Travis Toews, CCA President
Travis Toews has been involved with the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association (CCA) since 2005. Formerly the CCA’s Vice-President, he chaired the Foreign Trade Committee and served on the Domestic Agriculture Policy & Regulations and the Value Creation & Competitiveness committees.
Living just outside Grand Prairie, AB, Toews, along with his wife, run Melbern Holdings, a cow-calf and backgrounding operation.
Passionate about ensuring the industry’s competitiveness on the domestic and international fronts, Toews works hard at both levels. Prior to joining the CCA, Toews was involved with his provincial association, the Alberta Beef Producers, and up until January 2009, served as a director with the Canada Agri-Food Trade Alliance (CAFTA). Toews is a designated member of the Society of Management Accountants.

Bruce Holmquist, Director of Programming &
External Relations Canadian Simmental Association
Bruce Holmquist is the Director of Programming and External Relations of the Canadian Simmental Association headquartered in Calgary, Alberta Canada. He is actively involved in all areas of the association’s programming including breed improvement as well as marketing and promotion. His responsibilities involve member and industry relations as well as the management of the association’s field staff.
  Bruce brings a “hands-on” approach to the process as he has been a Simmental and Angus seedstock producer for over 30 years. His experiences at the grassroots level as well as his many contacts within the beef cattle industry domestically and internationally are of tremendous value in the communication as well as practical application of program results. As an active seed-stock producer and as a result of holding positions on numerous industry committees, Bruce understands the challenges facing all segments of the beef production chain and firmly believes in the need to pursue genetic improvement at every level.

Leigh Marquess, Quantum Genetics
Leigh Marquess is the Vice President of both Quantum Genetics & Quantum Biosciences.  Leigh received his BSc. (Agriculture) at University of Saskatchewan in 1995 & MSc. (Molecular Genetics) at University of Saskatchewan in 2000.  Leigh is a founder of Quantum Genetics (2003), located in Saskatoon, which is primarily focused in the area of utilizing genomics in cattle feedyard production systems.  Leigh also is a founder of Quantum Biosciences (2009), again located in Saskatoon, which is focused on identification of GMO content in shipments of grains destined for the EU.  Leigh Marquess was raised on a mixed irrigation farm in southern Alberta.

Drew Lerner, Senior Agricultural Meteorologist Founder and President of World Weather, Inc

Drew Lerner is President and Senior Agricultural Meteorologist of World Weather, Inc.  Drew has been forecasting international weather for 32 years. He began his meteorology career in 1978 as he participated in an international effort to collect data and improve weather forecasting for the Asian Monsoon. Since then, Drew has been supporting the agricultural industry by providing detailed short and long range weather predictions for each major crop area in the world. His daily assessments of crop and weather expectations supports commodity market trade and helps many companies make better agricultural business decisions. Drew started World Weather, Inc. in 2001 after leading Global Weather Services in the late 1990s. World Weather, Inc. is based in the Kansas City area supporting an expanding group of clientele residing in North and South America, India, Europe, Africa and Australia.

 

Dr. Bruce Coulman

Dr. Bruce Coulman, a native of Saskatchewan, Canada, received his B.S.A and M.Sc. from the University of Saskatchewan and the Ph.D. from the University of Manitoba.  From 1976-1993, he was a professor in the Department of Plant Science on the Macdonald Campus of McGill University.  He was chair of this department from 1988-1993.  In 1993, he became a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada at the Saskatoon Research Centre, where he was responsible for the programs in the breeding and genetics of alfalfa and perennial grasses.   He was acting science director of the national program in crop cultivar development and genetic enhancement for approximately one year.  Dr. Coulman moved to the University of Saskatchewan in 2005, where he is head of the Department of Plant Sciences.  During his career, Dr. Coulman has published over 200 scientific and technical articles, has supervised the research of 27 graduate students, has developed 19 forage crop cultivars, and has chaired Canadian expert committees on forage crops and plant genetic resources.  In 2008, he received the Canadian Plant Breeding and Genetics Award from the Canadian Seed Trade Association in recognition of the productivity of his 33 year career as a plant breeder.

 

 

Janice and Alicia Sopatyk, Meacham - area Producers
Janice Sopatyk graduated from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in 1978 and practiced in Weyburn and Taber before working at Saskatoon Embryo Transplants Ltd for 5 years and then setting up her own practice in Aberdeen. Janice married Jerry Sopatyk in 1988 and relocated her practice to Meacham. The Sopatyks have two children attending the U of S: Bryan, an Ag Bio Engineering student, and Alicia, an Animal Science student.  Their mixed operation includes 90 Simmental commercial and purebred cows and a grain farm in partnership with Jerry’s brother. Janice has been active with the local recreation board, 4-H Beef Club and many of her children’s activities.
Alicia Sopatyk is currently in her third year of the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with a major in Animal Science and minor in Agribusiness at the U of S.  Alicia grew up on the family farm near Meacham, helping with the cattle and grain farming enterprises.  She is a long time member of the Viscount 4-H Beef club through which she has taken part in 4-H judging at the provincial level, as well as competing at international 4-H judging events at the Northern International Livestock Exposition in Billings, Montana and the Canadian National 4-H Judging Competition at Agribition in Regina. Alicia has also competed in 4-H public speaking at the Regional and Provincial levels. 

