Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council

PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE – Barry Routledge, a beef and grains producer from Lenore, Man., will continue to serve as chair of the Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council (MRAC) board of directors. This year’s Annual General Meeting, held on March 18 at the Canad Inns in Portage la Prairie, attracted approximately 120 people from various agricultural sectors.

"This year’s AGM was bigger and better than ever with diverse representation from the agriculture and agri-product industry in attendance, fully engaged in stimulating discussions and taking in dynamic and thought provoking presentations. This interest reinforced that MRAC is very successful at directing national funding towards regional realities," said Ted Eastley, MRAC executive director.

During the business meeting MRAC membership also elected four new individuals to the Board of Directors. Colleen Dyck, Larry McIntosh, Mark Sloane and Karin Wittenberg join the MRAC team for three year terms.

Colleen Dyck and her husband Grant own Artel Farms, a 13,000 acre grain farm near Niverville. Dyck is also the creator of the Gorp bar, an all natural protein bar for athletes using 90 per cent local ingredients. Larry McIntosh is president and CEO of Peak of the Market, a grower-owned not-for-profit vegetable supplier in Manitoba. Mark Sloane is farm owner and manager of Sloane Agriventures near Clearwater and is a managing partner in Right Choice Management Consulting, a business offering financial consulting services to agricultural producers. Dr. Karin Wittenberg is the acting dean and associate dean (research) of the University of Manitoba Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, as well as a professor in the Department of Animal Science.

MRAC membership also re-elected four directors to new terms on the MRAC Board. Jonathan Bouw, Shelley Curé and Terry Fehr will continue to serve on the MRAC Board of Directors, while Gwendolyn Donohoe will continue to serve as youth director. As well, during the AGM the hard work and contributions of two outgoing directors, Dr. Derek Brewin and Kate Storey, were recognized.

"MRAC is fortunate to attract very diverse individuals from the entire agriculture sector that set aside their personal interests to pathfind agriculture as a solution provider," said Barry Routledge, chair of the MRAC board of directors. "And we are proud to engage youth and their views as we strive for new solutions and new opportunities."

MRAC delivers Manitoba’s portion ($9.5 million) of the five-year $163 million Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP). CAAP’s objective is to help the agricultural sector adapt and remain competitive. For more information on MRAC and CAAP please visit our new website at www.mrac.ca.

For more information or interviews contact:

Teresa Falk
Communications Officer
Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council Inc. (MRAC)
Office: 204.982.4796
Cellular: 204.227.7792
E-mail: tfalk [at] mrac [dot] ca