Former 4-H Canada President Rob Black named Senator

Feb 16, 2018

Ottawa, ON– The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada announced yesterday that Governor General Julie Payette appointed Robert Black, 4-H alumnus and former 4-H Canada president, board member, and staff member at the national level, to a seat in the Senate of Canada.

Black, who was named alongside Martha Deacon, is a longtime supporter and advocate for youth and is especially passionate about Canadian agriculture. With over 40 years contributing to the 4-H movement in Canada, Black understands the power of 4-H in building leaders and has spent his entire career as a leader in the Ontario agricultural community supporting 4-H’s positive youth development mission.

“Rob Black has always been an enthusiastic supporter of youth and agriculture throughout his career,” said David Hovell, Chair of the 4-H Canada Board of Directors. “4-H Canada is proud to have a champion for those causes in the Senate and looks forward to working alongside him as we advance the development of youth leaders committed to positively impacting their communities across Canada.”

“I am delighted to welcome these accomplished Ontarians to the Senate. I am confident that Parliament will benefit from Ms. Deacon and Mr. Black’s knowledge and experience, and that they will be great ambassadors for their region and communities,” said, Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada.

Source : 4-H Canada Press Release

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.