 

Don Russell and Lexie Adamson, Rosetown-area Producers
Born and raised at Rosetown, Sk. Attended University at the U of S, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture in 1970. Don and his wife Marian have 4 children, and own and operate Jadoway Farms Ltd. with Don’s brother, north east of Rosetown. Don and Wayne are 2nd generation on the farm, after taking over from their parents Jim & Verna Russell. Over the past years Jadoway Farms has had turkey and chicken operation, feedlot/back grounding operation, cow-calf operation with both purebred and commercial livestock, and grain operation. In the winter of 2011 the decision was made to disperse their herd and focus solely on the grain farm. Don serves on the Federated Cooperative Board of Directors.
Lexie (Russell) Adamson was born and raised in Rosetown and now lives on an acreage near Kindersley with her husband Kyle, a Kindersley usinessman. She attended college in Vermilion, AB starting out in Livestock Production and graduating with a Crop Technology Diploma in the spring of 2010. Lexie works part-time as an AEGP technician for the Southern Eagle Creek Watershed in addition to farming with her family at Rosetown. She competes in barrel racing in her down time. Once very involved in the cattle operation at Jadoway Farms, her move played a big part in the decision to disperse the herd. Lexie and Kyle’s future plans include remaining a part of Jadoway Farms. 

Steve Kay, Editor & Publisher of Cattle Buyers Weekly
Cattle Buyers Weekly is a marketing and business newsletter for the North American meat and livestock industry, now in its 24th year of publication and widely read throughout the continent and around the world. Steve Kay, CBW Editor & Publisher, is a 35-year veteran of daily newspaper, weekly magazine and newsletter journalism in three countries who writes monthly columns for seven publications in the U.S., Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and is the long-time Contributing Beef Editor for Meat &Poultry, the top monthly U.S. meat industry magazine. He is widely quoted by print and broadcast media worldwide.

  Steve’s background includes 21 years as a keynote presenter and moderator to industry groups worldwide, including producer and processor groups in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK. During that same time, Steve has been a research and marketing consultant whose clients have included international governments, US financial institutions and private investors, US corporations, cattle raising, meat processing and supplier companies across North America, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Argentina and Europe.

 

Bazil Fritz, CIBUS Management Group
Baz Fritz was raised on a mixed farm in the short grass country of south central Saskatchewan near the small village of Fife Lake. After his formal education in Saskatoon, the real education began in Fort Qu'Appelle as an Ag Rep where he got his first glimpse into the outside world through the International Agricultural Exchange Program. This Youth Exchange Program twigged an interest that lasted a career.
  From Fort Qu’Appelle to Yorkton to Regina, the journey and education continued, working with livestock farmers while reaching at every International opportunity that arose.  Bazil’s overseas opportunity came through the Saskatchewan Trade and Export Program (STEP) where he was involved in the delivery of an Agricultural Training & Demonstration Program in the Ukraine.  The next STEP was a Canadian International Development Program (CIDA) in China, a Sustainable Ag Program where Baz and his wife Bev lived on the Grasslands of Inner Mongolia for 5 years, working with herders and enjoying brief teaching stints in Mongolia.
  His international experience taught him the critical importance of teamwork, diligence in striving toward a goal and the ability to harvest a gem of learning from every one of life’s experiences.

Dr. Darryl Gibb, Innovation and Business Development Specialist,
Viterra Feed Products
Darryl Gibb has worked in the beef industry all of his life. He was educated in both Canada and the US with graduate degrees from the University of Nebraska and Utah State University. Currently employed as Business Development Specialist with Viterra, he has previous experience in beef nutrition research. In both areas, he has focused on efficient feed utilization. Darryl has also written computer programs used in the beef industry and is a share holder in the feedlot software company called SSGFusion.

 

Marcos Zenobi, Agricultural Engineer and Master of Science Candidate,
University of Saskatchewan
Marcos is originally from Cordoba, Argentina and graduated from the National University of Cordoba as an Agricultural Engineer. His passion for animal science began as a youth, growing up on a farm. Marcos was a teaching assistant in Animal Nutrition during the last three years of his undergrad program and continued to volunteer with the Animal Production Department. Currently, Marcos is completing a Master of Science degree at the University of Saskatchewan in the Department of Animal Science. His thesis project is entitled "Strategic Use of By-products Feeds for Growing and Finishing Cattle".

