in the need to translate innovative research into practice. 

Kent is a highly experienced leader in the agriculture industry with over 30 years of expertise. As the Founder and CEO of Crescero (formerly AGinvest Farmland Properties Canada Inc.), he has established a successful farmland asset management firm in Chatham, Ontario.

In 2018, Kent launched the AGinvest Farmland One Fund, offering investors exclusive access to Ontario’s fertile and productive farmland. Building on this success, he has since led Crescero in establishing three additional funds, all of which have delivered outstanding results for both investors and farm families. Crescero is dedicated to fostering mutually beneficial opportunities that support food security, promote sustainable farming practices, and drive long-term value creation.

As Crescero’s leader, Kent oversees all aspects of operations and spearheads the investment process with a unique approach that sets the organization apart. His innovative methods emphasize close collaboration with farm families during acquisitions and optimization efforts, forming the foundation of Crescero’s strategic vision.

Stephanie is the Soil Management Specialist for Horticulture Crops with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness. Based in Vineland, ON, she works with growers, researchers, and industry partners to assess new practices and technologies that improve soil health and sustainable production in Ontario’s horticulture sectors. Her current projects include assessing the use of under-vine cover crops in commercial vineyards and cover cropping/intercropping options in garlic production.

Jason attended Trent University, graduating with a Bachelor of Environmental Science, followed by a Master’s degree in Environmental and Life Science. His research during his Master’s focused on the impacts of pollution on Irish grassland herbaceous species, studying relationships between soil characteristics and grassland biodiversity. 

Currently, Jason is working at the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre as a Researcher, where he specializes in green infrastructure use in the urban environment as well as soil health and its influence on horticultural crops. In his spare time, Jason enjoys gardening with his wife and taking his son Blake and puppy Nox out for walks.

Research Soil Scientist, Soil Health Institute 

Dr. Bower collaborates with farmers and agricultural stakeholders to establish soil health targets across the Greater Golden Horseshoe, helping predict and improve soil health under various management practices. 

Soil Management Specialist for Field Crops, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA)

As a Certified Crop Advisor, Jake brings expertise in soil fertility, cover crops, and beneficial management practices, helping Ontario farmers improve soil health and productivity. 

The Honourable Rob Black, P. Ag. (Hon.) has worked in the rural, agricultural, and leadership arenas for much of his working career with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), 4-H Ontario, the Ontario Soybean Growers, The Centre for Rural Leadership and the Rural Ontario Institute (ROI).
He has had close involvement with 4-H Canada and 4-H Ontario, and other leadership programs, such as Junior Farmers and the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP). He credits his involvement in these programs with allowing him to develop the skills that would lead him to become a senator.

In February 2018, Rob received a call from the Prime Minister, summoning him to the Senate to represent the province of Ontario. The Prime Minister told Rob that he wanted him to bring his background in agriculture, rural community development, and leadership development to the Senate.

Since February 27, 2018, Rob has been working on several issues of importance to Canadians through his role. Currently, Rob is Chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Forestry. Rob served as the Chair of the Canadian Senators Group (CSG) from its inception in 2019 until October 2023.