On March 3, 2010, Andy Vermeulen of Nova Scotia was elected President of the Canadian Horticultural Council for a one year term. 
His election took place during the Council's 88th Annual General Meeting in Québec City.
Mr. Vermeulen succeeds Steve Levasseur of Québec who served as President in 2009.
As the eldest son of immigrant Dutch dairy farmers, Andy grew up actively working on the family farm. He attended Nova Scotia Agriculture College in his home province before continuing his education at University of Saskatchewan where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Engineering in 1979. Andy maintains his professional engineer designation in Nova Scotia.
Andy’s first farm was a hog farm in Shubenacadie he bought in 1981. In 1983, Vermeulen Farms Ltd. was incorporated when he moved to the Annapolis Valley and purchased a hog farm with his brother Gerald. Five years later, looking for a new challenge, Andy expanded into fresh vegetables. Production has grown to over 270 acres of fresh vegetables that are hand harvested by 40 farmers and sold throughout Atlantic Canada. Andy was one of the first Nova Scotia farmers to source labour through the seasonal agriculture workers program and continues to rely on off shore labour.
Andy has been active in horticulture throughout his career with Horticulture Nova Scotia and as a director of the CHC for the past nine years, three of those on the Finance and Executive committee.
Andy and his partner Karen Corey live in Canning and are actively involved in the community and committed to (local) agriculture. Their four adult children live throughout the Maritimes and know there's always a new vegetable dish to try when they visit. Andy feels honoured to serve as President of the CHC and is particularly looking forward to the 2011 Annual General Meeting which will be held in Ottawa.