 

Federico Añez Osuna, Agricultural Engineer and Master of  Science Candidate, University of Saskatchewan
Frederico was raised in Caracas, Venezuela. In 2008, he graduated from the “Universidad Central de Venezuela” (Central University of Venezuela) obtaining a degree (5 yr) as an Agriculture Engineer with a minor in Animal Science. During his undergrad years he worked as a teaching assistant in the Department of Statistics, College of Agronomy, Central University of Venezuela. His undergrad thesis consisted of the characterization and validation of the biological productive variables, through a statistical analysis of 8 year data, from a dual purpose cattle sub-system as part of an Integrated Farm system under sustainable managing conditions in Venezuela.
  Frederico has 3 years of working experience in the Venezuelan livestock industry, performing in different areas: Manager in a swine farm (300 sows) which included a small animal feed plant, Planning and Development Coordinator in a beef cattle company which managed 8 ranches (cow-calf, back-grounding and finishing), Manager of a dual purpose cattle farm (300 cows), and Crop & Machinery Supervisor in a 8000 hd feedlot.
  Currently in his first year of the Master of Science program in the Department of Animal & Poultry Science at the University of Saskatchewan, Frederico is doing research work on the supplementation of back-grounding beef steers under grazing conditions with by-products feeds.

Mike Bertelen –Mike Bartelen was raised near Strathmore, Alberta.  He attended Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in Miami, Oklahoma and received a degree in Animal Science and Economics.  In 1998, Mike, his wife and 3 children, moved to Big River, Saskatchewan, where they operate MiDon Land & Cattle.  They currently run 2,000 May/June calving cows and a 5000 head backgrounding lot.

 

Dr. Steve Hendrick, Associate Professor,
Western College of Veterinary Medicine,
University of Saskatchewan
Steve is an Associate Professor at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and actively involved in the Field Service practice that provides veterinary services to cow-calf, feedlot and dairy operations in the Saskatoon and surrounding area.  Beyond his clinical duties, Dr. Hendrick also lectures to the veterinary students, continues his research on Johne’s disease, trace minerals, DDGS, Mycoplasma pneumonia and venereal diseases of cattle and is involved in the WCVM disease investigation unit.

 

Darcy Eddleston, Chair, Canadian Cattle Identification Agency

Darcy Eddleston was raised on the family farm near McLaughlin, a 106-year old cow/calf operation southwest of Lloydminster, Alberta. Today, Darcy is a cow/calf producer with 30 years of experience.
Amidst the fast pace of a cow/calf producer’s time-sensitive schedule, Darcy is a Director with Canadian Cattle Market Development Council, a member of the Alberta Cattle Movement Working Group, and is the current Chair of Canadian Cattle Identification Agency’s Board of Directors. Prior to joining CCIA, Darcy was a Director with the Alberta Beef Producers and the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association.
   As the result of his many dynamic roles, Darcy works alongside the most influential people in government and industry involved with traceability. Darcy admits it is challenging to be a young rancher in today’s marketplace. In his second year as CCIA’s Board Chair, Darcy is fully engaged in the industry-led traceability file and is focusing on joining forces within the industry to share values, knowledge and experience.
   Though his responsibilities require him to travel often, Darcy is a dedicated fan at his four kids’ sporting events, and enjoys fishing and relaxing with family and friends.

 

Dr. Fiona Buchanan

Professor, Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan

Fiona Buchanan grew up on a sheep farm in New Zealand before attending the University of Otago in Dunedin where she completed a B.Sc. (1986) and M.Sc. both in microbiology (1988).  She worked as a research assistant for two years in the AgResearch Molecular Biology Unit before embarking on a Ph.D. (1994) in biochemistry but more specifically in sheep molecular genetics.  Fiona moved to Winnipeg to take up a Canadian Government Laboratory Visiting Fellow (NSERC) at the Freshwater Institute, Department of Fisheries and Oceans working on beluga whale stock identification.  In 1995, she joined the Department of Animal and Poultry Science at the University of Saskatchewan as a beef cattle molecular geneticist.  Her research projects focus on beef cattle molecular genetics and nutrigenetics. The main goal of her research is to identify existing variation in genes that provides an economic advantage to the beef industry.

 

Rob Meijer, President, Canada Beef Inc.
As Director of Corporate Affairs for Cargill Limited, Meijer gained fourteen years of policy, regulatory, legislative, political and communications experience. In his position with Cargill, Meijer was responsible for Cargill’s Canadian government/regulatory relations, communication and community relations activities. He has also led and managed emerging issues, business risk and customer collaboration for nineteen business units in the areas of beef, poultry, milling, malt, grain handling and port services, animal nutrition and canola processing among others.

  Meijer also held board and/or committee positions with a number of key agricultural organizations including; the Federal Roundtables, Flax Council of Canada, Malt Industry Association of Canada, Canadian Poultry Processors Association, Animal Nutrition Association of Canada, Western Grain Elevator Association, Canada Grains Council, and the Canadian Meat Council.
  Meijer holds two honours degrees – a B.A. (majoring in Economics and Sociology) from the University of Winnipeg and a B.Sc. (Agri-business Management) from the University of Manitoba.