Ottawa, Ontario, February 7, 2012 - Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz today announced the appointment of Jacques Laforge as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Canadian Dairy Commission (CDC).
"I'm very pleased to announce Mr. Laforge's appointment to the Canadian Dairy Commission," said Minister Ritz. "As both a farmer and a former president of the Dairy Farmers of Canada, Mr. Laforge has established himself as a driving force in the Canadian dairy industry. I am certain that his knowledge and passion for the industry will continue to serve our dairy producers and processors well as he takes on this important new role."
Mr. Laforge will work with producers, processors, the restaurant industry, and consumers to build a long-term vision for the CDC and its stakeholders that will include innovative ways to continue to build a strong, sustainable dairy industry.
The CDC is a Crown corporation established in 1966 to coordinate federal and provincial dairy policies and create a control mechanism for stabilizing milk production and revenues. The CDC plays a key role in shaping dairy policy in Canada and provides a framework for the effective management of the industry as a whole, which is a jurisdiction shared by the federal government and the provinces.
Mr. Laforge's appointment is effective immediately for a term of three years. A biographical note is attached.
To learn more about the CDC, please visit www.cdc-ccl.gc.ca/CDC/index.php.
For more information, media may contact:
Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
613-773-7972
1-866-345-7972
Meagan Murdoch
Director of Communications
The Office of the Honourable Gerry Ritz
613-773-1059
Mr. Laforge is well known for his leadership in agriculture both nationally and in his home province of New Brunswick, where he and his wife Patsy have operated a successful 1,000-acre mixed farming operation since 1980. Throughout his farming career, Mr. Laforge has shown a strong dedication to serving his fellow farmers. He served as an executive on the Dairy Farmers of New Brunswick board of directors for 10 years before taking on the role of chairman from 1995 to 2000. While leading the Dairy Farmers of New Brunswick, he also served as chairman of the Atlantic Dairy and Forage Institute from 1997 to 2000. Mr. Laforge's leadership and expertise in the dairy industry have benefited the sector across the country. Having served on the board of directors of the Dairy Farmers of Canada since the 1980s, he joined the executive in 1999. In 2004, he took on the role of president, a title he held until 2011. Last year, Mr. Laforge received the Order of New Brunswick in recognition of his passion for agriculture and his work to ensure a bright future for Canadian farmers.
