Brantford (ON), July 8 2021 – The pandemic situation of the past year and a half has given Holstein Canada the opportunity to demonstrate its ability to adapt and modernize in this fast-paced world. This year, Holstein Canada hosted a virtual Annual General Meeting (AGM), which was an inclusive formula in many ways. The virtual nature of the event allowed members of all provinces, ages and languages to participate in the AGM and take part in discussions.
This year marked Gerald Schipper’s last AGM. Mr. Schipper served as President of the Holstein Canada Board of Directors from April 2019 to July 2021 and as Director for Ontario since 2013. Holstein Canada would like to thank Mr. Schipper for his dedication and his involvement with the Association and the breed. During his two terms as President, his leadership has ensured that Holstein Canada will continue to play an important role in the future of dairy farming in Canada.
LTwenty resolutions (2019-2020) were presented at the AGM; the results of the votes are available on our website. Other resolutions were also dealt with i outside of the AGM. The provincial branches have done an outstanding and trustworthy job. Let’s not forget that, with the new process for submitting resolutions, some have been sent directly to Lactanet. This process strengthens our partnership and we trust their willingness to make things happen. One of the highlights of the AGM was the shared commitment between the breeds and Lactanet to release more production data to the public in 2022.
Depsite the various challenges of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the Association remains in an excellent financial position for which the two key factors were the reduction in travels and the Covid-19 subsidies. Financial statements are available in the Annual Report.
The day after the virtual AGM, the Board of Directors elected Élyse Gendron (VAL BISSON) of Saint-Polycarpe, QC as President for 2021-2022. The President will be teamed with an Executive consisting of 1st Vice President Ben Cuthbert (SILVERMAPPLE) of Ladysmith, BC and 2nd Vice President Doug Peart (PEARTOME) of Hagersville, ON.
The Board also welcomes Brian Slaughter, Director for Ontario. Brian will bring a wealth of knowledge to the Board through his involvement at the provincial level and in various areas of the industry.
With 9,200 members, Holstein Canada is responsible for maintaining the Holstein Herdbook under the Federal Animal Pedigree Act of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). The Association provides many services to its members to help them evaluate, select and improve their herds through genetic improvement programs. For more information, visit our website or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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