René Roy takes over for Rick Bergmann
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
A new year means a new board chair for the Canadian Pork Council (CPC).
On Jan. 11 at the Banff Pork Expo, the Canadian Pork Council chose René Roy, a producer from Chaudière-Appalaches in Quebec as the new chairman of the board of directors.
He takes over for Rick Bergmann, a producer from Steinbach, Man. Bergmann served on the CPC board since 2004 and as chair of the board since 2015.
Roy thanked Bergmann for his contributions to the CPC and representing the 7,000 farmers in Canada’s pork sector.
“By all measures, Rick has navigated our industry through several challenging issues since joining the board in 2008, such as the global pandemic, WTO challenges, CPTPP and NAFTA trade negotiations, so many other issues. He should be congratulated for his successes,” Roy said in a statement.
Roy is the third farmer from Quebec to lead the board.
Edouard Asnong served as chair from 1997 to 2004. And Jean-Guy Vincent held the position from 2012 to 2015.
Federal minister of agriculture, Marie-Claude Bibeau, congratulated Roy on his election.
“Together, we will continue to work to ensure the sustainability and growth of the (pork) industry in (Canada), most notable protecting it from #ASF!” she said on Twitter on Jan. 12.
Prior to his promotion to chair of the board, Roy served as first vice-chair of the CPC board.
Scott Peters, a producer from Randolph, Man., will step into that position.
Alberta’s Jack Moen and B.C.’s Jack Dewitt will continue in their roles as second vice-chair and treasurer, respectively.
The CPC’s new board is already working for the pork industry.
They’re engaged in “ongoing work on the plans related to the potential response and recovery plan for an ASF disaster in Canada, as well as the CPC’s effort to draft and implement a new strategic plan in 2023,” CPC’s statement says.