Lakeland receives $200,000 boost
The Sweet family of Drayton Valley, Alta., recently gave two $100,000 donations to Lakeland College in memory of the late Garth Sweet who passed away in 2001 at the age of 57.
The family started 4S Simmentals and has raised purebred livestock for more than 25 years. The herd today numbers 350 head.
The money is designed to help livestock research and development at the college with a portion allocated for the construction of a laboratory and meeting space in the Livestock Research Centre at the Vermilion campus.
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A renovated facility will help the college expand its residual feed intake research, specific breed testing and genetic correlations in beef cattle.
It will also help students gain practical experience.
Livestock Auctioneering Championships Held
The 17th Annual Canadian Livestock Auctioneer Championship and Masters Auctioneer Championship were held in conjunction with the 35th Annual Livestock Markets Association of Canada convention at Heartland Livestock Services in Moose Jaw, Sask.
The Canadian Livestock Auctioneer Championship top five finalists are:
1st: Shawn Gist, Fort Saskatchewan, Alta.
2nd : Kirk Goldsmith, Veteran, Alta.
3rd: Rob Bergevin, Stavely, Alta.
4th : Calvin Kuepfer, Newton, Ont.
5th: Garth Rogers, Rochester, Alta.
Tyler Cronkhite of Moose Jaw was awarded the Jim Raffan Memorial Buckle for Most Congenial Auctioneer.
The LMAC Rookie of the Year went to Gregory Weaver of Tomslake, B.C.
Tyler Slawinski of McCreary, Man., was named Manitoba/Saskatchewan champion.
The Bob Wright Memorial Award for Manitoba/Saskatchewan Rookie of the Year went to Ryan Hurlburt of Yorkton, Sask.
Danny Skeels of Ponoka, Alta., won first in the Masters Livestock Auctioneer Championship.
Buth New CIGI CEO
JoAnne Buth is giving up her Senate seat to become the new chief executive officer of the Canadian International Grains Institute. She replaces Earl Geddes who is retiring in September.
Prime minister Stephen Harper appointed Buth to the Senate in 2012.
In a statement issued by CIGI, Buth said the new job enables her to return to her roots.
“This opportunity represents coming home to me as I come back to work in an industry that is so critical to Canada and to Canada’s reputation internationally,” she said in the statement.
Buth’s previous experience includes the Canola Council of Canada as vice-president from 1999 to 2007 and president from 2007-12. She has also served on several agricultural advisory committees for private industry and government.
Scholarships from Alberta Wheat Commission
The Alberta Wheat Commission is funding two new undergraduate scholarships this fall at the University of Alberta and University of Lethbridge.
The $1,000 scholarships will be awarded each year to students in an agricultural degree program.
The money will help encourage more students to start a career in agriculture.
It is also designed to support the school’s wheat breeding program and encourage more students to take an interest in genetics.
The awards are based on academic achievement and community involvement.
For more information, visit www.albertawheat.com or contact the department of agriculture, food and nutritional science at the U of A, and the Faculty of Agriculture at the U of L.
$1 million to STARS
While celebrating its new head office in Regina, Redhead Equipment officially presented $1 million to the Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society (STARS).
The non-profit charity provides emergency medical care and transportation for critically ill and injured patients across Saskatchewan. STARS flew more than 841 missions to 241 communities throughout Saskatchewan in 2013.
