The Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame will induct seven new members this fall.
- Garnet Altwasser established Lakeside Farm Industries Ltd., which includes Lakeside Feeders, the largest single site feeding operation in Canada. Beef products from the Brooks, Alta., operation are marketed across Canada, North America and 20 other countries around the world. Altwasser lives in Brooks and was nominated by the County of Newell.
- John Bragg helped develop the wild blueberry industry in the Maritimes. At Bragg Foods Group, he focused on expanded production, research and development, new export markets and innovation in processing. Bragg lives in Collingwood, N.S. and was nominated by Nova Scotia agriculture minister Greg Morrow.
- Rory Francis helped develop agriculture in Prince Edward Island. He is executive director of BioAlliance and founder of the annual VetHealth Global conference. Francis lives in Charlottetown and was nominated by the P.E.I. Department of Agriculture and Land, and Byron Beeler.
- Marcel Groleau is a dairy farmer who led the Union des producteurs agricoles in Quebec. He is an advocate for sustainable development and improving the social-economic situation of farmers. Groleau lives in Thetford Mines, Que., and was nominated by Union des producteurs agricoles and Les Producteur de lait du Québec.
- Ron Helwer is the owner/founder of Shur Gro Farm Services, an independent fertilizer operation. He founded what is today the Canadian Association of Agricultural Retailers. Helwer lives in Brandon and was nominated by Ray West.
- Robert Irving established Cavendish Farms in 1980, a frozen food plant in Prince Edward Island that is now the fourth largest producer of frozen french fry products in North America. He also heads Cavendish Ag Services, an agricultural inputs and services company. Irving lives in Dieppe, N.B., and was nominated by Potato Growers of Alberta.
- Ray Robertson is a former dairy farmer and extension specialist who developed the Grey Agricultural Services Centre to provide fee-for-service extension programs. He helped develop the Canadian Forage and Grasslands Association. Robertson lives in Markdale, Ont., and was nominated by Joan McKinlay.
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This year’s induction ceremony will be held on Nov. 4 in Charlottetown.
