Our heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated this week in Alltech ONE Calgary, your support and participation helped make this event a tremendous success. As we explored the significant challenges our industry is facing and solutions to help us stay resilient, and shared insights on sustainability, managing risks, the importance of data and partnerships, and more, we were inspired by your enthusiasm and optimism for the future.
Thank you for supporting the Alltech ONE World Tour. We look forward to your continued partnership as we explore more opportunities to collaborate, learn and grow.
Blogs
Climate change. Economic uncertainty. Geopolitical tensions. The challenges facing the global agriculture industry are intense, and many things are out of our control.
As we face these obstacles, however, we must remain optimistic and never be afraid to change, said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech, in his keynote address last week at Alltech ONE Calgary.
“We must push forward and think about things in a different way,” Dr. Lyons said. “Change is the only constant. We must embrace and anticipate change and adjust our mindset to make sure we’re responding as the changes take place.”
That same message of the power of positivity was beautifully demonstrated by the event’s closing speaker, Chris Koch, a renowned motivational speaker who was raised in a small farming and ranching community in Alberta.
Producers do not have to compromise performance and profitability for sustainability
Canadian agriculture leaders are facing pressure and uncertainty on all sides. Amid devastating wildfires, there’s a turbulent global economy, the impact of geopolitical tensions and mounting climate change pressure.
More than 300 representatives of the Canadian agriculture industry joined Alltech last week in Calgary, Alberta, to explore collaborative solutions to these significant challenges. Alltech ONE Calgary, the third stop of the Alltech ONE World Tour, examined strategies for remaining resilient despite uncertainty and focused on the importance of partnerships, innovation and taking a leading role in nourishing people and preserving the planet.
Agenda
Monday, July 3
Welcome Reception: The rooftop patio at King Eddy restaurant
5:30 p.m. Buses depart for welcome reception
6:00 p.m. Welcome reception at the King Eddy’s restaurant rooftop patio
- Welcome address by Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech
- Music by Lindsay Butler
8:00 p.m. Buses depart for hotel
Tuesday, July 4
8:00 a.m. Registration and Networking
9:00 a.m. Welcome and Introduction
- Stuart McGregor, Vice President of Commercial Business, Alltech Canada
9:05 a.m. Opening Keynotes
- Dr. Mark Lyons, President and CEO, Alltech
- Dr. Vaughn Holder, Director of Ruminant Research, Alltech
- Dr. Patrick Ward, Applications Manager, Europe and Asia-Pacific, Alltech
10:45 a.m. Coffee and Networking
11:00 a.m. Species Tracks
Ruminant Track:
The Power of Understanding Your Rations Data
- Fine-Tune Your Nutrition for Success: An In-Depth Look at Alltech’s IFM and YS-VT: Dr. Vaughn Holder, Director of Ruminant Research, Alltech
Monogastric Track:
Prioritizing Productivity in your Barn
- Developing a Productive Gilt: How to Maximize Mammary Development: Dr. Chantal Farmer, Research Scientist, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
- Tara McCarthy, Global Vice President of ESG, Alltech
- Melissa Downing, Director of Regulatory and Sustainability, National Cattle Feeders Association
- John Barlow, Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Parliament
- Al Mussell, Research Director, Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI)
- Moderator: Dr. Kayla Price, Canadian Technical Manager, Alltech
1:30 p.m. Species Tracks
Ruminant Track:
How Does Mineral Source Affect Performance and the Environment?
- Sustainable and Profitable Production: How Trace Minerals Can Improve Efficiency, Performance and Sustainability: Laurentia van Rensburg, Technical Mineral Manager, Alltech
Farming Electricity: The Biogas Opportunity
- Innovation is Key: Dealing with Rising Energy Costs and Feedstock: Kendra Donnelly, Managing Partner, CFO, Rimrock Cattle Company and Dr. Patrick Ward, Applications Manager, Europe and Asia-Pacific, Alltech
Monogastric Track:
Feeding for the Future
- From Farm to Fork: Transforming Challenges into Opportunities: Dr. Kayla Price, Canadian Technical Manager, Alltech
Telling a Story of Transformation
- From Worrying to Winning: How to Turn a Crisis Into an Opportunity: Dr. Kathleen Long, Vice President, Animal Care, Maple Leaf Foods Inc.
