Our History

The George Morris Centre is guided by the spirit of the late George Fletcher Morris, LLD, an agri-food visionary, leader and life-long beef and cash crop farmer from Merlin, Ontario, Canada.  George believed the industry needed an organization dedicated to free thought, free speech, and non-compromised analysis, to help it compete effectively in the global marketplace.  In 1988, he put his support behind the University of Guelph to create a think tank focused on ensuring the sustained ability of Canada's agri-food industries. 

Two years later, the George Morris Centre was launched.  From its inception in 1990 until 1998, the George Morris Centre operated as a department of the University of Guelph.  Seeking true autonomy, in September 1997 the Centre was registered as a non-profit charitable corporation and initiated its transition from the University of Guelph, which was completed in November 1998.

Today, we are still fueled by an endowment fund set up by our fiercely progressive founder. Having grown from a one-person "Chair" to a staff of ten, we are governed by a Board of Directors drawn from across the country and across the industries in the agri-products sector. We are "owned" by our members and we operate for the benefit of the enhanced competitiveness of Canada's agri-products industries.