NORTH GOWER —The drive to unite the producers of the big three crops is back on track, says Eastern Ontario’s new and only director on the 15-member provincial soybean board.

"The log jam has been broken and the water is starting to flow," said North Gower’s Dwight Foster. "The process is continuing."

Foster replaced Arden Schnekenburger, who grassroots farmers declined to re-elect because he did not support the unification of the Ontario Soybean Growers, Ontario Corn Producers Association and the Ontario Wheat Producers Marketing Board, representing more than 20,000 farmers, many of whom grow all three crops.

"Things are moving forward," said Foster. "This doesn’t happen overnight but we’re heading toward a producer vote. We could have it done in 2008."

Meantime, Lanark County’s grassroots leader John Vanderspank was voted onto the wheat board March 3 and will also pursue amalgamation. Representing eastern Ontario and east-central Ontario, he said that market volatility is the biggest issue.