2:45 p.m. Coffee and Networking
3:00 p.m. Closing Keynote
- Chris Koch, Nanton, Alberta, Canada
4:15 p.m. Turning Insights into Action: Fueling the Future of Agriculture
- Stuart McGregor, Vice President of Commercial Business, Alltech Canada
- Dr. Kayla Price, Canadian Technical Manager, Alltech
- Colin MacNeil, Canadian Sales Manager, Alltech
- Dr. Bruna Mion, Canadian Dairy Specialist, Alltech
4:45 p.m. Closing Remarks
- Dr. Mark Lyons, President and CEO, Alltech
5:00 p.m. Event concludes
*Times are subject to change
Speakers
Dr. Mark Lyons
President and CEO, Alltech
Dr. Mark Lyons grew up in the Alltech business, having traveled with his father and Alltech’s founder, Dr. Pearse Lyons, from a young age to visit customers. With experience working in all regions and nearly all departments — before even officially joining Alltech — he has a deep and uniquely personal knowledge of the company. Based on Alltech’s belief that agriculture has the greatest potential to positively shape our world’s future, he launched the Planet of Plenty™ vision in 2019. He has called for collaboration to provide nutrition for all, revitalize local economies and replenish the planet’s natural resources.
Dr. Lyons began his career at Alltech focused on the development of the company’s core nutritional technologies. He spearheaded many critical projects, including simultaneously managing the establishment of a plant in Serbia and the creation of Alltech’s flagship yeast production facility in São Pedro, Brazil. He also spent nearly four years in Mexico rebuilding the company’s solid state fermentation plant in Serdán, which is one of the largest of its kind in the world.
Under his leadership as director of North America from 2009 to 2011, Alltech expanded its presence with the opening of new offices and a growing involvement in all agricultural sectors. In 2012, Dr. Lyons relocated to China, the world’s largest feed market, as part of Alltech’s focus on the Asia-Pacific region. Living in Beijing and traveling throughout the country, he led the Alltech China office and focused on building bridges between China and the wider industry through research, education and strategic initiatives.
Today, Dr. Lyons is based at Alltech’s headquarters in Kentucky, USA. He serves on the CLEAR Center Advisory Council and is active in many industry groups. Dr. Lyons has published papers and patents in areas ranging from enzyme production to global economics and is interested in the assurance of food safety and quality throughout the entire food chain.
Dr. Lyons received his bachelor’s degree in political science and environmental science in 1999 from the University of Chicago. He received his master’s degree in brewing and distilling in 2001, followed by a Ph.D. in the area of solid state fermentation, at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh in 2008. Dr. Lyons is fluent in Spanish, Portuguese, French and German, and he has a working knowledge of Mandarin.
Chris Koch
Nanton, Alberta, Canada
Chris Koch doesn’t let limitations or obstacles stand in his way. Despite being born without arms and legs, Koch grew up like any other small-town kid — playing road hockey, causing mischief at school, and helping out on his family farm. Neither he or his family treated his disability like a tragedy and, instead, used it to fuel his dreams. Today, Koch is a motivational speaker who inspires his audiences to continually challenge themselves and build the lives they dream of.
Born in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, Koch was raised in the small farming and ranching community of Nanton, Alberta. Early on, he learned that he would not be raised with pity or sympathy. Sure, he had to do things a little differently, and some tasks took him a little longer to complete than others, but he was determined to be just like the rest — and was always treated just like the rest. After all, he still had a good head on his shoulders, and with that, anything is possible.
Koch loves sharing his story and spreading his message of “If I Can…”. An avid traveler, marathoner and farmer, his presentation reflects his full life. Simply put, Koch says, if I can do what I’ve done so far in my life, what’s stopping others from doing the same?
