Source: Canadian Angus Association
Last night the Canadian Angus Association held its second virtual annual general meeting. In a departure from tradition, CEO Myles Immerkar chaired the meeting.
The new Canadian Angus Association Board of Directors executive was announced. Sheldon Kyle of Redvers, Saskatchewan was elevated from the position of President Elect to President. Shawn Birmingham of Brandon, Manitoba moved into the Past President position, and Graham McLean of Watford, Ontario was chosen as President Elect.
CEO Myles Immerkar presented the 2020 highlights which include:
- Ending the year with a net surplus of revenue over expenses of $426,753, an increase of $205,000 over 2019 and only two years after a financial loss in 2018.
- Reduction in expenses by $322,000 through a combination of dedication to finding efficiencies and cancelled and postponed programming.
- CAA’s new annual publication Angus Life generated $240,000 in new revenue in 2020 and 2021. All of this revenue was reinvested in CAA member programs.
- 2020 saw a new focus on consumer education and outreach.
- We launched a new CAA website, new traits and economic index.
- Limits on travel provided the perfect opportunity to launch the new Ringside App to ensure CAA members are up to speed on activity as it happens.
As we look forward to a return to normalcy this year, CAA is focusing on new investments and opportunities for members.
Convention 2022 is scheduled for June 9–11, 2022 in Moncton, New Brunswick. Recognizing how much our members have missed gathering in person, we announced that the CAA Technical Showcase and Member Appreciation Barbecue will be held on Wednesday, August 25 at Angus Central in Rocky View County, Alberta, provided health and travel restrictions allow members from across the country to attend. More information will be provided in the weeks to come.
The Canadian Junior Angus national show, Showdown, will be a hybrid event this year with options for both in-person and virtual competitions. Cattle events are scheduled to take place August 26–27 in Olds, Alberta, pending government restrictions and regulations. More information will be announced in the coming weeks.
Incoming directors Doug Munton and Harold Reich in Alberta and Rob Garner in Saskatchewan were virtually introduced and retiring directors Brian Geis in Alberta and Mike Howe in Saskatchewan as well as Past President and Alberta director Bob Hahn were recognized and thanked for their contributions.
The AGM was recorded and is available for viewing on the Canadian Angus Association’s YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/CanadianAngusAssoc).
About the Directors
Birmingham, his wife Teresa and their three daughters operate TSN Angus Livestock. They calve approximately 250 females each year, 80 of which are purebred Black Angus. The remaining commercial cows are used as recipients for their embryo program. Shawn and Teresa’s passion for the breed has been recognized on several occasions, including receiving the 2012 Manitoba Angus Purebred Breeder of the Year award as well as the 2016 Outstanding Young Angus Breeder award from the Canadian Angus Foundation.
Garner and his wife Cindy farm and ranch, operating as Nordal Limousin and Angus near Simpson, Saskatchewan. The operation is a combination of grain land utilized for both grain and pulse crops, plus forage and feed grain production for the cattle. They raise purebred Black Angus, Red Angus and Limousin, and a large group of commercial cows which are all Angus based. Garner was president of the Canadian Limousin Association in 1992 and has also served as a director on his local school board.
Geis was raised on a dairy farm in Barrhead, AB. His father artificially inseminated the dairy heifers to Angus bulls which comprised the commercial herd. He got into the purebred cattle business by purchasing purebred Angus cattle for 4-H. After growing the herd to more than 400 cows, Brian and his wife Kim dispersed their herd in 2012 but their son Robert is growing the herd once again.
Hahn was elected to the Canadian Angus Association Board of Directors in 2013 and was elected for a second term in 2016. He has operated HR Hahn Cattle Co. in Sherwood Park, Alberta since 2000. Prior to joining the Canadian Angus Association board, Hahn served on the Alberta Angus Association Board of Directors from 2008 through 2012. Hahn is also a chartered accountant with his own practice, Hahn Lukey Houle Chartered Professional Accountants.
Howe, his wife Lisa and their twin sons Mason and Grady run a mixed family farming operation with his father and brother south of Moose Jaw. They currently run 320 Red Angus, Charolais and a few commercial cows. Howe has served on the Agribition Prospect Steer and Heifer show committee as well as the Canadian Red Angus Promotional Society and Saskatchewan Angus Association boards of directors.
Kyle operates Kenray Ranch near Redvers, SK with his family. They breed 250 head of Red Angus and Red Angus influenced females annually. Kyle also owns and operates an on-farm business, Kyle Farm & Ranch Supply that was founded in the spring of 2015. In addition, he has served on the local Co-op board of directors for two terms, sat on the Canadian Western Agribition Stock Exchange Committee and has served as a director and as president of the Saskatchewan Angus Association.
McLean and his brother Murray operate a purebred Angus cow herd, Melmac Angus Farms near Melbourne, Ontario with 35 cows. Their father Ron started the herd in 1974. They also grow corn and soybeans. McLean has served as president of the Melbourne Fair Board, Lambton County 4-H Association, Watford Optimist Club, Western Ontario Angus Association and Ontario Angus Association.
Munton has been raising Angus cattle for 60 years. With his wife Valerie and son Mike, the family operates as Benchmark Angus, running approximately 300 Black Angus cows and 100 Red Angus cows. Five years ago they purchased a small beef plant harvesting approximately 150 head per week. Munton is also a chartered accountant with his own business.
Reich was born into the purebred Angus business. He was 10 when he first went to the Calgary Bull Sale with his dad in 1968 and has been selling bulls to ranchers since. He has served on the boards of the Bashaw heifer show, Alberta Angus Association, Northlands Farm Fair, and previously was a director with the Canadian Angus Association in the early 1990s.
The Canadian Angus Association (www.cdnangus.ca) is a not-for-profit association incorporated under the Animal Pedigree Act. The Association represents more than 2,000 members across Canada for the purposes of registering and recording the pedigrees of purebred Angus cattle and promoting the breed across Canada. Its member-approved mandate is to maintain breed registry, breed purity and provide services that enhance the growth and position of the Angus breed.
