[UPDATED: Oct. 4, 2022] Tia Schram is a young beef producer from north-central Alberta. Growing up, Schram exhibited cattle across the country with the Simmental and Angus breed associations, and she remains an advocate for junior programming. Today, alongside her family, she helps operate North Hill Simmentals, a 500-head cow-calf operation with a focus on longevity and quality beef production. Schram has a passion for marketing which stems from the agriculture industry and the relationship-based style she experienced growing up. Her interest in marketing led her to complete a bachelor of management, with a marketing emphasis, at Concordia University in Edmonton. Schram plans to implement further business practices into their current farming operation and continue her education at the graduate level. Schram is also invested in veterinary medicine and the importance of quality practice management. She plans to continue working alongside her veterinarian and mother to serve their clients to the best of their ability. Schram’s mentor is Mike Panasiuk, owner and founder of Springside Farms, a purebred Charolais operation in central Alberta that has exported genetics as far away as Australia. Panasiuk has also been part of the Youth Employment and Skills Program.
Born and raised on his father’s beef farm outside of Wakefield in western Quebec, Victor Drury took an interest in farming at a young age. Since receiving his degree in mining engineering at Queen’s University in 2009, he has been working full-time on the farm. In 2017, he bought a farm neighbouring the homestead and built his home where he lives with his wife and three children. He raises his own crossbred Red Angus herd, while also managing his father’s beef herd. The animals are rotationally grazed and the calves are sold as yearlings in the spring. Drury’s mentor is Graeme Finn, who operates Southern Cross Livestock with his wife, Heather, and is founder and president of Union Forage. Finn has also been involved with several industry organizations, including the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, Beef Cattle Research Council and the Calgary Stampede International Agriculture Committee.
Alberta’s Jeff Smith was elected chair of the Canadian Beef Check-off Agency at the Canadian Beef Industry conference at Penticton, B.C., in August. Rounding out the executive committee are Trevor Welch of N.B as vice-chair, Larry Weatherby of N.S. as governance chair and Quebec’s Kirk Jackson as finance chair. Julie Mortenson of Sask. is the agency’s first youth member. New to the agency’s market committee are Clay Holmes of Intercity Packers and Cam Daniels of Harmony Beef. The agency recognized past chair Chad Ross of Sask. for his work as chair through the pandemic (including leading a bylaw review, reducing administration, succession planning and youth engagement). Mike Kennedy was also acknowledged for his work with the agency, as was Hubert Lau for his work with the marketing committee.
Emma Cross, who regularly contributes articles to Canadian Cattlemen through her role at Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+), recently received three academic awards at her convocation from the University of Saskatchewan. Cross received the Governor General’s Silver Medal, the Saskatchewan Institute of Agrologists Gold Medal (awarded to the top degree grad of the College of Agriculture and Bioresources) and the Christenson Family Graduation Prize in Animal and Poultry Science (awarded to the most distinguished grad with an animal science specialization). Cross earned a bachelor of science in agriculture (majoring in animal science) as well as a certificate in professional communications. She is currently the stakeholder engagement social media co-ordinator for the Canadian Cattle Association and does communications work with VBP+. She also runs a herd of purebred Herefords near Tofield, Alta., under the name Sundance Herefords.
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Cattlefax CEO Randy Blach was recognized for his over 40 years at CattleFax, the U.S. beef market information and analysis agency based in Colorado (see photo at top). He was awarded the 2022 Industry Achievement Award from Certified Angus Beef while attending the Feeding Quality Forum in Kansas City in August. Blach started with Cattlefax after graduating with an animal science degree at Colorado State University in 1980. He held that post for 21 years, until Topper Thorpe retired and Blach took the helm as CEO. Under his direction, Cattlefax went from reporting market and weather data to “delivering decision-friendly data” for cattle producers, a news release notes.
Former Canadian Cattle Association president Travis Toews has entered the United Conservative Party (UCP) leadership race. Toews, a former rancher and owner of an oilfield environmental company, is also a chartered professional accountant. He previously served as Alberta’s minister of finance and president of the Treasury Board under Premier Jason Kenney. At press time he had garnered endorsements from 27 MLAs, his campaign site noted. If successful in his leadership bid, Toews will be premier of Alberta, leading the UCP party as Alberta heads for a spring election.
*Update: Cattlemen’s Young Leaders was updated to the organization’s new name, Canadian Cattle Young Leaders. The name change was announced by the Canadian Cattle Association on Oct. 3, 2022.
