The Canola Council of Canada’s board has elected a new chair following the council’s annual general meeting, which was held on Thursday morning during the 2024 Crops Convention in Winnipeg, Man.
Tessa Ritter, who also works as Viterra’s stakeholder relations manager, has been chosen to lead the canola industry group’s board of directors.
She succeeds Jennifer Marchand of Cargill, who finished her two-year term as chair, but remains on the board as a director.
“On behalf of the board, I’d like to thank Jennifer Marchand for her service as our board chair, and our outgoing board members David Kelner and Ryan McCann for their contributions to our industry,” says Ritter, in a news release. “We also warmly welcome two new directors as we continue to partner across the value chain to identify and pursue opportunities, address challenges and drive the industry forward.”
The two new directors named to the CCC board for 2024/25 are:
- Chris Anderson, DL Seeds, nominated by life science companies, and
- Tyler Groeneveld, Corteva Agriscience, nominated by life science companies.
The council’s 2023 annual report, presented by president and CEO Chris Davison, highlighted the CCC’s work in the following areas:
- Growing diversification into biofuels markets
- Renewing investment in research, and market access and development
- Establishing resources in the Indo-Pacific region
- Revitalizing connections with China and other key markets
- Learning more about canola agronomy in the brown soil zone
- Facilitating innovation in plant breeding and crop protection products
2024/25 Canola Council of Canada board of directors:
Nominated by canola grower associations:
- Charles Fossay, Manitoba Canola Growers
- Justin Nanninga, Alberta Canola
- Dean Roberts, Canadian Canola Growers Association
- Ed Schafer, SaskCanola
Nominated by the Canadian Oilseed Processors Association:
- Ryan Law, Bunge
- Tracy Lussier, Louis Dreyfus Company
- Jeff Pleskach, Cargill Ltd.
- Kevin Wright, Archer Daniels Midland Company
Nominated by the Western Grain Elevator Association:
- Jarrett Beatty, Parrish & Heimbecker
- Jennifer Marchand, Cargill Ltd.
- Tessa Ritter, Viterra
- Trevor Veenendaal, G3 Canada Ltd.
Nominated by life science companies:
- Chris Anderson, DL Seeds
- Tyler Groeneveld, Corteva Agriscience
- Garth Hodges, BASF
