The Canadian Cattle Young Leaders (CYL) Program, a national youth initiative of the Canadian Cattle Association (CCA), has announced its 16 finalists for the 2024-25 program year. Each finalist will be awarded a $3,000 budget for beef industry travel and learning opportunities and will be paired with a hand-picked industry leader for a nine-month mentorship in their specific area of interest. This is $1,000 more per finalist than previous years due to Cargill’s funding increase. Finalists include:
- William Gamache from Lumby, B.C.
- Ashley Perepelkin from Condor, Alta.
- Beatriz Montenegro from Picture Butte, Alta.
- Brianna Elliot from Sundre, Alta.
- Brittany Sigfusson from Strathmore, Alta.
- Emily Jamieson from Duchess, Alta.
- Erik Nottveit from Calgary, Alta.
- Janelle Graham from Olds, Alta.
- Jayse Wilson from Strathmore, Alta.
- Laura Buss from Millarville, Alta.
- Taylor Iwasiuk from High Prairie, Alta.
- Arlis Hanson from Val Marie, Sask.
- Joshua Sanden from Craik, Sask.
- Levi Hurlburt from Moose Jaw, Sask.
- Alice Rooke from Alexander, Man.
- Chelsea Allan from Cumberland, Ont.
(Mentors have yet to be announced).
Congrats to Dr. Robert Tremblay (photo at top), who has been awarded the fourth Elanco/Dr. Brian MacNaughton Memorial Award for his significant contributions to the field of bovine veterinary medicine in Canada. Tremblay grew up in New Brunswick and graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 1982 and earned his doctor of veterinary science degree in 1988 from the University of Guelph. From 1992 until 1999, Tremblay served as a health consultant for cattle and ruminants at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. He also became one of the experts on bovine viral diarrhea during the outbreaks in the province, assisting in vaccine development and control of the outbreak. In 1999, Tremblay joined Boehringer Ingelheim where he worked until his retirement and engaged with producers and veterinarians at various events across the country to explore new methods for enhancing veterinary and farm practices. Tremblay largely dedicated his career to preventing and controlling diseases in cattle and has led many information sessions and round tables for producers and veterinarians, with a focus on disease prevention and animal welfare. A seasoned Canadian Association of Bovine Veterinarians board member and past president, Tremblay currently serves as its first vice-president.
Congrats to Dr. Diego Moya, who has been named the recipient of the 2024 Metacam Bovine Welfare Award for significantly advancing the scientific understanding of bovine welfare and implementing improvements within this field. Moya is an assistant professor in the department of large animal clinical sciences at the University of Saskatchewan. His research focuses on how nutritional management can enhance animal welfare, how to mitigate pain associated with castration in beef cattle and investigating the connections between animal welfare, behaviour and disease. Moya is a strong advocate for animal welfare in modern agriculture and serves on animal welfare committees, including the Saskatchewan Veterinary Medical Association Animal Welfare Committee and the University of Saskatchewan Scientific Merit Review Committee for Animal-Based Research.
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The Canadian Beef Check-Off Agency announced new board members for the 2024-25 term following the annual general meeting at the Canadian Beef Industry Conference. The new board includes many new members from both industry stakeholders and primary producers. Trevor Welch from Glassville, N.B., was elected as the new chair. Welch aims to explore new ways to deliver value to beef producers and the entire value chain. The newly elected executive committee includes Sheila Hillmer, vice chair; Sylvain Bourque, finance chair; Craig McLaughlin, governance chair and Adeleen Bolduck as the new youth member. The Canadian Beef Check-Off Agency also announced the winner of their scholarship award, which went to Gus Halibert of Saskatoon, Sask.
The Manitoba government has named Dr. Glen Duizer as its new chief veterinary officer to lead the province’s animal health, disease prevention and response programming. Duizer graduated as a doctor of veterinary medicine from the University of Prince Edward Island in 1995 and obtained a master of science in epidemiology in 2015. He has been with Manitoba Agriculture since 2005 and has 10 years prior experience as a clinical veterinarian in food animal and mixed animal practices.
Congrats to Pam Woodhouse, an elementary school teacher from St. John Catholic School in Arthur, Ont., who won AgScape’s 2024 Teaching Excellence in Agriculture and Food Education Award. Woodhouse, a passionate farmer, agriculture enthusiast and educator, is devoted to integrating agriculture and food themes into her students’ learning experiences. Her innovative approach includes organizing large-scale field trips which connect students to real-world agricultural practices and history. She also leads her school’s Green Legacy program, where students plant, grow, and care for acorn seedlings throughout the school year. Another educational activity Woodhouse uses to teach her students is the “Pizza Perfect” project at the Grand River Raceway, where they take part in hands-on activities and live demonstrations related to agriculture, such as cow milking, pig farming, food processing and more.
