Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame welcomes St-Isidore farmer

Three exceptional Canadians, including a farmer from St-Isidore, have joined the ranks of Canada's most influential individuals as the 2011 inductees into the prestigious Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame.

The hall is proud to announce the upcoming induction of Dr. David Chalack (nominated by the Canadian Livestock Genetics Association), Laurent Souligny (nominated by Egg Farmers of Canada) and Frank Stenger (nominated by Jersey Canada).

The formal induction ceremony will take place later this year at the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame awards banquet on Sunday, November 6 at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto.

"All Canadians have benefited from the significant contribution of the three inductees," says Cam Dahl, president of the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame Association (CAHFA). "These individuals have provided vision and leadership to Canadian agriculture. Their lifelong commitment to this industry and its people is an example to everyone in agriculture and CAHFA is proud to recognize their contributions with this highest honour."

Laurent Souligny has spent most of his life directly involved in agriculture, much of it based in St-Isidore, Ontario, the home of the Souligny farm and a community where he and his wife Hélène still reside.

Souligny started farming in 1964 and in 1973 became involved in farm organizations when he joined the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. His advocacy on behalf of Canadian farmers continued, ultimately leading to him becoming the chair of Egg Farmers of Canada, a position he held for 11 years. He served as a member of the board of Egg Farmers of Canada for 24 years.

Souligny's goal as chairman of Egg Farmers of Canada was to ensure a strong future for every part of the egg industry in Canada. He represented egg producers both in Canada as well as internationally, frequently travelling abroad to defend the interests of the sector.

Tireless work on behalf of his industry led to his selection as chair of the organization representing the five supply-managed industries. His work on disease mitigation led to the Start Clean-Stay Clean program, the egg industry's HACCP-based on-farm food safety system - a program that is considered among the best in the world. He helped establish Egg Farmers of Canada as a leader in traceability, and was instrumental in ensuring that egg producers are adequately compensated when disease does strike, a fact that will benefit generations to come.

Souligny reached out to international bodies such as the United Egg Producers to help promote scientific research on the nutritional benefits of eggs. In 2010, he oversaw the creation of a special research chair at the Université de Laval that focuses on the economics of egg production. The research chair on the economics of egg production helps explore issues like the benefits of improved disease control, the potential impacts of international trade agreements and the costs and benefits associated with reducing the carbon footprint of the egg industry. A research chair focused on nutrition is soon to be established because of his focus on research.

Laurent Souligny's legacy in Canadian agriculture will continue to grow well into the future.

Dr. David Chalack began his journey in agriculture on the home farm in Bearspaw, and his formal education in a one-room school near Cochrane, Alberta.

Chalack has been a champion for improved cattle genetics and for all sectors of agriculture. He campaigned for changes in Holstein breeding, emphasizing the "harmonious blending of parts" that an animal needs for a longer productive life. He has been instrumental in attracting investment in genomics research and bringing to Canada the best scientists to work for the improvement of Canadian livestock.

Recognizing the need for a good animal care model, Chalack championed the development of a new animal welfare policy for the Calgary Stampede that includes an independent review and active engagement of the public.  This model is now being copied by other exhibitions.

Frank Stenger's life story and that of his family is a classic example of what is possible in the agricultural industry within Canada. Hard work, persistence and smart decisions by this German immigrant not only fashioned a good life for the Stenger family but created growth and opportunity for his chosen country.

Stenger is the breeder of the world-famous Enniskillen Jersey herd, a master breeder herd that has been the source of superior seed and foundation stock for domestic and foreign buyers for over five decades.

Frank began a lifetime of involvement in breed association activities over sixty years ago when he was elected as a director of the local Jersey association in the Durham region.  Frank's work in dairy breed improvement combined with his marketing efforts helped open the international marketplace for Canadian livestock genetics. Even today, Frank, in his mid-80s, is influencing others to turn to Canada again for their genetics needs.