Canola Council Of Canada Holds AGM

Mar 23, 2021

At the Canola Council of Canada’s (CCC) annual general meeting held virtually last week, president Jim Everson presented the 2020 annual report: Resilient. Responsive. Ready.

“It was a year of many challenges – some that were expected, and others that we could not have imagined just one year ago,” said Everson. “But by leveraging our strengths, we rose to the challenges. In a disruptive year, we saw how resilient the entire value chain can be.”

In his presentation, Everson highlighted progress driven by teamwork in all pillars of the CCC’s strategic plan, including:

Sustainable, reliable supply – Quick action that kept information and inputs flowing to mitigate impacts of COVID-19 on the growing season. This included working closely with partners to ensure vital agronomic research could move ahead, and continuing to bring together steering committees to help tackle the toughest production risks like clubroot, blackleg and sclerotinia.

Stable and open trade – Value chain consultation to renew the CCC’s market access plan, as well as the fourth year of partnership with Cereals Canada and Pulse Canada to help growers produce market-ready crops through the Keep it Clean program.

Differentiated value – Virtual trade visits, often involving CCC members, trade commissioners and other industry experts, that ensured the quality characteristics of canola seed, oil and meal were demonstrated and understood in target markets around the world.

The CCC’s AGM welcomed two new members to the CCC board of directors for 2021/22.

New to the CCC board of directors are:

Charles Fossay, nominated by the Manitoba Canola Growers

Bernie McClean, nominated by the Canadian Canola Growers Association

The CCC board also renewed Charlene Bradley’s position as chair for a one-year term.

2021/22 CANOLA COUNCIL OF CANADA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Nominated by canola grower associations:

Charlene Bradley, SaskCanola

Chuck Fossay, Manitoba Canola Growers

Bernie McClean, Canadian Canola Growers Association

Kevin Serfas, Alberta Canola

Nominated by the Canadian Oilseed Processors Association:

Michael Irons, Archer Daniels Midland Company

Ryan Law, Bunge

Tracy Lussier, Louis Dreyfus Company

Jeff Pleskach, Cargill Ltd.

Nominated by the Western Grain Elevator Association:

Jarrett Beatty, Parrish & Heimbecker

Jennifer Marchand, Cargill Ltd.

Dean McQueen, Viterra

Trevor Veenendaal, G3

Nominated by life science companies:

Garth Hodges, BASF

David Kelner, Bayer

Brad Orr, Corteva Agriscience

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.