The Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) for Chatham-Kent-Leamington is getting a big promotion within the Ontario government.
Premier Doug Ford announced his new cabinet on Wednesday, which included Trevor Jones as the new Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Agribusiness.
He replaces Rob Flack who's been named the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
This is the first time Jones will take on a Minister role. He's been the riding's MPP since 2022, getting elected for a second time in last month's provincial election.
Jones has held many positions during his first term such as Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Deputy Government House Leader, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, and Associate Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Response.
He was also a member of the Standing Committee on Government Agencies and the Standing Committee on Justice Policy.
Meanwhile, the Grain Farmers of Ontario are one of the first organizations to congratulate Jones on his appointment.
“The grain and oilseed industry needs strong leadership from the provincial government as we face uncertainty in trade due to tariff threats from the U.S. and China,” said Jeff Harrison, chair of Grain Farmers of Ontario “We have previously worked with Trevor Jones when he served as parliamentary assistant to the minister of agriculture, and we look forward to working with him on Grain Farmers of Ontario priorities that benefit farmer-members.”
The organization also provided a list of priorities they're hoping to see happen from the government. They include protecting markets & imports of farm input, accelerating the use of grain-based renewable fuels, and providing relief on carbon tax for grain drying.