The Beef Cattle Research Council announced the participants in its 2021-22 Beef Researcher Mentorship program. The program pairs each researcher with two leaders in the beef industry, in a bid to inform researchers of industry needs and encourage a practical, solutions-based approach to sharing findings.
Dr. Gleise Medeiros da Silva is the new BCRC Hays chair in beef production systems at the University of Alberta. She earned her graduate degree and PhD at the University of Florida, where she focused on managing recently weaned calves, feed additive evaluations, mitigating environmental stress and pregnant cow nutrition. Her mentors include Fred Lozeman, who is part of a mixed farm near Claresholm, Alta., and is involved in several beef industry boards, and Darren Bevans, who is on the board of the Alberta Beef Producers and is general manager of Deseret Ranches near Raymond, Alta.
Dr. Hari Prasad Poudel is a forage breeding researcher who recently joined Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Lethbridge Research and Development Centre. He earned his PhD in plant breeding and genetics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he researched phenotypic and genome-based selection lowland switch-grass with improved winter survival. His mentor, Doug Wray, ranches with his family near Irricana, Alta., with a focus on regenerative approaches to improving soil health and sequestering carbon. Graeme Finn, who is also mentoring Poudel, ranches near Madden, Alta., focusing on year-round grazing on both high-legume pastures and annual cover crops.
Dr. Maria Ceballos Betancourt is an assistant professor in beef cattle welfare and behaviour at the University of Calgary’s faculty of veterinary medicine. Betancourt completed her graduate degree and PhD at Brazil’s São Paulo University. Betancourt’s PhD research focused on human-cattle relationships and their effects on temperament, behaviour, physiology and performance measures in cattle. Her mentors are Dr. Joyce Van Donkersgoed, who worked as Alberta’s provincial beef veterinarian, as well as for the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and industry associations before setting up a feedlot consulting veter- inary practice, and Jake Bueckert. Bueckert is the managing owner of Driland Feeders, a custom feeder near Warner, Alta.
Dr. Stephanie Terry is a research scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, where she focuses on nutritional and technological strategies to mitigate ruminant greenhouse gas production and enhance efficiency. Her mentors are Dr. Christine Rosser, who also worked at the Lethbridge Research and Development Centre for two years on greenhouse gas mitigation strategies and is now a ruminant nutritionist at the Coaldale Veterinary Clinic in Alberta, and Ryan Kasko. Kasko is general manager of his family’s cattle feeding and farming operation near Lethbridge, and is active in several beef industry and community groups.
The Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute has named four agri-food experts as distinguished fellows. Dr. Ellen Goddard, professor and co-operative chair in agricultural marketing and business at the University of Alberta, focuses on economic modelling of domestic and international markets for food products, particularly meat. Goddard will focus on creating a One Health framework for public and private analysis and decision-making.
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- Ted Bilyea is an agri-food consultant. He has held the executive vice-president position at Maple Leaf Foods, and early in his career with Canada Packers, he and his colleagues pioneered export of chilled beef and pork. His project with the institute will examine Canada’s agri-food trade policy, and look for ways to build leverage and soft power.
- Nicolas Mesly is an ag economist, reporter and longtime contributor to Le Bulletin des agriculteurs who has specialized in agri-food and ecological issues throughout his career. He will explore how Canada’s agri-food sector can turn challenges around water, such as scarcity, trade and its role in food processing, into opportunities.
- Dr. Susan Wood-Bohm, president and CEO of Wood-Bohmand Associates, consults in areas such as science-based innovation, research and development investment and integrated solutions deployment. Her project will look at how to encourage on- farm action in environmental sustainability, while maintaining international competitiveness.
4-H Manitoba recently announced its inaugural Leaders of Tomorrow scholarship recipients. The Manitoba government contributed $1 million to an endowment fund, and the Brandon Area Community Foundation provided $42,500 for scholarships this year. Recipients are current and former 4-H members. The new scholarships are named for long-serving 4-H leaders.
- Marika Dewar-Norosky of Newdale received a $12,500 scholarship, in honour of Fleurette Geirnaert. Dewar-Norosky is attending the University of Manitoba.
- Cameron Giannotti of Neepawa received the Rona Kamfoly scholarship, totalling $10,000. Giannotti’s post-secondary education has taken place at the University of B.C. and University of Alberta.
- Sarah Johnson of Dugald received $10,000 through the Rose Taylor scholarship. Johnson is a student at the University of Manitoba.
- Rayna Topham of Minnedosa is the recipient of the $10,000 Margaret Buydens scholarship. Topham is attending Brandon University.
Congratulations to the scholarship recipients.
