Martin Unrau of MacGregor, Man., has been named president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, replacing Travis Toews from northern Alberta, who served his maximum two years as president.
Cow-calf operator Dave Solverson from Camrose has been named vice-president.
The change in leadership came March 9 during the CCA annual general meeting in Ottawa.
Unrau said he is optimistic about the industry.
However, one of his concerns as president will be the declining herd as market opportunities increase and herds are sold down.
“I am concerned about infrastructure dropping off because herd numbers are down,” he said in a statement issued by CCA.
“I’m concerned that we might lose some slaughter and processing capacity along with feeding capacity in Canada and in the U.S.”
Unrau and his family calve 550 cows on his Bar 88 Ranch in southern Manitoba. They also do some backgrounding and produce corn and barley.
He was CCA vice-president and has served on the association’s foreign trade and animal health committees.
Solverson has been involved in cattle politics for years with Alberta Beef Producers and the CCA, most recently as an Alberta director.
Toews remains on the CCA board as past-president.
