Soy Canada annual meeting emphasizes opportunity and innovation amid industry challenges

Ottawa, ON – Soy Canada’s annual meeting focussed on solutions that position Canadian soy for success during industry presentations and discussions at this year’s event. The theme, Gather and Grow, challenged participants to focus on finding opportunities amid global challenges created by conflict, uncertainty and volatility.

The organization’s annual meeting was held June 18, 2025, in Boucherville, Quebec. The event saw 75 leaders from Quebec and across Canada attend virtually and in person.

Keynote speaker, Alain Berard, Senior Director Development, Real Estate and Environment with the Port of Montreal shared how resiliency and efficiency make Montreal a valuable port for Canadian soybean exports.

Brian Innes, Soy Canada Executive Director, shared successes from the past year including growth in the Sustainable Canadian Soybean program and connecting with international buyers in Japan and Indonesia.  The 2024-25 annual report was launched at the meeting, highlighting key progress made in the past year.

“We’re living in a time of conflict, uncertainty and volatility,” said Innes of the current reality. “We’re well positioned in Canada and as Soy Canada to step carefully and purposefully forward to be the supplier of choice. We offer stability in a world that is uncertain. People are looking for reliability and we can deliver.”

Soy Canada’s leadership was confirmed at the meeting, with members voting for the 2025-2026 Board of Directors and the Board voting on a new chairperson.

• Chair – Jeff Barlow, Grain Farmers of Ontario
• Vice Chair – Melvin Rattai, Director at Large (Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers)
• Treasurer-Secretary – Michelle Wall, Director at Large (Syngenta)
• Andrea Faubert, Seed Developers (Corteva Agriscience)
• Colin Richardson, Food Grade Exporters (Snobelen Farms)
• Dale Heide, Processors (Delmar Commodities)
• Frank Prince, Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers
• Jeff Stonehouse, Commodity Exporters (The Andersons Canada)
• Ramzy Yelda, Producteurs de grains du Québec
• Winston van Staveren, Saskatchewan Pulse Growers
• Garth Baxter, Director at Large (AgriBax Global Inc.)
• Crosby Devitt, Director at Large (Grain Farmers of Ontario)

Outgoing Chair Jason McNaughton and outgoing director Ernie Sirski were honoured at the event for their contribution to the organization.

“I joined the board 9 years ago and it has been my privilege to serve as the director representing food-grade exporters and more recently as Chair,” said McNaughton. “I want to thank our current board members for their contributions over that time. I believe that strong leadership and representation helps to ensure a strong industry, and that we all have a role to play. I encourage everyone in our industry to participate actively. The more you contribute to an organization the more you get out of it and the more the organization can thrive.”

Soy Canada is a national value-chain organization for the soybean sector, including seed companies, growers, exporters, and processors. Created in 2014, we provide industry leadership on issues affecting the growth and profitability of the soybean sector, coordinate research efforts across the value chain and across the country, as well as lead on market access and market development efforts. Canada is a global leader in producing high quality, sustainable and trusted soybeans for world markets. Soybeans are among the top three most valuable crops in Canada, with 70 per cent of production exported each year.