Minister Bibeau announces appointment to Canadian Dairy Commission

Jul 06, 2022

OTTAWA, ON, The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, today announced that Benoit Basillais has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Dairy Commission (CDC), replacing Serge Riendeau.

Mr. Basillais began his career with the CDC as an economist in 2003. He has held various leadership positions with the CDC, and was named Director of Policy and Economics in 2016. He brings to the position of CEO extensive experience with both the CDC and the sector.

Mr. Riendeau was first appointed as CEO of the CDC in 2018. As CEO, he has worked to improve collaboration between segments of the dairy supply chain, and supported the modernization of supply management.

The CEO will deliver on the CDC's annual plan, and will contribute to delivering on the priorities outlined in the CDC's mandate letter. The mandate letter recognizes the importance of a vibrant and sustainable dairy sector to Canada's economy, as well as the importance of dairy supply management for rural communities and farm families across the country. The mandate letter calls on the CDC to continue to advance the Government of Canada's ambitious environmental commitments and support climate resiliency. It also outlines priorities in the areas of transparency, innovation, international trade, engagement, and inclusivity.

In 2016, the Government of Canada implemented an open, transparent and merit-based process for selecting Governor in Council appointees. Appointees play a fundamental role in Canada's democracy by serving on commissions, boards, Crown corporations, agencies and tribunals across the country.

Source : Newswire.ca

Video: Swine Industry Advances: Biodigesters Lower Emissions and Increase Profits

Analysis of greenhouse gas (GHG emissions) in the Canadian swine sector found that CH4 emissions from manure were the largest contributor to the overall emissions, followed by emissions from energy use and crop production.

This innovative project, "Improving Swine Manure-Digestate Management Practices Towards Carbon Neutrality With Net Zero Emission Concepts," from Dr. Rajinikanth Rajagopal, under Swine Cluster 4, seeks to develop strategies to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.

While the management of manure can be very demanding and expensive for swine operations, it can also be viewed as an opportunity for GHG mitigation, as manure storage is an emission source built and managed by swine producers. Moreover, the majority of CH4 emissions from manure occur during a short period of time in the summer, which can potentially be mitigated with targeted intervention.

In tandem with understanding baseline emissions, Dr. Rajagopal's work focuses on evaluating emission mitigation options. Manure additives have the potential of reducing manure methane emissions. Additives can be deployed relatively quickly, enabling near-term emission reductions while biodigesters are being built. Furthermore, additives can be a long-term solution at farms where biogas is not feasible (e.g., when it’s too far from a central digester). Similarly, after biodigestion, additives can also be used to further reduce emissions from storage to minimize the carbon intensity of the bioenergy.