Changes are afoot at the Canadian Cattle Association (CCA).
Andrea Brocklebank will take over as chief executive officer of the CCA effective March 1. Brocklebank currently works as the executive director of the Beef Cattle Research Council.
“It’s kind of a unique thing for the cattle industry to be hiring a new CEO because we haven’t had to do it for three decades,” said Tyler Fulton, CCA president.
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“We’re really excited to make this announcement and we’re confident we have the right individual to lead the organization and really, largely, the industry through some uncertain and challenging times,” said Fulton, who runs a cow-calf operation at Birtle, Man.
WHY IT MATTERS: The Canadian Cattle Association is facing a number of hurdles, both in the wider market and internally, as a new CEO takes the lead.
“I think Andrea’s track record of working collaboratively across the whole industry, whether it be regional or by segment, it’s built a lot of confidence that she is the right person for the job,” he said.
Brocklebank joined CCA in 2004 and held various roles with Canfax Research Services and BCRC before becoming executive director of BCRC in 2009.
Dennis Laycraft, the current executive vice-president of CCA, is retiring. He will stay on until the end of March to help with the transition. With his retirement, the organization decided to change the name of the position.
“I think it’s more representative of the multi-faceted role the individual plays. CCA has several different divisions, and at the top of that organization, from a staff perspective, has been Dennis,” said Fulton.
Fulton said the executive vice-president title no longer suits the role, and the title of CEO is a much better fit.
“It’s more appropriate for the role that Andrea is taking on,” he said.
Fulton said CCA has confidence that Brocklebank understands the big picture and the perspective of the cattle industry. She grew up on a cattle farm in southern Alberta that she and her husband now manage.
Being the executive director for the BCRC has put Brocklebank in a position to build skills such as strategic planning and managing large, complex files.
“I think she has a track record and a reputation that is unquestionable, and we obviously have a lot of confidence that she has the skills and abilities to manage the big job that this is,” he said.
Critical priorities for the cattle industry include tariff-free trade access to the United States.
“We rely on an integrated North American beef market, beef and cattle market. When the Canada-United States- Mexico agreement review is happening, that’s going to be a number one priority as we work through the progress,” he said.
The federal government has signalled regulatory reforms, said Fulton.
“We know we’re anticipating new traceability regulations in the spring. There is a lot of misconception about that. Quite simply, we need to find the balance between an effective traceability system that allows us to mitigate animal disease events quickly and that makes it practical and reasonable for ranchers and producers,” he said.
Tracy Herbert, current knowledge mobilization and communications director for the BCRC, has been appointed interim executive director for the BCRC, effective March 1.
Herbert said Brocklebank has done an amazing job at the BCRC. Since Brocklebank has been leading the BCRC, it’s grown tremendously and has a reputation for being a trusted, credible organization that keeps producers at the centre of all its decisions.
“BCRC has funded a portfolio of research of the highest importance to the industry and collaborated with a lot of different organizations and sectors as part of that. She’s been very effective in leveraging producer dollars to get government and other funding to make the most of producer dollars as we fund research and extension. Our extension and knowledge mobilization portfolio started under Andrea’s leadership and has grown tremendously as well,” said Herbert.
“Working with Andrea for the past 15 years, I’ve watched and been inspired by her qualities, which are integrity, resilience, humility and clarity. She has led a fantastic culture here at the BCRC, a culture of pragmatism, respectfulness and curiosity. Those are some of the qualities that contributed to her success, her positive impact and her collaboration that will serve her well at the CCA.”