Dr. Chantal Farmer
Research Scientist in Swine-Lactation Biology, Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada/the Government of Canada
Dr. Chantal Farmer is a research scientist specializing in the field of sow-lactation biology at the Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
Dr. Farmer is known as a pioneer in the study of mammary development in gilts and sows and the factors affecting that development. Her expertise is internationally recognized, and she has been invited to speak on her research in Europe, China, Australia, Mexico, Canada and the U.S. She has published 165 scientific manuscripts and nine book chapters and is the sole editor of two books that were also translated and published in Chinese.
Dr. Farmer currently serves on the editorial board of the journals of Translational Animal Science and Domestic Animal Endocrinology. She has also previously served as the editor-in-chief of the Canadian Journal of Animal Science. Dr. Farmer sat on the board of the Canadian Society of Animal Science for 12 years, including serving as its president in 1998-99. She received two national awards from and became a fellow of the society in 2017. Dr. Farmer also served two terms on the board of the American Society of Animal Science, and in 2022, she received its President’s Award for International Achievements in Animal Science.
Dr. Farmer holds a bachelor’s degree in animal science from McGill University, a master’s degree in animal science from the University of Saskatchewan, and a doctoral degree from Pennsylvania State University.
John Barlow
Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Parliament, Canada
John Barlow is a Member of Canadian Parliament. As part of this role, he is also currently serving as the Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Agri-Food and Food Security.
Barlow is a native of rural Saskatchewan, Canada, and has deep ties and a strong commitment to his constituency in Alberta. Prior to being elected to serve in Parliament in 2014, Barlow spent 20 years in the field of journalism, including as an award-winning journalist with the High River Times and as the associate publisher and editor for the Okotoks Western Wheel.
Barlow was elected as a Member of Parliament to represent the federal riding of Macleod in 2014 and has been re-elected in 2015, 2019 and 2021 to represent the riding of Foothills. As part of this role, he is also currently serving as the vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and as the elected chair for the Canada-Scotland Parliamentary Friendship Group. He has previously served as the Shadow Minister for Interprovincial Trade and Employment, Workforce Development and Labour.
Barlow and his wife, Louise, live in High River, Alberta, and are parents to children Graeden, Kinley and McKenna.
Dr. Kathleen Long
Vice President of Animal Care, Maple Leaf Foods
Dr. Kathleen Long is the vice president of animal care at Maple Leaf Foods, Inc. In this role, she is responsible for all of the animal welfare programs and initiatives across the company’s swine and poultry operations.
Long joined Maple Leaf Foods in 2013 as a poultry veterinarian overseeing the company’s health and quality programs for broiler-breeders, hatcheries and broiler chickens. As the vice president of animal care, she works closely with Maple Leaf’s operational teams, senior leadership, and office of sustainability to develop and implement leading animal-care strategies for the betterment of the company’s animals and to help bring shared value to others in the supply chain.
Long is a diplomate of the American College of Poultry Veterinarians.
Dr. Al Mussell
Research Director, Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI)
Dr. Al Mussell is the research director at the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI). He is also the founder and research lead of Agri-Food Economic Systems, Inc.
Prior to establishing Agri-Food Economic Systems, Mussell served as a senior research associate at the George Morris Centre in Guelph, Ontario, for fifteen years. His areas of research expertise include farm management and agricultural systems, agricultural marketing and agri-food policies. Before joining the George Morris Centre, he served as an economist in the milk-procurement division of Land O’Lakes, Inc., in Minnesota.
Mussell is a past president of the Canadian Agricultural Economics Society and the Ontario Pork Industry Council. He has previously served on the board of Progressive Dairy Operators. He is also a member of Bioenterprise’s Science and Innovation Advisory Committee.
Mussell holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural economics from the University of Guelph and a doctoral degree in agricultural economics from the University of Minnesota, where he was a Fulbright scholar. He is also an alumnus of the U.S. Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP).
Melissa Downing
Director of Regulatory and Sustainability, National Cattle Feeders' Association
Melissa Downing is the director of regulatory and sustainability for the Alberta and the National Cattle Feeders’ Associations. She also serves as the vice-chair of Results Driven Agriculture Research, a non-profit organization based in Alberta, Canada.
