Animal Health Canada has announced Kendra Keels as the 2025 Carl Block Award recipient, recognizing her outstanding commitment to the veal industry and the broader livestock sector, including the dairy calf, in Ontario and across Canada. As the industry development director at Veal Farmers of Ontario for almost 20 years, Keels has championed animal health and welfare, strengthened producer supports and advanced collaboration across Canadian agriculture.
Metacam Bovine Welfare Award
Congratulations to Dr. Isabelle Maheu of Sainte-Christine, Que., who has been named the recipient of the 2025 Metacam Bovine Welfare Award for her unwavering commitment to the health and well-being of cattle. Her pioneering work and contribution to improving animal welfare have been instrumental within Canada’s agricultural and veterinary community. Maheu is a veterinarian at the Bureau vétérinaire de Richmond where she focuses on preventive and curative medicine for cattle. She is committed to educating clients about the importance of pain management and proper methods for moving non-ambulatory cows, with an emphasis on using appropriate tools. She also shares her knowledge by mentoring students at the University of Montreal, faculty of veterinary medicine. Beyond her daily practice, Maheu was at the heart of the creation of a working group within the Stratégie québécoise en santé et bien-être animal, focused on non-health-related animal emergencies. The group’s mandate is to support owners, animal caretakers and industry specialists in preparing for crisis situations, including fires. She has worked with local firefighters to strengthen resource co-ordination, ensuring access to adapted material and faster mobilization of veterinary services during farm fires.
Kendra Keels (right) received the 2025 Carl Block Award. Photo: Kendra Keels
CRSB hosts AGM
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The Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef hosted its annual general meeting in Toronto, Ont., on September 26, 2025, where members elected their council. Ryan Beierbach remains the president. Andrea Stroeve-Strawa was elected vice-president. Jamie Mitchell with Intercity Packers Meat & Seafood was elected as a voting member as part of the beef processors and associations category. Sam Hamam with McDonald’s Canada was elected as part of the retail and food service sector. Patricia Talbot was chosen by council to be the new liaison for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, as a non-voting member.
Legacy award handed out
The Canadian Cattle Foundation presented the annual Reg Schellenberg Next Generation Legacy Award to Brianna Elliot of Sundre, Alta., to support the Canadian Cattle Young Leaders Program. Vice-president of the foundation, Lynn Grant, and CCA past president, Nathan Phinney, presented the award at the Canadian Cattle Association’s (CCA) semi-annual meeting banquet in Levis, Que. Elliot is a cow-calf rancher and also works as the manager of forage and grazing research at Olds College in the Technology Access Centre for Livestock Production. She sits on the board of directors for the Western Stock Growers Association and is the mother of two young children.
Canadian Cattle Young Leaders
The Canadian Cattle Young Leaders have announced 16 finalists for the 2025-26 program year. The annual CYL Selections Competition took place on September 9, 2025, at the Canadian Cattle Association’s (CCA) semi-annual meeting in Levis, Que. Finalists from Alberta include Arturo Macias Franco from Edmonton, Cache Schiller from Flatbush, Charlotte Wasylik from Derwent, Denay Bjornson from Wanham, Ellie Stauffer from Pincher Creek, Gautier Henaff from Turin, Justin Rosadiuk from Evansburg, Jarret Nelson from Hemaruka, Marissa Lemay from High River, Ryan Slingerland from Lethbridge and Tyler Bentley from Erskine. From Saskatchewan, the finalist is Cyle Stewart from Morse. The finalist from Ontario is Abbey Taylor from Belmont. The finalist from Quebec is Ellen Rice-Hogan from Venosta. There are two finalists from the Maritimes: Caylene Manning from Falmouth, N.S., and Jillian Ferguson from Spring Valley, P.E.I.
Ontario Forage Council elects board
The Ontario Forage Council elected a new board of directors at its first public annual general meeting at Forage Expo in Bruce County on June 26, 2025. The board is made up of new and returning directors, who will provide leadership, experience and fresh perspectives. The 2025-26 board of directors include: Joe Dickenson (president), Travis Grubb (first vice-president), Michael Richards (second vice-president) and Birgit Martin (past-president). Other members include Kerrie Jenken, Scott Fisher, Jake Gregory, Lawrence Levesque, Brian Burnett, Denise Byers, Donna Hancock and Christine O’Reilly. Terry Nuhn leaves the past-president position.
Laycraft steps down
The Canadian Cattle Association’s (CCA) executive vice-president, Dennis Laycraft, has decided to step down from his current role. He will continue to serve and carry out his duties until a successor is chosen to replace him. The CCA board has appointed a hiring committee and has engaged the services of Amrop Rosin to support their work.
Dennis Laycraft. Photo: Supplied
