LONGUEUIL, QC - Les Producteurs de bovins du Québec (PBQ) is announcing today that Jean-Thomas Maltais has been elected president of PBQ. He succeeds Claude Viel, who is leaving PBQ after 33 years of developing agricultural unionism in the beef sector. Mr. Maltais' election was held at the conclusion of the annual general meeting of Quebec's cattle producers on September 8.
Mr. Maltais owns a 200 cow calf operation in Chicoutimi, in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean area. He holds a college degree in administration. Mr. Maltais has served on PBQ's board of directors since 2016 as chair of the PBQ feeder calf marketing committee, as well as on the executive committee since 2017. He also served on the board of directors of the local Fjord-du-Saguenay union of the Fédération de l'UPA Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean from 2010 to 2018, and was actively involved in the Association des éleveurs de bovins de boucherie du Saguenay Lac-Saint-Jean from 2005 onwards, until its merger with Les Producteurs de bovins du Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean.
Mr. Claude Viel was president of PBQ from 2012 to 2020. He had been a member of the organization's executive committee since 2004. He previously served as president of the Syndicat des producteurs de bovins du Bas-Saint-Laurent and sat on the feeder calf marketing committee. He operates a farm in Saint-Eugène-de-Ladrière, where he owns a herd of beef and dairy cows.
On the executive committee, Mr. Maltais will be supported by Mr. Philippe Alain (vice-president), feeder calf and steer producer, Mr. Sylvain Bourque, milk and beef cattle producer, Mr. Kirk Jackson, milk and beef cattle producer and Ms. Francine Trépanier, grain-fed veal producer.
Source : Cision