Four New Directors Join Investment Agriculture Foundation
Victoria, B.C., May 4, 2009 – The Investment Agriculture Foundation of B.C. (IAF) welcomes four new directors to its board. Paula Brown, Don Claridge, Jens Larsen, and Jim Tingle were appointed following the Foundation’s April 27, 2009 annual general meeting.
"The caliber of nominees put forward by the B.C. agriculture industry is exceptionally high," said Garnet Etsell, chair of the industry members’ group that makes appointments to the IAF board. "We have full confidence in this complement of directors to provide strong input, expertise and representation to the board."
Paula Brown represents emerging sectors on the board. She is the director of applied research, biosciences, at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) in Burnaby. A founding member of the Natural Health Product Research Society of Canada, Brown is also a member of the Western Canadian Functional Food and Nutraceutical Network. She is widely published and an active presenter at conferences across North America. Brown is the winner of BCIT’s 2005 Research Excellence Award, which honours and recognizes individuals who have made an outstanding contribution in terms of advancement of knowledge through the development, application, and implementation of research and technology.
Don Claridge, who represents the tree fruits and grapes sector, has shown a lifelong dedication to agriculture and agricultural organizations. He has been involved with the B.C. Fruit Growers Association (BCFGA) for more than 35 years, serving in various capacities including chairman of the North Region local. Claridge has also been a member and chairman of the B.C. Tree Fruit Marketing Board. In 2005 he was appointed to the subcommittee for appeals for the Canadian Agricultural Income Stabilization program. He is currently a director of the Vantage One Credit Union in Vernon. Earlier this year Claridge was the recipient of the Award of Merit from the BCFGA.
Representing the livestock sector (other than beef cattle, dairy and poultry) is Jens Larsen, who resides near Merritt. Born and raised on a farm in Denmark, he has agriculture in his blood. In addition to the family farm, Larsen worked on farms and ranches in Australia, California and Alberta before settling in B.C. in 1978. He acquired the Dot Ranch near Merritt in 1995. The family-run cattle ranch is also home to horses and hay production. Larsen has served previously as a director of a number of industry organizations, including his local stock association, the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association, and the IAF.
Jim Tingle represents community agriculture. A professional agrologist, he possesses a broad knowledge of the agri-food industry in B.C., specializing in the forage and beef sectors. Tingle has served as a consultant to the Cattle Industry Development Council. He is a member of the Prince George Cattlemen’s Association, the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association, the B.C. Angus Association, the B.C. Forage Council, the Eaglet Lake Farmers Institute, the Fort George Shepherds Association, and the B.C. Institute of Agrologists (BCIA). He was named BCIA Agrologist of the Year in 1999. Since 1970 Tingle has been the co-owner and operator of Glenbirnam Farm, marketing purebred Black Angus cattle, meat products, market lamb, and purebred Morgan horses.
"We welcome our new directors and look forward to their contributions," said IAF board chair Stuart Wilson. "We also thank departing directors Tony DiMaria, Gerry McClintock, and Gary Sandberg for their six years of service, the maximum allowed by IAF policy. They have all shown exemplary commitment and dedication to the industry."
Continuing Foundation directors are Irmi Critcher, Bar Hayre, Derek Janzen, Ernie Willis and Stuart Wilson. Directors re-appointed for a further two-year term are Debbie Aarts, Chris Byra, Gay Hahn, and Peter Levelton. Also sitting on the board are non-voting directors John Berry (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) and Harvey Sasaki (B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands).
The Investment Agriculture Foundation of B.C. is a not-for-profit organization that manages and distributes federal and provincial funds in support of innovative projects to benefit the agriculture and agri-food industries in B.C. To learn more about the IAF and the funding programs it administers, please visit www.iafbc.com.
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For more information media may contact:
Bohdan Zajcew
Investment Agriculture Foundation of B.C.
(604) 908-0920
bzajcew@iafbc.ca
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