West Nipissing Ouest – Sturgeon Falls, Verner, St Charles, Field and Area News 
Verner, West Nipissing: Dedicated to agriculture and the rural way of life, 11 families from throughout the province will receive the 2019 BMO Ontario Farm Family Award on Sept. 21 at this year’s International Plowing Match and Rural Expo.
This coveted award, handed out by BMO Bank of Montreal in cooperation with the Ontario Plowmen’s Association (OPA), recognizes recipient families’ focus on sustainability, community involvement, land stewardship and adaptability in their farm management practices.
“For over 200 years, BMO has been a proud supporter of the Canadian agriculture community and, every year, we’re excited to honour the families that exemplify a sense of community, strong values, and hard work – all qualities at the heart of the rural way of life and the agriculture community,” said Steve DeMarco, Vice President of Business Banking Northern Ontario, BMO Bank of Montreal. “The BMO Farm Family Awards recognize the contributions made by farmers across the province, and these 11 families demonstrate how heritage and innovation can work hand in hand to further farming in the province.”
Recipients of the 2019 BMO Ontario Farm Family Awards will be celebrated during the International Plowing Match and Rural Expo, which runs Sept. 17 to 21 in Verner, West Nipissing. The awards presentation is set for the Main Stage on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 11 a.m.
Each family will receive a farm gate plaque recognizing this award.
“We are truly grateful for the agricultural leadership and commitment these families have to their communities,” says OPA President Sheila Marshall. “These award recipients, and those who have come before them, deserve to be celebrated. They’re role models for us all.”
2019 BMO Ontario Farm Family Award Recipients
| Farm Name | Location | |
| Burgsteden Family | B & B Farms Thunder Bay | Thunder Bay |
| Campbell Family | Chatham | |
| Deschatelet Family | Leasure Farms | Sturgeon Falls |
| Howell Family | Brantview Apples & Cider | St. George |
| Lafrance Family | FERME LAFRANCE & FILS | St Eugene |
| Parsons Family | Parterra and Parview Farms | Sturgeon Falls |
| Quesnel Family | Ferme LCM Quesnel Inc | Moose Creek |
| Rutherford Family | Rutherford Farms Limited | Woodstock |
| Seguin Family | Ferme Ideale Ltee | Noelville |
| Seguin Family | Sucrerie Séguin Sugarbush & Creekbend farm | Monnetville |
| Seguin Family | Fermes Cascades Séguin Inc | Noelville |
The BMO Ontario Farm Family Awards have been handed out annually since 2012 and have celebrated the efforts of 83 families throughout the province.
Hosted by the OPA, in conjunction with a local volunteer committee, the International Plowing Match and Rural Expo is held in a different Ontario community each year. The IPM attracts about 80,000 people annually and is the largest event of its kind in North America.
Advanced adult tickets cost $15 each per day, or $20 each per day at the gate.
The IPM is made possible, in part, through a Celebrate Ontario grant provided by the Ontario Ministry of Tourism.