RJ Taylor first ever fish farmer appointed to Agricultural Research & Innovation Ontario

We’re thrilled to share some big news from Springhills — our very own RJ has just been appointed to the board of Agricultural Research & Innovation Ontario (ARIO), becoming the first fish farmer ever to take on this role! 🎉🐟

ARIO is a crown agency that’s been advancing agricultural research in Ontario since 1962. From beef to asparagus to fish, they’re the driving force behind innovation in Ontario agriculture. Having a fish farmer at the table is a major milestone for aquaculture — and a proud moment for our farm.

RJ’s path to this appointment is as unique as it is full circle. Before returning to the family fish farm, he spent over a decade in science advocacy and education, working with organizations like the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. (Yes, going from quantum physics to aquaculture is a real career path!)

What makes this appointment especially meaningful is the history behind it. Back in the 1980s, RJ’s dad co-founded Creekbank Trout Farm near Guelph. That very farm was later sold to ARIO and transformed into the Ontario Aquaculture Research Centre — one of the province’s leading fish research facilities. And now, a generation later, RJ joins the board that oversees it. Talk about a full circle moment!

But this appointment is about more than just personal milestones. It’s a major step forward for Ontario’s aquaculture sector. Fish farmers face many of the same challenges as others in agriculture — caring for animals, managing capital-intensive operations, and adapting to climate change — yet we’re often left swimming upstream when it comes to recognition and funding.

This board appointment is a sign that things are changing. Aquaculture is gaining the recognition it deserves, and we’re excited to see where this momentum takes us.

Congratulations, RJ — and congratulations to fish farmers across Ontario!