Denfield Livestock Exchange gets new owners

Stanton Farms and the Van Soest family have purchased the Denfield Livestock Exchange, giving new stability to the Middlesex County sales barn.

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“It’s a sale we’ve always sent our cull cows and drop calves to, and we knew it was a strong, successful sales barn,” says Jeff Stanton of Stanton Farms. “We were driven by the fact that we didn’t want it to close.”

Why it matters: Sales barns provide an important sales route for livestock farmers and help to create price transparency in the market.

Stanton Farms, based outside of Ilderton, is one of the largest dairy farms in the province and it is located less than 10 kilometres from Denfield.

Jeff Van Soest and his family farm near Hensall.

“They’re aggressive, excellent farmers and I know they’ll be a real asset to push the Denfield sales barn further ahead,” says Stanton.

Stan Rees has operated the sales barn and won’t be involved in the operations going forward, and the first sale under the new ownership will take place Jan. 9.

“We think from the outside that Stan’s done a great job. They are running a large number of livestock through there,” says Stanton.

Finding skilled employees is a challenge for sales barns across the country, but Stanton says the Denfield Livestock Exchange has long-time, valuable employees.

“It’s a great staff, many we’ve known for a long time,” he says.

Farmers who bring their livestock to the Denfield exchange won’t see much difference.

“We’re not looking looking to rush in there and make changes,” says Stanton. “We’re going to continue on as the sales have been run, so the same Tuesday and likely some Saturday special sales as they’ve done in the past.”