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Distinguished CFA Past-President Mary Robinson Appointed to the Senate of Canada

OTTAWA,  – The Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) proudly congratulates Past-President Mary Robinson on her esteemed appointment to the Senate of Canada.

Mary Robinson made history as the first female President of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, steering the organization from 2019 to 2023. Her tenure witnessed exemplary leadership in navigating the challenges posed by COVID-19 and its far-reaching consequences on Canada’s agriculture sector. A dynamic national figure in Canadian agriculture, Mary has spearheaded numerous transformative initiatives, demonstrating her unwavering commitment to Canadian agriculture.

Hailing from Prince Edward Island, Mary Robinson is a managing partner of a 6th generation family farm operation, Eric C. Robinson Inc. and its sister company Island Lime and serves on the boards of associated companies PEI Agromart and Mid-Isle Farms. Prior to her role at CFA, she served as the first female Chair at the Canadian Agriculture Human Resource Council, held the presidency of the PEI Federation of Agriculture from 2015 to 2017, and joined the Board of Directors of the World Farmers’ Organization (WFO) in 2020. In recognition of her global impact, Mary was elected Vice-President of the World Farmers Organization in May 2023. Currently, she holds positions on the UPEI Board of Governors and the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity Board of Directors.

As a proud representative of the Robinson family’s agricultural legacy in Augustine Cove, Prince Edward Island, Mary Robinson’s appointment to the Senate reflects her deep-rooted commitment to advancing Canadian interests.

Keith Currie, CFA President, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “Mary has consistently been a stalwart leader and advocate for Canadian agriculture. We are thrilled to see someone of her caliber, with extensive knowledge, expertise, and a profound understanding of agriculture, join the Senate.”

The CFA extends its best wishes to Mary Robinson in her new role and looks forward to collaborating with her to support farmers nationwide in achieving Canada’s ambitious goals for the agriculture sector. Recognizing Mary’s dedication and integrity, the CFA is exceptionally proud and honored to have had her serve as its previous President.

Source : CFA-FCA

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From Conventional to Regenerative: Will Groeneveld’s Journey Back to the Land

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"You realize you've got a pretty finite number of years to do this. If you ever want to try something new, you better do it."

That mindset helped Will Groeneveld take a bold turn on his Alberta grain farm. A lifelong farmer, Will had never heard of regenerative agriculture until 2018, when he attended a seminar by Kevin Elmy that shifted his worldview. What began as curiosity quickly turned into a deep exploration of how biology—not just chemistry—shapes the health of our soils, crops and ecosystems.

In this video, Will candidly reflects on his family’s farming history, how the operation evolved from a traditional mixed farm to grain-only, and how the desire to improve the land pushed him to invite livestock back into the rotation—without owning a single cow.

Today, through creative partnerships and a commitment to the five principles of regenerative agriculture, Will is reintroducing diversity, building soil health and extending living roots in the ground for as much of the year as possible. Whether it’s through intercropping, zero tillage (which he’s practiced since the 1980s) or managing forage for visiting cattle, Will’s approach is a testament to continuous learning and a willingness to challenge old norms.

Will is a participant in the Regenerative Agriculture Lab (RAL), a social innovation process bringing together producers, researchers, retailers and others to co-create a resilient regenerative agriculture system in Alberta. His story highlights both the potential and humility required to farm with nature, not against it.