Six exceptional Canadians have been selected to join the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame as 2019 inductees in recognition for their lifelong contributions to the agricultural sector. JoAnne Buth, Marc Comtois, Cynthia Grant, Louis Latimer, Laurent Pellerin and Robert Prestage will be officially inducted into the national Hall of Fame at a ceremony on Nov. 28, 2019 at the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City, QC.
Six inductees in one year is a record.
JoAnne Buth’s reputation and leadership have impacted Canadian agriculture through her work in research and development at DowElanco to her roles as vice president and then president of the Canola Council of Canada. JoAnne served the agriculture sector and her home province of Manitoba on the Canadian Senate for two years. Since 2014, she has been the CEO of the Canadian International Grains Institute.
Marc Comtois is the man behind the famous Ferme Comestar – a Quebec-based dairy farm that’s been changing the face of dairy genetics around the globe for the last four decades.
Dr. Cynthia Grant recently retired from a career with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and is nationally and internationally known for her work on soil fertility and crop nutrition. Cynthia is respected across Canada and around the world for her contribution to Canadian agriculture, and her collaborative research efforts on soil. Her research provided the scientific foundation for the Made-in-Canada 4R nutrient stewardship framework to use crop nutrients from the right source and at the right rate, time and place.
Louis Latimer leaves the legacy of developing a global demand for Canadian beef genetics. Louis was a trailblazer in using data-based selection methods and seeing the value of telling the story of his farm with his Remitall Cattle Company brand – a marketing move that was decades ahead of its time.
Laurent Pellerin dedicated his 40-year career advocating for farmers through his leadership roles at provincial, national and international organizations. A proud hog farmer at heart, Pellerin has created partnerships and alliances to benefit the largest number of producers. His accomplishments for Canadian agriculture include roles as president of the Pork Producers Federation of Quebec, leading the creation of the Centre for Swine Production Development in QC, president of UPA, founder of the Council for Agricultural Development of Quebec, vice president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, and president of the Farm Product Council of Canada.
Robert (Bob) Prestage dedicated decades to improving the genetics and quality of Canadian cattle to open international markets for Canadian beef and other livestock. He began by developing a progeny test program for beef cattle 60 years ago – a program that is still used across the country.
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