Bruce D. Campbell was a successful agriculture entrepreneur.
But following his death last month, he’s being just as widely remembered for his philanthropic work later in life.
Campbell grew up on his family’s farm in Chater, Manitoba, just west of Brandon. He was born on June 25, 1936 to Duncan and Kathleen Campbell. After finishing high school in Brandon, he went on to study at the University of Manitoba faculty of agriculture with a major in animal science.
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Business success
Campbell’s keen business acumen was on display for much of his life, first during his time as an employee at FeedRite, where he worked for 10 years, beginning in 1958, eventually working his way up to territory manager.
In 1968 he purchased half-interest in an existing feed mill in Landmark, and over time parlayed that into the Landmark Feeds empire. He and partner Jake Wolgemuth worked to grow the business by buying out other feed mills. They would give an ownership stake in the company to the managers they hired for these mills. The strategy was effective at helping them retain talent, even when their competitors offered higher salaries. In a 2004 interview, after his pending induction into the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame was announced, Campbell said, “It was a wonderful way to get total participation and total commitment.”
In 1976, Campbell bought Wolgemuth out. The company continued to expand through the 1980s. In the early 1990s, the company moved into hog production with the establishment of Elite Swine. Campbell reasoned that if he could expand the hog business, he could expand his feed business. By the late 1990s, Elite Swine had grown to become Canada’s leading swine infrastructure company.
In 1999, after over 30 years in the business, Campbell sold Landmark Feeds and Elite Swine to Maple Leaf Foods.
During those 30 years that Campbell spent in business, his innovative approach made significant contributions to the livestock industry in Manitoba. He helped new producers to start their own operations. He spearheaded financing for the first caged layer barn. He used the latest technology along with innovative approaches to help manage disease and promote animal health.
Community minded
But Campbell’s innovative vision wasn’t limited to his own companies. Campbell also served as director of the Manitoba Institute of Agrologists, president and national director of the Manitoba division of the Canadian Feed Industry Association, co-chair of the fundraising committee for the Large Animal Metabolic Unit at the University of Manitoba, and as director representing Manitoba on the board of Agri-Food Research and Development Initiative (ARDI).
The accolades and honours Campbell received are indicative of the impact he had during his life. He won the Canadian Feed Industry Association’s Golden Award in 1995. In 1999, he was named the Manitoba Entrepreneur for Agriculture and Food, and he won the Prairie Region Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the same year. In 2002, he won the Manitoba Institute of Agrologists Distinguished Award. He was inducted into the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2004. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Manitoba in 2007. In 2011, Campbell was named a Fellow of the Agricultural Institue of Canada. In 2015, he was awarded the Order of Canada “for his entrepreneurship in agribusiness and for his generous support of innovation and education in Canada’s agriculture industry.”
Youth support
The education of future generations was an ideal Campbell, as well as his wife Lesley, were passionate about. And that led them to create the Bruce D. Campbell Bursary Fund with the University of Manitoba to help support students in the faculty of agricultural and food sciences (FAFS). And that same passion spurred the Campbells to lend their generosity and leadership to help the faculty create the Bruce D. Campbell Farm and Food Discovery Centre. This one-of-a-kind interactive centre opened its doors in 2011 and has become an important tool for engaging youth and enhancing public awareness and understanding of modern, sustainable food production.
Campbell had a huge impact on the FAFS and the University of Manitoba at large. The institution lowered its flag to half-mast on May 25 in his honour.
“The faculty of agricultural and food sciences and University of Manitoba are grateful for his passionate engagement in our community and we mourn his loss,” read a tribute posted to the FAFS website.
Bruce Campbell passed away on May 17, 2022 after a battle with cancer. Those who worked with him say he will be long remembered for his innovation, generosity, compassion, and ability to connect with people inside and outside of Manitoba’s agricultural sector.
