SPEAKERS - - EODD 2020
If you would like to know what these speakers had to say, go to our Proceedings page and you can read their material.
Kendra Keels has close to thirty years working in the veal and dairy industries. Since joining Veal Farmers of Ontario in 2006 as the industry development director, she has been involved with many aspects of improving calf care and veal production, with a special focus on welfare and handling, and access to animal health products. Many dairy producers are struggling with finding a place for male calves in the face of new regulations and little or no demand at auctions. We will explore some options to help resolve these issues.
Mario Leclerc Mario is the Director of the Co-op Embrun AGTREK Division and has been with AGTREK since its conception in 1994. He has a specialized interest in technical support and training, large herds, and can often be seen at conferences and in classrooms giving presentation on the important that nutrition plays in dairy production. Mario is a popular speaker on nutrition topics. He will give advice on feeding this year’s forages and as well tweaking rations to meet the needs of the new component prices
Kevin Varley With over 25 years as an insurance adjuster and a further 8 years as an account executive, Kevin Varley has a wealth of experience to draw on to talk about farm insurance requirements, getting a handle on coverage that you need and can afford. He has spoken to a number of farm groups on this subject and has extensive practical information to share.
Frank Haasen Frank Haasen a partner at Haasen Farms Ltd in Timmins Ontario. The dairy farm was established in 1958 by his parents John and Dina and is operated today by Frank wife Ivy son Eddy and employee Adam Bussiere. Haasen Farms was hit by a devastating barn fire in November 2011 that destroyed their calf, heifer and milking facilities. Frank will speak about what they learned from their experience with their loss and the re-building process after the fire.
Omid McDonald Founder/CEO of Dairy Distillery. Omid is an eclectic serial entrepreneur whose past startups range from medical devices to software for DJs. He became enamored with distilling while visiting a micro-distillery in Charleston. It wasn’t long until Omid started making moonshine in his basement with a copper pot still he hand built. From there he co-founded the Dairy Distillery in Almonte, Ontario, combining artisanal distilling techniques with cutting edge science to transform unused milk sugar into an incredibly smooth and clean spirit. Dairy Distillery has created a new opportunity for dairy farmers while reducing waste.