CAA Board of Directors

The CAA Board of Directors for the upcoming year:
President - Kirk Wildman (AB); Vice-President - David Bolduc (AB); Past-President - John Donaldson (QC)
Directors - Frank Strimbold (BC); Lee Brown, Cecile Fleming, Gary Latimer (AB); Kevin Blair, Shane Castle, Roger Hardy, Laird Senft (SK); Lois McRae (MB); Tom McDonald (ON); Jim Colody (Maritimes)

Saturday at the CAA AGM

It was a busy day at the meetings in Halifax. Bill Carr was the early morning speaker and his comedic and entertaining speech got everyone ready for the day.

Three breakout sessions were held for the rest of the morning with attendees taking in two of the three. Topics were Canadian Angus Rancher Endorsed the Maritime experience, Connecting the producer to the retailer and consumer and Genetic Defects.

Financial reports and resolutions from the floor took the afternoon. Two motions were tabled. The first was to recommend that the board of directors reconsider their decision to possibly allow green tags to be sold to producers with unregistered seedstock. This motion passed.

The second resolution was to recommend that the board of directors allow the registration of cattle with genetic defects. This motion was defeated.

In the evening the awards were handed out. Erica Easton was named the new Angus Ambassador and was selected from a strong group of 5 contestants. Congratulations! (picture above).

Two families were in attendance to accept their 50 years of breeding Angus awards. The Frank Slezina family and the Loanes were the recipients.

Two of this years honorary president's were also in attendance to accept their pins. Gary Harron and Hilda Colodey were the Ontario and Maritimes recipients.

Posted by Tim Dixon for Everything Angus On the Road.

Friday at the CAA AGM

28 degrees and sunshine made for a perfect day for sightseeing to the Annapolis Valley. The directors had a long day of meetings as much was discussed.
Delegates from all across Canada and the US were led by a piper from the Westin hotel down the road to Murphy's on the water for the ambassador speeches a delicious meal and entertainment to conclude the evening.

Alberta president Colton Hamilton eagerly awaits his lobster dinner.

CEO Doug Fee is dressed in the proper attire for a lobster meal.


posted by Tim Dixon for Everything Angus On the Road.

Maritime Junior Show & Field Day

Great weather and a good crowd at the Maritime Angus Junior Show & Field Day.
Champion Heifer exhibited by Ellen Dixon, Cornwall, PE; owned by Bannockburn Valley Farm, Cornwall, PE.
Reserve Champion Heifer owned & exhibited by Colby MacQuarrie, PE.
Judge: Kirk Wildman, Sangudo, AB.
As reported via Tim Dixon

Gearing up for the Halifax AGM

Angus attention will soon turn to the CAA Annual Meeting in Halifax. First on the agenda will be the Maritime Field Day and Junior Show followed by the many AGM activities (rumors abound regarding a tall ship). For those unable to attend, EA On The Road will bring you updates and photos as President John Donaldson convenes this important event. Thanks to Tim Dixon for being our eyes and ears in the Maritimes.
Halifax weather watch:

Foot & Mouth outbreaks causing concern

The World Organization for Animal Health database is reporting an increase of Foot and Mouth disease in some parts of the world and politicians in Japan have made it's eradication a high priority. In fact organizers cancelled the 2010 sold out Ironman Japan scheduled for June 13 at Goto Nagasaki due to the threat of FMD. Goto is a predominantly agricultural area and organisers say they cannot risk the devastation that an outbreak would cause to the local economy. Some countries have also banned imports of Japanese meat products with the outbreak being called the worst in Japan's history.
The WAHID website database states the total number of animals destroyed to date in Japan at 149,322 (21,893 cattle) with the investigation continuing. China and Korea also have continuing events concerning FMD, along with others where it is classified as an endemic disease.
Statistics by country can be found HERE.

"If I had to get a job to pay for the farm, I might as well just get a job"

Words of wisdom from Grade 11 student Wyatt Hanson, Hansons Ranches, Airdrie, AB & a member of the Canadian Junior Angus Association. Wyatt was one of many concerned young farmers who participated in the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food hearings on the Future of Farming being held across Canada. Read the entire story from the Airdrie Echo HERE.

Last time for snow - promise! (maybe)

If you've heard the news you know that parts of southern Alberta are once again white - will this never end? Two weeks ago it was +28 and now it is +2. Nothing like Alberta weather.
However, snow is wet and moisture was badly needed with more rain predicted.

More snow!

Can you believe it? It's snowing again. Not quite the amount we had last week, but loads of wind as well. But moisture and mud are still most welcome.
How about in your part of the country?

Wild Prairie weather once again

It may be spring in the rest of the country but right now in parts of Alberta it looks more like the middle of winter. Nothing unusual for these parts and moisture in any form is mostly welcome, although snow is not great for commercial operations calving right now.
Reports say that areas needing it most have received a mixture of rain and snow (10 mm for Stettler area), with the effect of the storm system reaching east to Manitoba. Parts of Saskatchewan are expecting up to 50 mm of rain, with even more in Manitoba. Bring on the mud . . .
The power is flicking on and off and internet connections are down (with the good ol' portable internet stick to the rescue once again) as heavy, wet snow plays havoc with towers and wires.