Ag Notes

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Published: June 21, 2007

Biofuel president

The Saskatchewan Biofuels Development Council has appointed Judie Dyck as president.

Dyck has worked closely with the Saskatchewan biodiesel industry over the last two years and was co-chair of the Saskatchewan biodiesel task force.

For the past two years, she has served as executive director of the Saskatchewan Canola Growers Association.

SBDC was established to help develop a biofuel industry that promotes feedstock and biofuel production technology.

Ag hall of famers

Michel Lemire and the late Charles Balmer are the latest inductees into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame.

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The induction ceremony will take place Nov. 4 at the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame awards banquet, held in conjunction with the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto.

Lemire has dedicated his career in agriculture to award-winning Holsteins and co-operative enterprises.

He grew up on his parent’s dairy farm in Quebec and later established his own operation, Ferme Micheret, at Saint-Zéphirin, Que. Today, his Holstein herd and dairy genetics operation is recognized internationally.

Lemire has served for 23 years as board chair of Agropur coopérative, Canada’s largest dairy co-operative, and has received international awards for his achievements in agriculture.

Balmer was an equipment inventor from Elie, Man. Born in Switzerland, he came to Canada as a mechanic trainee with Massey-Ferguson. It was this trip to Winnipeg that boosted his career in the agricultural equipment industry as inventor, designer, entrepreneur and pioneer in aerial application.

Over his career, he amassed 24 patents, including the ValMar Airflo Granular Applicator, AirSpread and AirMax boom-type fertilizer spreaders, and the Willmar AirRide high clearance, self-propelled sprayer.

Balmer died in September 2006.

Biofuel money

The federal government has announced funding of more than $117,000 to study biofuel production in North Battleford, Sask.

The money will be delivered through the Biofuels Opportunities for Producers Initiative, or BOPI, to Western Bio Fuels Inc., which will develop a feasibility study for a locally owned, co-operative biodiesel facility.

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