Ottawa, Ontario – Rod de Wolde was awarded the Swine Breeders’ Merit Award at the annual general meeting for the Canadian Centre for Swine Improvement (CCSI) on July 4, 2019. CCSI presents this award to breeders who have made a significant contribution to the Canadian Swine Improvement Program through their leadership, achievements, and participation in performance testing.
Rod de Wolde and his family started BMR Genetics, a purebred nucleus, with stock from his parents in 1999. They relocated the herd to Millbrook, Ontario where they produced high health breeding stock until 2018 where a fire tragically destroyed the herd. Areas of focus in selection decisions included production, growth and feed conversion. BMR Genetics, though a small nucleus herd, was far reaching, with genetics utilized by producers across the country. They had boars mainly placed at the OSI AI unit in Ontario. BMR Genetics was part of the Canadabred organization, which allowed them to remain distinguished amongst breeders. This organization then merged with the Alliance of Independent Breeders to form what is now Alliance Genetics Canada (AGC), a leading-edge company providing world class swine genetics across Canada and internationally.
Outside of the farm, Rod de Wolde is very active in industry. He is currently the Chair of Ontario Swine Improvement and has sat on their board for over 10 years. He has been active in local and provincial pork associations as a delegate for Ontario Pork, and as a leader on the Ontario Pork’s Research and PED committees. Rod has been on the CCSI board since 2011 and from 2013-2017, spent 4 years as the Chair. Rod was recently appointed to a two-year term on the Normal Farm Practices Protection Board. He is supported by his wife Shari and their three daughters Hailey, Keira, and Olivia.
CCSI would like to thank Mr. de Wolde for his dedication and service to the swine industry and congratulate him as this year’s recipient of the Swine Breeders’ Merit Award.
Rod de Wolde (center) accepts the Swine Breeders’ Merit Award
Presenting the award: Brent Robinson (Chair, left), Brian Sullivan (C.E.O., right)
The Canadian Centre for Swine Improvement was created by the Canadian Pork Industry to provide leadership, coordination and services for swine genetic improvement. Its members are the regional swine improvement centers in Western Canada, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada, the Canadian Pork Council, the Canadian Meat Council, the Canadian Swine Breeders Association and users of the Canadian Swine Improvement Program.
Source : CCSI