CGC chief commissioner to step down
Doug Chorney will be retiring as chief commissioner of the Canadian Grain Commission effective April 30.
He was first appointed assistant chief commissioner in 2017 and became chief commissioner in 2020.
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His career included a variety of roles for agricultural organizations such as Keystone Agricultural Producers, the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corp., the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council.
As well, Lonny McKague has been appointed to another term as CGC commissioner.
McKague, who has more than 40 years of experience as a primary producer, has also held positions with the Canadian Limousin Association, the Ogema Agricultural Society and the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association.
He was first appointed in 2017 and his re-appointment is for a term of three years.
Livestock disease plans receives funding
Animal Health Canada has received more than $1.5 million in federal funding to continue its work on planning for foreign animal disease outbreaks.
The $999,990 from Agriculture Canada’s African Swine Fever Industry Preparedness Program will support the continued ASF preparedness planning, such as prevention and control of the disease through wild pigs, indigenous engagement and communication plans.
The $697,950 from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s Federal Assistance Program will support the production of a framework for an integrated emergency response plan for foot-and-mouth disease, guidance and resources for FMD vaccine and the testing of emergency response plans for both ASF and FMD through exercises and drills.
Animal Health Care Canada has been leading efforts to prevent and control African swine fever in Canada since 2019 through working groups comprising federal, provincial and territorial governments and pig industry representatives.
This model will be also be used for foot-and-mouth disease.
Funding from both federal programs is until March 2025.
Student vet worker costs covered
A new British Columbia program will cover summer placement costs for veterinary and veterinary technologist students.
The $300,000 pilot program offers up to $6,000 per placement to help with wages and travel costs, and could support the placements of up to 50 students this year.
Eligible veterinary practices must be accredited by the College of Veterinarians of B.C. and offer services for livestock and farm animals that may include cattle, swine, sheep, goats, poultry, bison and fish.
Practices that provide services to clients at any production scale are eligible to apply.
Eligible students must have completed their first year of studies and be enrolled in an American Veterinary Medical Association accredited veterinary college or an AVMA or Canadian Veterinary Medical Association accredited animal health technology/veterinary technician program.
Veterinary practices can apply at https://submit.digital.gov.bc.ca/app/form/submit?f=96cc199a-3f3e-4ed3-8904-6547c63018ac.
The program is funded by the federal and B.C. governments under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership. Funding will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, with applications accepted until 4:30 p.m. (PDT) on April 15, or until the funding has been fully allocated.
Forage council hires executive director
Shelanne Wiles Longley is the new executive director of the Saskatchewan Forage Council, effective March 18.
Wiles Longley has a bachelor of science in agriculture degree and extensive experience in administration, finance, board governance and strategic planning.
She has worked with government, agricultural not-for-profits, environmental stewardship and water and rangeland management.
Wiles Longley and her family operate a family farm near Ogema, Sask.
Contact information for the council, including mailing address and phone numbers, have changed and can be found at www.saskforage.ca.
Greater sage-grouse habitat protected
The Nature Conservancy of Canada has developed a new initiative to conserve habitat for Alberta’s endangered greater sage-grouse.
The organization is fundraising to buy Sagebrush Flats, a 1,569 acre property southeast of Medicine Hat that is part of its Prairie Grasslands Action Plan.
The intention is to conserve the property in perpetuity while maintaining it as rangeland for local ranchers.
Greater sage-grouse, a large bird found in grassland regions of southeastern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan, is one of Canada’s most imperilled species.
Designated as endangered under Alberta’s Wildlife Act and Canada’s Species At Risk Act, the species is suffering from extensive habitat loss, among other threats.
Since the late 1960s, its numbers have plummeted by more than 90 percent and its current distribution now covers less than 10 percent of its historic range
NCC is also working with a variety of other groups to restore habitat through the Bell-Sage-Grouse Legacy Project.
Under this initiative, 160 acres that were once a fallow agricultural field are being restored by planting native species such as sagebrush and native grasses, controlling weeds and mitigating threats such as human structures used by predators.
For more information, visit prairiegrasslands.ca or contact alberta@natureconservancy.ca.
