Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame Welcomes Six New Inductees

Six Canadians were formally inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame (CAHF) at a ceremony Thursday night in Quebec City.

 

JoAnne Buth, Marc Comtois, Cynthia Grant, the late Louis Latimer, Laurent Pellerin and Robert Prestage were honoured for their lifetime contributions to the Canadian agriculture industry as the 2019 inductees.

 

“The success and sustainability of our industry depends on the vision, dedication and drive of outstanding agricultural ambassadors like this year’s inductees,” says Trish Jordan, president of the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame Association. “Each of these individuals have contributed to opening new opportunities for Canadian agriculture – at home and around the globe. Their work has helped build a stronger Canadian agriculture brand from genetics to stewardship, grains and industry leadership. We are proud to welcome them to the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame.”

 

 

Nominated by Canadian Canola Growers Association and Emerging Ag Inc.

 

JoAnne Buth is a passionate leader, advocate and public servant. She’s made a lasting impact on a broad range of the agricultural landscape. Her reputation and leadership have impacted Canadian agriculture through her work in research and development at DowElanco to her roles as vice president and then president of the Canola Council of Canada. JoAnne served the agriculture sector and her home province of Manitoba on the Canadian Senate for two years. Since 2014, she has been the CEO of the Canadian International Grains Institute.

 

 

Nominated by Holstein Quebec, Holstein Canada and Semex Alliance

 

Marc Comtois is a pillar of the Canadian Holstein industry. He’s the man behind the famous Ferme Comestar – a Quebec-based dairy farm that’s been changing the face of dairy genetics around the globe for the last four decades. A farmer, promoter, mentor, marketer and judge, Marc has travelled the world in his drive to propagate the most outstanding dairy genetics through his Comestar family for the benefit of other Holstein breeders in Canada and around the world. Marc’s accomplishments as a Holstein breeder are legendary, beginning with his famous Comestar Laurie Sheik – the cow that launched the line and continues to deliver champion genetics seven generations later.

 

 

Nominated by Fertilizer Canada

 

Dr. Cynthia Grant is an accomplished scientist and skilled communicator. She recently retired from a career with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and is nationally and internationally known for her work on soil fertility and crop nutrition. Cynthia is respected across Canada and around the world for her contribution to Canadian agriculture, and her collaborative research efforts on soil. Her research provided the scientific foundation for the Made-in-Canada 4R nutrient stewardship framework to use crop nutrients from the right source and at the right rate, time and place.

 

 

Nominated by the Canadian Hereford Association

 

The late Louis Latimer was a visionary pioneer and leaves the legacy of developing a global demand for Canadian beef genetics. Louis was a trailblazer in using data-based selection methods and seeing the value of telling the story of his farm with his Remitall Cattle Company brand – a marketing move that was decades ahead of its time. His passion for breeding and marketing premier Canadian Hereford genetics opened market opportunities for elite genetics from his farm, and decades later led to the Canadian Genome Project selecting one of his sires to be the most influential sire genetically in the Canadian Hereford Association. Many other Canadian breeders followed Louis’ model, helping elevate the overall quality of Canadian beef genetics.

 

 

Nominated by Quebec Farmers Union and the Quebec Pork Association

 

Laurent Pellerin is a tireless champion and man of solutions. He dedicated his 40-year career advocating for farmers through his leadership roles at provincial, national and international organizations. A proud hog farmer at heart, Pellerin has created partnerships and alliances to benefit the largest number of producers. His accomplishments for Canadian agriculture include roles as president of the Pork Producers Federation of Quebec, leading the creation of the Centre for Swine Production Development in QC, president of UPA, founder of the Council for Agricultural Development of Quebec, vice president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, and president of the Farm Product Council of Canada.

 

 

Nominated by the Canadian Angus Association

 

Robert (Bob) Prestage is a strong leader and excellent ambassador who dedicated decades to improving the genetics and quality of Canadian cattle to open international markets for Canadian beef and other livestock. He began by developing a progeny test program for beef cattle 60 years ago – a program that is still used across the country. His work with Canadian Beef Sire and Western Breeders improved the genetic pool of Canadian beef cattle. Bob was instrumental in creating a worldwide beef export network with the Alberta Angus Association, raising Angus to the dominant breed in the beef industry. Through his Wicklow Angus farm, Bob has a thriving international export business of semen and embryos of all species of livestock.