Jacques M. Laforge
Jacques Laforge鈥檚 passion for dairy would take him from his family farm in Saint-Andre to leadership at the national level. Born in 1955 in rural NB, Jacques was able to fully explore agriculture on his family鈥檚 mixed farm. In 1977, he acquired the farm from his parents, where he and wife Patsy would raise their four children.
Laforge Holsteins Ltd. is a diverse, 1,000 acre mixed farm operation that includes milking 100 Holstein cattle. Jacques鈥� early exposure to dairy inspired a lifetime devotion to the betterment of the industry. He has been a driving force in the industry on provincial, regional, and national levels, representing the interests of producers and passionately advocating for the industry.
From 1985 to 2011, Jacques served as a Director of Dairy Farmers of New Brunswick, including terms as Chair and Vice Chair. During this period, he also served nationally as a Director of Dairy Farmers of Canada, including as President from 2004 to 2011. During this period, Jacques worked collaboratively with Canadian dairy farmers to address challenges facing the industry. His knowledge, commitment, and skills were instrumental in moving initiatives forward and establishing himself as a driving force for the interests of farmers.
In 2012, Jacques was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Dairy Commission, a position he held until 2018. In this position, he was able to represent dairy industry stakeholders on a national level, bringing wisdom and determination to the role. His enthusiastic belief in the importance of agriculture to our communities and economy made Jacques the ideal advocate to advance the dairy industry in Canada.
Several other boards have benefited from Jacques鈥� leadership, including Canadian Federation of Agriculture, Canadian Dairy Network, and National Farmers Union. He also served as Chairman of the Atlantic Dairy and Forage Institute from 1997 to 2000.
Jacques is eager to explore new market opportunities and willing to adopt new technology and techniques that improve on farm efficiencies and productivity. He understands that sustainable agriculture is crucial, and in 2009 the farm installed a biogas digester to produce electricity using manure from local dairy farms and organic waste from local plants. Not only does the bio-digester produce power for his own farm and the grid, but also provides valuable organic fertilizer for the Laforge farm and neighbouring properties. Established as Laforge Bioenvironmental, the project received an Innovation Recognition Award in 2011 from the New Brunswick government.
In 2011, Jacques was recognized with the Order of New Brunswick for his work in agriculture and his commitment to ensuring a bright future for Canadian farmers.
Nominated by Dairy Farmers of New Brunswick for his tireless advocacy for the dairy industry and its producers, Jacques Laforge is a deserving inductee into the Atlantic Agricultural Hall of Fame.