Two Ontario farm families will compete this spring for the province’s 2026 Outstanding Young Farmer title, an honour recognizing innovation, leadership and community involvement in agriculture.
Tyler and Allison McBlain of Caledonia and Drew and Heather Spoelstra of Binbrook have been named this year’s nominees. The winner will be announced April 8 at the Ontario Outstanding Young Farmer Awards Banquet at Cellar 52 in St. Jacobs.
The provincial winner will go on to represent Ontario at the national Outstanding Young Farmer competition in British Columbia later this year.
The McBlains operate McBlain Farms Ltd., a 4,000-acre cash crop operation in Brant County producing corn, soybeans, wheat and oats. Tyler McBlain rebuilt the business from the ground up in 2013 following a division of the family farm, forming a new corporation with his parents and focusing on regenerative soil practices and precision agriculture.
In addition to farming, McBlain serves as Deputy District Chief with the County of Brant’s volunteer fire department. Allison McBlain, a trained elementary school teacher, is involved in agricultural education through programs such as Bite of Brant and through volunteer work at her children’s school.
The Spoelstras operate a diversified farming business near Binbrook that includes dairy, grain, beef and a herd of Clydesdale horses. Drew Spoelstra is a partner in Roy-A-Lea Farms Ltd., a 2,000-acre dairy and grain operation that began milking in a new robotic dairy facility in 2024.
Heather Spoelstra manages about 50 Clydesdale horses through Roy-A-Lea Clydesdales, with horses used by mounted police units across Canada. One of their geldings, Roy-A-Lea Major Laredo, led the Budweiser Clydesdales during the Rose Parade on New Year’s Day 2026.
Drew Spoelstra also serves as president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, representing more than 38,000 farm members across the province.
The Ontario Outstanding Young Farmer program recognizes farmers under the age of 40 who demonstrate excellence in their operations and leadership in their communities.