Canadian Beef Check-Off Agency Wraps Up 2024/25 Fiscal Year at Annual General Meeting
Moncton, NB (August 19, 2025) – The Canadian Beef Check-Off Agency (the Agency) reported strong results at its Annual General Meeting (AGM), highlighting financial performance, program impacts, and service provider updates.
The 2025/26 Agency Members have been announced as:
| Primary Producers: | Canadian Meat Council: | |
| Andrea Van Iterson, British Columbia | Russ Mallard, Atlantic Beef Products | |
| Michelle Ball, Alberta | Andre Forget, Montpak | |
| Sheila Hillmer, Alberta | Jeff Cline, Cargill | |
| Chad Ross, Saskatchewan | Leslie Gold, St. Helen’s Meat Packers | |
| Tyler Fewings, Manitoba | ||
| Craig McLaughlin, Ontario | Retail and Foodservice: | |
| Sylvain Bourque, Quebec | Denis Burelle, Sysco Canada | |
| Trevor Welch, New Brunswick | ||
| Bert Meyer, Nova Scotia | I.E. Canada: | |
| Nick Green, Prince Edward Island | Coral Manastersky, Maple Leaf Foods | |
| Adeleen Bolduc, Canadian Cattle Youth Council |
The Agency board confirmed its 2025/26 Executive Committee:
- Trevor Welch, Chair
- Sheila Hillmer, Vice Chair
- Sylvain Bourque, Finance Chair
- Craig McLaughlin, Governance Chair
- Jeff Cline, Marketing Committee Chair
For the 2024/25 fiscal year, the Agency collected $18.7 million in national check-off revenue and $1.5 million in import levy. Those funds were allocated as:
- 55% to marketing through Canada Beef
- 27% to research through the Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC)
- 4% to the Public and Stakeholder Engagement (PSE) program
- 14% supported provincial cattle associations for research, market development, and promotion
Agency Chair Trevor Welch of Glassville, NB reflected on the year’s progress.
“The check-off system in Canada works because producers support it. And we don’t take that lightly,” Welch said. “Your trust in the check-off is what allows us to keep building and delivering impact.”
General Manager Melinda German reported on Agency programs, including a continued focus on providing a clear picture of how check-off dollars are managed and invested on behalf of Canadian producers.
“Our focus remains on managing producer investments with transparency and accountability, while strengthening compliance and building relationships that deliver clear value back to the industry,” said German.
The 2025 $2,000 scholarship was awarded to Jenalee Stewart of Ponoka, AB. With over 20 applicants again this year, the scholarship has quickly become one of the Agency’s most wide-reaching communications initiatives.
The Marketing Committee has been announced as:
| Elected: | Appointed: | |
| Cam Daniels, Harmony Beef | Jeff Cline, Canadian Meat Council | |
| Clay Holmes, Intercity Packers | Leslie Gold, Canadian Meat Council | |
| Mark Hoimyr, Box H Farm (Member-at-Large) | Russ Mallard, Canadian Meat Council | |
| Michelle Ball, Alberta Beef Producers | Andre Forget, Canadian Meat Council | |
| Chad Ross, Saskatchewan Cattle Association | Coral Manastersky, I.E. Canada | |
| Jim Clark, Ontario Corn Fed Beef & Ontario Cattle | Denis Burelle, Retail and Foodservice | |
| Feeders Association (Member at Large) | Jennifer Haley, Veal Farmers of Ontario |
The Marketing Committee oversees Canada Beef’s strategic and operational goals, providing broad industry input from across the value chain.
The Agency expressed gratitude to outgoing board and committee members for their service and contributions, thanking them for their dedication to strengthening Canada’s beef industry.
Both Mary Paziuk and Mike Guest both began their tenure in 2019.
As an Agency Member representing Manitoba Beef Producers, Paziuk was a passionate voice for all Canadian producers. She has been a proud industry advocate who always put the best interests of the industry first.
Guest served as a Marketing Committee Member-at-Large and brought vast marketing experience to the group both as a producer, but also as a beef processor in Saskatchewan.
The Agency’s 2024/25 Annual Report is available online.
Older