Sunflower checkoff
The National Sunflower Association of Canada has received permission to increase its producer checkoff to 0.5 percent of net sales.
The levy will be capped at $250 per grower. The association’s previous levy was 0.25 percent of net sales.
It said money will be used for longer, multi-year research studies.
Genome Prairie official
Lyle F. Merrell has been appointed to the board of directors of Genome Prairie.
He is president and chief executive officer of Cronus BioPharma Inc., a biopharmaceutical company formed to develop medical products.
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Before that, Merrell was president and CEO of Webber Inc. and general manager and chief operating officer of Genesys Pharma Inc. in Winnipeg.
He has also sat on the board of Bioxel Pharma Inc., worked as marketing manager for the international division of Charles E. Frosst and Co. and has held various senior management positions with Allergan International.
Genome Prairie supports and manages large-scale genomics and proteomics research projects in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
New head for farm lender
Greg Stewart has been appointed president and chief executive officer of Farm Credit Canada (FCC). He was appointed Aug. 3 by former federal agriculture minister Chuck Strahl.
Stewart has spent the past 19 years with the FCC as a senior executive.
In the past six years, the FCC’s national loan portfolio has nearly doubled to $13.9 billion.
Flax on the web
The Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission has a new website.
The site contains a variety of new features including a list of buyers, production updates and information on flax-based products, from linoleum and insulation to roasted flax seed and pet food products.
There is also a wide selection of flax recipes.
Producers, consumers, researchers and the public are encouraged to see the new site for themselves at www.saskflax.com.
Dairy officials named
Randy Williamson has been appointed chair of the Canadian Dairy Commission and Gilles Martin has been appointed as a CDC commissioner.
Each appointment lasts for a term of three years.
Williamson has more than 30 years of experience in the dairy processing industry. He began his career with Fraser Valley Milk Producers in 1974, moving to Dairyland Foods in 1986.
He joined Dairyworld Foods in 2001, and held a variety of positions at the senior executive level.
Most recently he served as president and chief operating officer of Saputo Canada.
Martin has been involved in the dairy producing industry since 1977. He began as co-owner of a dairy farm in Rivière-Ouelle, Que., and eventually became a member of the Union des producteurs agricoles, holding various positions within the organization.
He now serves as president of the Centre de Développement bioalimentaire du Québec, an agri-food research and development centre.
Martin has a post-secondary degree in Zootechnology from the Institute of Agricultural Technology in La Pocatière, Que.
Former federal agriculture minister Chuck Strahl made the appointments earlier this month.
Organic position created
The Certified Organic Associations of British Columbia has hired Rochelle Eisen to fill a newly created position of organic extension agent.
In her new position, Eisen will provide resources and support to new and existing organic farm operations in B.C.
The position will be funded through a $100,000 grant provided by the B.C. agriculture department. Eisen has worked for the B.C. organic sector since 1989 and has diverse experience in all types of land-based organic operations.