Downing came to her current role with a background and expertise in sustainable agriculture and beef value chains and verification programs. Throughout her career, she has been actively engaged with various industry organizations.
Downing and her husband raise cattle in East-Central Alberta, and their children are the fifth generation in the family to be involved in working their ranch.
Kendra Donnelly
Managing Partner, CFO, Rimrock Cattle Company/Korova Feeders/Echo Sand Ranching
Kendra Donnelly is the CFO of Rimrock Cattle Company and its related operations, including Korova Feeders and Echo Sand Ranching. In this role, she oversees accounting, finance, human resources and the strategic direction of the business.
Donnelly was raised on a feedlot, cattle-feeding, farming and ranching operation near Acme, Alberta, Canada. Her family has been passionate about and invested in agriculture, agri-food and value-add opportunities for generations. In 2015, after working off-farm for over a decade, Donnelly and her husband, Bryan, seized the opportunity to partner with her parents, Doug and Helga Price, by buying into the family business. The business and its family of companies have since grown to include three feed yards that finish up to 70,000 head annually. Donnelly and her family continuously look toward other exciting opportunities, including the addition of a bio-digester next to their Rimrock feedlot.
Donnelly holds a bachelor’s degree in management, a master’s degree in business administration, and CPA and CMA certifications. She and her husband are parents to a five-year-old son, Owen, and two-year-old twins, Liam and Fiadh.
Dr. Vaughn Holder
Ruminant Research Director, Alltech
Dr. Vaughn Holder is the ruminant research director at Alltech. He previously served as the project manager for the company’s beef nutrition research.
Holder first came to Alltech for a research internship at the company’s North American Bioscience Center in Nicholasville, Kentucky, where his research focused on the effects of various yeast culture strains on the growth of select rumen microorganisms in vitro. He later rejoined Alltech as a postdoctoral trainee, and in that role, he focused on offering advanced technical support in relation to ruminant protein nutrition. Holder later transferred to Alltech’s South African offices in Stellenbosch as the national research and technical director before returning to Alltech’s research headquarters in Nicholasville, where he now heads the company’s global nutritional research related to ruminant species.
Holder holds a bachelor’s degree in animal science from the University of Pretoria, a master’s degree in ruminant nutrition and microbiology from the University of Pretoria, and a doctoral degree in ruminant nutrition from the University of Kentucky.
Tara McCarthy
Global Vice President for ESG, Alltech
Tara McCarthy is the global vice president of ESG at Alltech. In this role, she works to advance the company’s mission of Working Together for a Planet of Plenty™, focusing on the economic, environmental and social aspects of the well-being of the planet.
McCarthy has more than 25 years of experience in the food industry at large and is passionate about the opportunities presented by sustainably produced food. Throughout her career, McCarthy has led capability initiatives for students, early-career executives and entrepreneurs within the food industry and, as a result, has formed successful partnerships both at home and abroad.
McCarthy has lived and worked in numerous markets, including Germany, France and Belgium. Before joining Alltech in 2022, she served as the chief executive of Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board, and as the chief executive for Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Ireland’s seafood development agency. In 2019, she co-founded Agdif, an initiative championing diversity in the Irish food industry. She has brought Ireland’s food industry to the world by speaking widely about Origin Green, Ireland’s unique national sustainability program. In 2021, she led the establishment of the Origin Green Global Council.
McCarthy has been recognized with a number of awards, including a Fellowship of the Marketing Institute of Ireland and a Top 25 Ireland’s Most Powerful Women in the Public Sector Leaders Award. She was named Alumna of the Year for Business and Commerce by the National University of Ireland, Galway in 2017 and Alumna of the Year by the University College Dublin Michael Smurfit Business School in 2019.
McCarthy holds a bachelor’s degree in commerce from the National University of Ireland, Galway and a master’s degree in business studies with a focus on marketing from the University College Dublin Michael Smurfit Business School. She is an affiliate of IMD Business School in Switzerland. McCarthy lives in Dublin with her husband, Didier, and three children.
