Volunteering is in David Blair’s blood

Aug 03, 2022

Every organization has one of those “go-to” volunteers ready to help with any task. They are reliable, personable, knowledgeable, hard-working, and quietly enthusiastic. The Ottawa Valley Seed Growers Association has just such a volunteer in board member David Blair.

Dave has been involved in agricultural organizations from an early age, beginning in 4-H and Junior Farmers. As a member of the Pakenham Junior Farmers, he attended leadership camp and participated in a United Nations exchange trip.

Dave operated a successful farm business in the Pakenham area for more than 60 years, having at one time raised pigs, as well as beef. The beef operation included cow-calf and finishing, and during that time, Dave was involved in the Lanark County Cattlemen’s Association. At the provincial level he represented Lanark County at the Ontario Cattlemen’s Association (now known as Beef Farmers of Ontario). He was a registered pedigreed seed grower operating “Up Above Seeds” for over six decades and cleaned and sold pedigreed seed for both C&M Seeds and PRO Seeds. He was also a seed dealer for several years for both Dekalb and PRO Seeds

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Video: When is Sustainable Packaging Coming in the Canadian Agri Food Industry? 3 Critical Perspectives

Canada’s regulatory landscape on single-use plastics is complex but a recent ruling by the Federal Court of Appeal sided with the government’s intent to eliminate single-use plastics. What does this mean for the Canadian agri-food industry? How can companies find the right balance between regulatory compliance and implementing costly alternative solutions? What are retailers and consumers saying about sustainable packaging? This webinar features Joshua Goodman, Head of Corporate Sustainability, Sobeys; Marie-Anne Champoux-Guimond, Director of Sustainability, Keurig Dr Pepper Canada and Glenford Jameson, Canadian Food Lawyer, G.S. Jameson and Company

This 60-minute webinar brings together three industry leaders to examine the opportunities, challenges, and realities of the path forward. In this session, you will gain insights into:

•Canada’s regulatory roadmap and timeline on eliminating single-use plastics

•Current end-of-life solutions for plastics and alternative packaging solutions

•The need to have a corporate strategy that aligns with reality at the retail shelves

•How major brands and retailers are pivoting

•Supply chain considerations

•Common misconceptions