Ontario’s Livestock Research Innovation Corporation (LRIC) has elected a new chair and vice chair and two new directors to its board at its recent annual general meeting.
Brian Miller, a Huron County farmer and the poultry industry representative on the board, steps up as chair of the organization, while Don Gordon, a farmer from the Durham Region, representing Dairy Farmers of Ontario, is the new vice chair.
RJ Taylor, managing director of the Ontario Aquaculture Association and co-owner of Cedar Crest Trout Farms, is the new partner organization director, taking over from Jennifer MacTavish, general manager of Ontario Sheep Farmers.
Tara Terpstra, a hog farmer from Huron County, is the new LRIC board representative from Ontario Pork. She replaces pork producer Oliver Haan, who has retired from the LRIC board and most recently served as chair of the organization.
“LRIC has started taking a more active role in industry outreach, particularly around emerging issues facing our sector,” says Haan. “We’ve re-established our international research advisory committee, and our new Horizon Series of webinars and white papers is making credible information available to the public on emerging issues like regenerative agriculture and genomics.”
Established in 2012 with support from Ontario’s beef, pork, dairy, and poultry sector organizations and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, LRIC takes a value chain approach to research and innovation by providing leadership in research priority setting, coordination and process, identifying and communicating emerging issues, and strengthening networks across the sector.
