“I think my dad would have been extremely honoured and humbled to have received this award,” said Susan Schafers, Manfred Kanehl’s daughter, who accepted the award on behalf of her father, who passed away in 2021, at the Agriculture Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Wetaskiwin in January. “It wasn’t his way to draw attention to himself, but I’m super thankful that we get to honour him today. Thank you so much for honouring my dad in such a remarkable way.
“Dad’s passion for agriculture lay in the poultry world and he always went the extra mile. He said to me, ‘it won’t ever feel like work if you love what you’re doing.’ How lucky was I to be mentored by my dad, my brother as well. And I’m fortunate that he passed on that love of agriculture to myself, my children and my grandchildren.”
In the early 1990s, Manfred championed advancements in food safety within the Canadian egg industry. His efforts led to the development of the Start Clean – Stay Clean on-farm food safety program, which was launched nationally by Egg Farmers of Canada and is still in use today. In 1997, Manfred and his son, Martin, founded Specht-Canada Inc., a company dedicated to distributing high-quality poultry caging from Germany and Italy. Known for their animal welfare standards and advanced manure management, these systems quickly gained recognition across Canada. That same year, Manfred donated equipment to the University of Alberta’s Poultry Unit expansion.
Manfred’s passion and commitment to animal care and welfare extended beyond his farm and the egg industry, he was a founding member of the Alberta Farm Animal Care Association, advocating for collaborative approaches to address livestock welfare. His dedication extended to local organizations like the Stony Plain Chamber of Commerce, where he supported fundraisers and community events. For years, he hosted a fundraiser for Memorial Composite High School’s graduating class and mentored University of Alberta agriculture students.
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