Canadian Western Agribition (CWA) received the Prime Minister’s Volunteer Award for social intervention last month. The award recognized CWA’s contribution to the community of Regina and the agriculture industry by attracting visitors, educating children and youth, and providing a marketplace attracting participants and visitors from all over the world. Over its 45-year history CWA has grown into a six-day agricultural exhibition where 200 employees and over 400 volunteers welcome over 127,000 visitors from across Canada and over 70 countries to showcase Canada’s high‑quality agricultural products, technology and livestock and over 6,000 schoolchildren can have hands-on experience of agriculture. The citation notes CWA generates about $37 million in economic activity and all profits generated by CWA go back into programming and facilities that benefit the community such as a six‑rink skating facility and soccer complex.
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Garry Smart is the new president of the Ontario Limousin Association 2015 board of directors joining vice-president Murray Shaw and treasurer Brent Black on the executive. The remaining directors are: Dan Darling, Rob Weppler, Shaun Grant, Brandon Hollingsworth,Wayne Lawrence, Justin Burgess, Dave Clark, Bryce Allen, Michelle McLean and Melanie Gollinger.
Judge Murray Andrews of Moose Jaw selected MJT Nitro Kentucky ET 75A of MJT Herefords & Angus at Edgerton, Alta. as the Grand Champion Hereford Bull at the Calgary Bull Sale March 4-5 in Calgary. Reserve Grand Champion Hereford Bull honours went to JNHR Red Stan 128A of JoNomn Hereford Ranch, Clyde, Alta. The People’s Choice for the Champion Zoetis Pen-of-5 Commercial Replacement Heifers (Herefords) was won by Garrett Ranch, Landis, Sask., with the reserve banner going to SS Cattle Co. Inc., Irma, Alta.
The Canadian Hereford Association is looking to fill a couple of new positions. The first is a programs and media co-ordinator in the Calgary head office to help out with graphic design at the Canadian Hereford Digest and any graphic needs of the association. The successful candidate will also oversee the organization and implementation of projects under Breed Improvement, Mark of Excellence Shows and Marketing and help the team looking after the breed registry and performance recording program. The second position is for a youth program and foundation organizer to play a leadership role with the activities of the Canadian Junior Hereford Association (CJHA) and Bonanza and organize and implement fundraising and scholarships distribution for the Keith Gilmore Foundation. It’s a part-time position. For details contact the CHA at 888-836-7242 or email [email protected].
Canadian Limousin Association (CLA) is now offering pink-backed Limousin branded CCIA tags which were recently added to government’s approved tag list. The need for a unique Limousin tag was brought up two years ago by industry players who attended the breed’s Spotlight On Limousin focus groups. The tags are manufactured by Allflex and feature a pink-back button with “L” icon. The tags will be available to CLA members in good standing with active Limousin females or producers who purchase CLA registered bull (s) whose ownership has been transferred since 2010. For details and pricing and order forms go to www.limousin.com or contact the CLA at 1-866-886-1605 or email [email protected].
Lisle Limousin of Lisle, Ont., won the clothing lottery held by the Ontario Junior Limousin Association this winter. The raffle was held to raise money to pay for clothing for juniors at the National Show in August. The winner’s logo will go on the clothing along with Masterfeeds’ which made a sizable contribution to the cause. Just over $1,000 was raised by the raffle. The Canadian Limousin Association annual meeting and National Show is set for August 6-8 in Stratford, Ont.
For the first time the Canadian Angus Association (CAA) and Certified Angus Beef (CAB) jointly put on a meeting for the feedlot industry March 31 in Lethbridge, after our press deadline, to share their views and visions of the North American beef industry. The event called, Feedlot: Maximizing Innovation for Profit brought in Brian Perillat from Canfax, Leighton Kolk and Ryan Kasko from Allied Marketing Group, John Lines from Cargill, John Paterson from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Larry Corah from Certified Angus Beef. “I believe that this program will be a great way to learn more about the feedlot sector and understand how everyone in the beef industry works together to keep our industry profitable,” said CAA CEO Rob Smith, explaining the rationale behind the meeting.
