Quebec producer heads national swine improvement centre Tuesday, June 28, 2011 by SUSAN MANNQuebec pork producer Lyse Grenier was elected chair of the Canadian Centre for Swine Improvement at the organization’s annual meeting held earlier this month in Toronto.She replaces John Gough of Novastar Genetics in Ontario. He served as chair since June 2008.Grenier has more than 30 years of experience in the pork industry. Grenier and her husband, Normand Audet, are commercial pig producers in the Beauce region of Quebec. She has been very involved in several other swine industry organizations including being a member of the Federation des producteurs de porcs du Quebec for 14 years.Other members of the newly elected executive committee are: first vice-chair Phil Smith of Bodmin Swine Genetics in Ontario; second vice-chair Wim Van Berkel of the Western Swine Testing Association; Donald MacDonald of Apple Valley Farms in Prince Edward Island and Rod deWolde of BMR Genetics in Ontario. Others serving on the 11-member board of directors are: Dan Hurnik appointed by Atlantic Swine Centre, Pierre Falardeau appointed by the Centre de developpement du porc du Quebec Inc., Keith Rasmuson appointed by Western Swine Testing Association, Line Theroux appointed by Canadian Swine Breeders Association, Claude Vielfaure appointed by Canadian Pork Council, and John Webb appointed by the Canadian Meat Council.In other news from the annual meeting, past board chair Gough received the Brian Kennedy Memorial Award for this year. The award recognizes individuals who through their involvement in scientific research, program development or program implementation have made a significant contribution to the Canadian swine improvement program and swine industry. As a breeder, Gough has participated in numerous research projects led by or in collaboration with the swine improvement centre.Another award presented at the annual meeting June 14 and 15 was the Swine Breeders Merit Award. It went to Jim Whitehouse. This award is given to swine breeders who have made a significant contribution to the Canadian Swine Improvement program through their leadership, achievements and participation in performance testing. Whitehouse was the manager of Pureline Swine, a breeding herd in Guelph for many years. He was also extensively involved in the swine industry and served on numerous swine industry organizations.The swine improvement centre is a national, non-profit corporation created by the Canadian swine industry to provide leadership, coordination and services for swine genetic improvement in Canada. BF Behind the Lines - August 2011 Crate-less farrowing that makes for contented sows
Ag in the House: Nov. 2 – 6 Wednesday, November 11, 2026 During question period on Nov. 2, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre asked the government if it would cut taxes to provide farmers and Canadians with relief from high fuel prices. “The Liberal government is out of touch,” he said. “Yes, the farmers in my riding say the single biggest... Read this article online
Canada Makes Rural Immigration Program Permanent to Address Labour Shortages Wednesday, November 11, 2026 Rural Canadian employers struggling to find workers will have a permanent immigration pathway designed specifically to help smaller communities address persistent labour shortages. The federal government announced Nov. 9 that the will become a permanent program, following previous... Read this article online
Organic Demand Is Growing, But Canada Is Importing Much of the Opportunity Wednesday, November 11, 2026 Canada’s organic market is growing quickly, but industry leaders say Canadian farmers and processors are not yet capturing enough of that growth. Leaders from across the country’s organic value chain gathered in Ottawa Nov. 2 and 3 for where discussions focused on how Canada can... Read this article online
Hensall Co-op Awards $17,500 to Seven Ontario Students Tuesday, November 10, 2026 Seven post-secondary students are receiving financial support from Hensall Co-op as they pursue education connected to agriculture and the future of rural communities. The Ontario farmer-owned co-operative has announced the 2026 recipients of its Bright Futures Scholarships, with each... Read this article online
Bunge, GDM launch Enerseed to develop new oilseed crops for biofuels Tuesday, November 10, 2026 Bunge and global plant genetics company GDM are joining forces to develop a new generation of oilseed crops aimed at the expanding renewable fuels market. The companies have announced the creation of , a strategic joint venture that will focus on developing and commercializing... Read this article online