This award was named in honour of Carl Block, a cattleman whose tireless dedication to Canadian agriculture and commitment to animal health will long be remembered. He was the first chair of the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency-the agency responsible for administering the national cattle identification program. He was also a Director of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, the inaugural chairman of the Canadian Animal Health Coalition and a former President of the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association.

 

Originally from Alberta, Mr. Block moved to Saskatchewan in 1986 and operated a 900 head cow-calf and backgrounding operation. He died in a plane crash on May 29, 2002. Condolence statements on his untimely passing were made in the Saskatchewan’s Legislative Assembly in May 2002 and he was inducted into the Saskatchewan Agriculture Hall of Fame in November 2004. A bronze plaque in his honour hangs in the Western College of Veterinary Medicine.

 

The following leaders in Canadian animal agriculture have been selected as the recipients of the Carl Block Award:

 

2003 - Rick McRonald, Canadian Livestock Genetics Association

2004 - Matt Taylor, Canadian Animal Health Coalition

2005 – Dr. Norm Willis, The Norm Willis Group

2006 – Gordon Coukell, Dairy Farmers of Ontario

2007 – Dr. John Campbell, Western College of Veterinary Medicine

2008 – Herb McLane, Canadian Beef Breeds Council

2009 - Dr. Gordon Dittberner