After months of planning, Lakeland College animal science technology students launched their Beef Day 2015 bull sale on March 21 at the Vermilion campus. The event was sponsored by New Holland. The students selected 12 Black Angus bulls and three lots of Angus-cross commercial females for the sale that were representative of the school’s herd. The event doubles as a learning experience as the students were involved in every aspect of the show and sale from creation of the sale catalogue to hiring the auctioneer and setting up the Equine Centre. Proceeds from the sale will go back into the commercial and purebred units, possibly for herd expansion. Established in 1913, Lakeland College has campuses in Lloydminster, Alta./Sask. and Vermilion, Alta. and serves more than 7,500 students each year.
Cattlemen Young Leaders for 2014
Brett McRae, Brandon, Man.
Mentor: Steve Kenyon
Along with his family, Blair, Lois and Melissa McRae, they own and operate Mar Mac Farms where they currently calve 210 head of purebred Angus and Simmental cows, as well as farm 1,000 acres of grain and oilseeds.
Growing up, Brett was heavily involved in 4-H, the Young Canadian Simmental Association, and the Canadian Junior Angus Association (CJAA). He was a founding member of the Manitoba Junior Angus Association, and served on the board of the CJAA. In 2007, he earned his agribusiness diploma from Lakeland College in Vermilion, Alta. In college, he was involved with the Judging Team, Rodeo Club, and was president of the Stockman’s Club in his second year.
After college, he worked in the oilfield for one year and in the feed industry for three before moving to the farm full time.
Today Brett owns 30 of the purebred head in the herd and manages just under half the grain acres. He also runs a custom AI business and usually breeds up to 2,000 head a year.
Rae-Leigh Pederzolli, Medicine Hat, Alta.
Mentor: Kajal Devani
Rae-Leigh Pederzolli is a third-generation producer on her family operation outside Medicine Hat, Alta. Rae-Leigh and her family run a commercial Black Angus-Hereford herd and a small purebred Black Angus herd. After graduating from the University of Saskatchewan with an agricultural degree majoring in animal science she is transitioning into graduate school on a project under Dr. Greg Penner at the U of S. Her project focuses on the barrier function of the gastrointestinal tract in cattle when their nutrition is altered due to feed restrictions and acidosis.
Andrew Kopeechuk, Brandon, Man.
Mentor: Carson Moneo
Andrew grew up on his family’s mixed farm, RSK Farms, 14 kilometres east of Brandon, that currently breeds 120 purebred Polled Hereford and commercial-cross cattle, with a goal of expanding to 200 cow. They farm 3-1/2 sections of annual crop, pasture and hay land.
They show cattle across the country and are co-consigners to the Cattleman’s Classic Bull Sale in April in Virden along with the Elite Genetics Online Sale of females in October. Andrew is a past president of the Manitoba Junior Hereford Association and the Canadian Junior Hereford Association (2002-03). He has a diploma in agricultural production majoring in livestock from Olds College and a bachelor of applied science in agribusiness degree. Andrew is currently employed with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Brandon as a research assistant.
Amanda Brodhagen, Guelph, Ont.
Mentor: Lorne Hepworth
Amanda Brodhagen hails from Brunner, Ont. where she grew up on a commercial cow-calf operation. She represents the sixth generation of cattle producers in her family. The Brodhagens were awarded the Ontario Plowmen’s Association BMO Family Farm Award in 2012 in recognition of their contributions to their community. No stranger to rural organizations, Brodhagen is a 4-H alumna, a member of the Junior Farmers Association of Ontario, and held several ambassador-like titles including Listowel Fair Ambassador and Perth County Queen of the Furrow. In the past, she also participated in the Canadian Young Speakers for Agriculture competition at the Royal Winter Fair and in 2010 was a recipient of the International Livestock Student program. Brodhagen graduated with an Honours BA in political science from the University of Guelph in 2012 and interned one summer in the office of federal Ag Minister, Gerry Ritz and currently works as an assistant editor for Farms.com.
