Minister Bibeau announces reappointment to the Canadian Dairy Commission

Ottawa, Ontario – The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced the reappointment of Serge Riendeau as Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Dairy Commission (CDC) for a one year-term, effective May 14, 2021.

 

Mr. Riendeau was first appointed as CEO of the CDC in 2018. During his tenure, he has made significant contributions to the sector, including supporting the negotiations for the new Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement and chairing the Canadian Milk Supply Management Committee. Prior to his appointment, he operated a dairy farm for over 40 years and served 26 years on the Board of Directors at Agropur, Canada’s largest dairy processor, including 15 years as president. Mr. Riendeau is also an active supporter of charities for children facing bullying and violence.

 

With Mr. Riendeau’s term ending in May 2022, the Government of Canada is launching appointment processes for a new full-time CEO and a part-time chairperson at the CDC. Please visit the Governor in Council appointments webpage to learn more and to apply to these opportunities.

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.