A respected beef industry leader from Central Alberta is set to be inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame.
Mabel Hamilton, who lives near Innisfail, was one of the four inductees announced by the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame Association Wednesday.
“A teacher by training, Mabel Hamilton has made lasting contributions to the Canadian beef industry in more than 40 years of standout leadership roles with key organizations,” the CAHFA said in a press release.
“Mabel began her lifelong career in ‘cowboy politics’ with the Alberta Cattle Commission (now Alberta Beef Producers). It was here, using her education background, that she developed a classroom agricultural program for grade 4 students to increase urban youth’s understanding of where food comes from.”
Hamilton led the Canadian Angus Association at “a time of unprecedented growth,” moving the breed from the fourth largest to the No. 1 largest, the association said.
“Mabel led the Beef Information Centre to increase its connection to consumers through education and advertising, 25 years before the industry had realized the disconnect between producers and consumers,” said the association.
“An early champion for traceability, Mabel helped create Canada’s national livestock traceability system that was crucial when BSE was discovered in 2003.”
Hamilton was nominated by the Canadian Angus Association. She was also inducted into the Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame in October 2012.
Please join us in congratulating #cdnangus Past President (1999) Mabel Hamilton on her induction into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame! https://t.co/wYdQVqNQw0 pic.twitter.com/2RG6aXjX1B
— Canadian Angus (@cdnangus) July 6, 2022
Three others will be inducted into the hall of fame alongside Hamilton: hybrid canola visionary Maurice Delage, stored grain ecosystem expert Digvir Jayas and grains advocate Ashok Sarkar.
“Canadian agriculture supports a tremendous array of leaders and innovators, and we are thrilled to have selected four more of them join the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame,” said Ted Menzies, president of the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame.
“This year’s inductees have all made major contributions to Canadian agriculture in the crop sector, livestock and agricultural education, further processing in the flour milling industry and food security through grain storage systems. We are proud to honour and recognize the lasting contributions these four individuals have made for our industry, in Canada and around the world, and welcome them into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame.”
The 2022 induction ceremony will be held Nov. 5 at the Liberty Grand in Toronto.
CAHFA honours and celebrates Canadians for outstanding contributions to the agriculture and food industry – portraits are on display in the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame Gallery located at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair.
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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