Dr. Kayla Price
Canadian Technical Manager, Alltech
Dr. Kayla Price is the Canadian technical manager for Alltech. In this role, she provides technical and sales support and also makes contributions to the company’s research and regulatory efforts.
Price is a strong advocate for animal agriculture and is passionate about poultry intestinal health. She strives to share this enthusiasm with others and is continually broadening her knowledge base to cover all types of poultry and livestock production. Through her role at Alltech, she works to share what she has discovered about the intestinal health and management of birds with others in the poultry industry.
Price is often invited to speak on topics related to her research at national and international conferences. She has authored numerous articles, both for internal use and for external publications. As a part of her research role at Alltech, Price has served on advisory committees for students working towards their master’s and doctoral degrees. She is also an active member of several industry committees.
Price holds a doctoral degree from the University of Guelph, where her work focused on coccidiosis in chickens. She was the recipient of many prestigious awards while completing her studies.
Dr. Patrick Ward
Applications Manager, Europe and Asia, Alltech
Dr. Patrick Ward is the applications manager for Europe and Asia-Pacific at Alltech. In this role, he focuses on new products and innovation across the European and Asian markets, combining research with commercial opportunities. His current research interests include analytical chemistry, mass spectrometry, anti-methanogens, enzymes, anaerobic digestion and BMP analysis.
After serving for nearly a decade in Alltech’s research department, in 2018, Ward was appointed to the role of technical manager of Alltech’s Analytical Services Laboratories (37+), a commercial lab that quantifies mycotoxins in feed samples across the globe, supporting all sectors of the animal feed supply chain. Ward moved into his current role in 2020, and in the years since, he has established two BMP labs, which quantify methane output from specific substrates. He is also currently working to set up two new labs in India and Thailand that will improve Alltech’s ability to support its customers in those countries. He has also led Alltech’s efforts to formulate three new enzyme products for use in anaerobic digesters.
Ward holds a degree in chemistry and pharmaceutical chemistry from Maynooth University. He subsequently received an employment-based doctoral chemistry scholarship from the Irish Research Council, which allowed him to complete research investigating small-molecule seleno-compounds at Alltech’s European Bioscience Centre and at Dublin City University. Ward also earned an advanced diploma in project management at Dublin Business School and completed an Alltech-sponsored MBA program at the Michael Smurfit Business School at University College Dublin. He has also earned a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and completed the IBBK proBiogas training course.
Laurentia van Rensburg
Technical Manager, Mineral and Enzyme Team, Alltech
Laurentia van Rensburg is the technical manager of Alltech’s mineral and enzyme teams. She first joined Alltech in 2004 and has since served the company in a variety of roles in several international markets, including Latin America and North America.
Van Rensburg is originally from South Africa. She began her career in the agriculture industry as an extension associate for the University of Kentucky. In that role, she focused on developing educational programs to increase productivity and profitability for livestock producers.
Van Rensburg holds a master’s degree in animal science with a focus on ruminant nutrition from the University of Kentucky.
Dr. Bruna Mion
Canadian Dairy Specialist, Alltech
Dr. Bruna Mion is a sales representative for Ontario at Alltech Canada. She has previously served in various roles related to herd health and reproductive assistance on small farms across southern Brazil.
A native of Brazil, Mion holds a master’s degree in veterinary science from the Federal University of Pelotas, where her thesis investigated the use of alternatives to improve fertility in the hormonal protocols of artificial insemination for cows. In September 2022 she obtained her doctoral degree at the University of Guelph, where her research evaluated different sources of supplemental trace minerals in the diets of dairy cows.
Colin MacNeil
Canadian Sales and Marketing Manager, Alltech
Colin MacNeil is the sales and marketing manager for Alltech Canada. In this role, he oversees the company’s sales and marketing teams across Canada and supports customers in Ontario, where he is based.
Colin is passionate about the agriculture industry and its continued growth, and he looks forward supporting ag producers as they tackle some of the world’s greatest problems. He joined Alltech’s sales team in 2015 and visited dairy farms across southern Ontario. In the years since, he has greatly expanded his knowledge about various aspects of the industry.
Colin holds a degree from the University of Guelph.
