GUELPH, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 09/22/12 -- BMO Bank of Montreal and the Ontario Plowmen's Association will tonight formally recognize and celebrate the 10 Ontario families who have been chosen to receive the BMO Farm Family Award as part of this year's International Plowing Match & Rural Expo in Roseville, Ontario. The families are being honoured for their dedication to Ontario's agriculture sector and the rural way of life.

"BMO is proud to honour these families," said Susan Brown, Senior Vice-President, Ontario Regional Division, BMO Bank of Montreal. "The BMO Farm Family Awards are dedicated to recognizing the tremendous contributions made by farmers across the province, and these 10 families wonderfully demonstrate how the ideals and traditions of the past are combined with today's advanced agri-business practices."

The Ontario BMO Farm Family Award Recipients are:

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Farm Name                  Family                 Area                      
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Shirlmar Farms             The Comley Family      Hamilton Wentworth (South)
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Young Farms, Les Young                                                      
 Farms Ltd.                The Young Family       Bruce County              
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Snyder's Sweet Corn        The Snyder Family      Haldimand County (Oneida) 
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Dodds Family Farm          The Dodds Family       Huron County              
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Spruce Briar Jerseys       The Bromley Family     Renfrew County            
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Almet Farms Ltd.           The Metcalf Family     Durham Region             
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Millhurst Farms Inc.       The Millman Family     Elgin County              
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D-Line Farms Ltd.          The Bryson Family      Lambton County            
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Paynebranch Farms Ltd.     The te Plate Family    Stormont County           
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Hagenlea Beef              The Brodhagen Family   Perth                     
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Each family will enjoy an entire day of Plowing Match events, including brunch and a family photograph session.

"Ontario's farm families are significant contributors to their community and to the province in so many ways," said Cathy Lasby, Executive Director, Ontario Plowmen's Association. "They uphold the traditions of the past while strengthening Ontario's economic growth, and it is truly an honour to recognize them."

BMO has been a supporter of the International Plowing Match and Rural Expo since 2007. The sponsorship has since evolved into a three-year partnership, announced last year, whereby BMO will be a Presenting Partner from 2012 to 2014 inclusive. As part of the partnership, BMO introduced the inaugural Farm Family Awards in Ontario in 2012. Recognizing farm families is an integral part of BMO's commitment to agriculture. In addition to Ontario, BMO also recognizes farm families in southern Alberta annually at the Calgary Stampede.

About BMO Bank of Montreal

BMO's roots in the Canadian agricultural sector date back to 1817, when it first began working with farmers. Today, BMO enjoys a well-founded reputation for providing customized loan and deposit solutions to Canada's agri-business owners, the single largest core commercial sector that the bank serves.

BMO Bank of Montreal offers programs and products including a specialized farm-equipment line of credit, flexible farm mortgages, BMO's Agri ReadiLine and loans under the Canadian Agricultural Loans Act.