Barry Routledge, a beef and grains producer from Lenore, Man., was chosen as the new chair of the Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council (MRAC) board of directors at the Annual General Meeting on March 19.
“I look forward to working with Barry as the new chair of the Board of Directors for MRAC,” said Ted Eastley, MRAC executive director. “Barry’s unique ability to ‘throw a grenade into the conversation’ is always appreciated in stimulating people to think outside the box.
His industry and government contacts will be invaluable to MRAC as we move forward into our new funding program.” During the business meeting MRAC membership also elected three new individuals to the Board of Directors. Evan Gillis and Jim Green join the MRAC team for three year terms while Gwendolyn Donohoe will serve a one-year term as youth director.
Evan Gillis is from a small mixed farm south of Morden, Man. He graduated with an agronomy degree from the University of Manitoba in 2006 and completed an MSc in Plant Pathology this spring. Evan has been a youth director with MRAC since the fall of 2006. He currently works as a research technician with BASF Canada in Winkler, Man.
Jim Green is a partner in G-Six Farms Limited, a family farm operation that produces grains, oilseeds and pulses near Brandon, Man. G-Six Farms is also a partner in Perfect Prairie Pork Limited and Perfect Prairie Poultry Limited. He is a graduate of the University of Manitoba, holding a diploma in Agriculture. Jim is a past-president of the Brandon Flying Club, the Manitoba Canola Grower’s Association, the Provincial Exhibition of Manitoba and past chairman of the Brandon Economic Development Board.
Gwendolyn Donohoe was born and raised in The Pas, Man. originally on a dairy farm but now a commercial cow-calf operation. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, major in Environmental Soil Science with a minor in Rangeland Resources, from the University of Saskatchewan in 2005. Gwendolyn started a master’s program at the University of Manitoba this past fall. Her research project examines the environmental impacts (to both soil as well as GHG) of overwintering beef cattle with varying levels of protein supplementation in their diets (in the form of DDGS).
MRAC membership also re-elected three directors to new terms on the MRAC Board. Brian Cotton, Betty Green and Colin Hudon will continue to serve on the MRAC Board of Directors. As well, during the AGM the hard work and contributions of two outgoing directors, Esther Fyk and Linda MacNair, were recognized.
“MRAC is fortunate to have a strong and diverse board of directors to cover a wide spectrum of opinions and interests,” said Barry Routledge, MRAC chair. “We are well positioned to advance the interests of the agriculture sector as delivery agents for the federal government’s Agriculture and Agri Food division. Our board is looking forward to introducing the new program to our clients and responding very quickly to the fast changing business of agriculture.”
MRAC currently administers the Manitoba share ($10.3 million) of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s $243 million Advancing Canadian agriculture and Agri-Food (ACAAF) program. With ACAAF ending on March 31, the council is anticipating a new five-year funding program to be announced soon.
