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WC DAIRY NEWS  CHRISTMAS 2024 21
Meet the DairyTrace
Leadership Team
In October 2020, Dairy Farmers of Canada and Lactanet launched
DairyTrace, the national dairy cattle traceability program, providing
a single, common framework for dairy farmers to track animal identity
and movements. DairyTrace’s leadership team continues to closely
collaborate with Dairy Farmers of Canada, Holstein Canada, CFIA,
AAFC and other industry partners to ensure that the traceback
system is ready to respond quickly and effectively in the event of
an animal health emergency.
The DairyTrace program provides the tools and resources needed
to meet federal regulations and proAction® traceability requirements.
Additionally, DairyTrace is also working to include more value-added
functionalities that will benefit all stakeholders involved in the dairy
cattle traceability chain.
Look for new initiatives in 2025 to bring added value to
Canadian dairy producers and the industry.
Brian Van Doormaal,
Chief Services Officer
What do you like best
about your job?
I’ve been privileged to work in
the dairy cattle industry for over
38 years, with a focus on genetic
improvement and traceability.
Being born and raised on a dairy
farm, my main goal has always
been to help Canadian dairy
farmers be successful in providing
high quality, safe and nutritious
dairy products to consumers.
How has this job helped you to see the importance
of traceability?
During my career, I’ve witnessed the impact of a disease outbreak,
in Canada and other countries. National traceability is critical for
mitigating the negative impact of a future disease outbreak ... not IF it
happens, but WHEN it happens.
Where is your dream vacation destination?
After having travelled to over 50 countries worldwide, I would
never hesitate to return to Ireland, where my wife and I had
our honeymoon vacation.
Mélissa Lalonde,
Senior Advisor - Traceability
What do you like best
about your job?
It’s very inspiring working
with dairy farmers as I
feel a connection with the
values and life principles
that they have. I also really
enjoy working with so many
knowledgeable people in the
dairy industry and with other
commodity groups. It’s a very
collaborative environment.
What are you most excited about in terms of the
future of DairyTrace?
I’m most excited about the value-added projects we are working on
and the potential to add value to all the hard work producers have been
doing. DairyTrace is so much more than a database and we are excited
to expand on all that it can offer. We also have a data integrity project
underway, as this will help ensure we can respond quickly and effectively
if there’s an animal health emergency
What is your dream vacation destination?
I would love to go on a horseback riding adventure in the mountains.
Mackayla de Kwant,
DairyTrace Program Manager
What do you like best about your job?
Since I did not grow up on a dairy farm, I like that every day I am always learning something
new from dairy farmers about this industry.
How has this job helped you see the importance of traceability?
As Program Manager, I can now see all the different perspectives regarding traceability,
(ie. consumer, farmer, government), and appreciate how everyone’s efforts come together
to protect the future.
What is your dream vacation destination?
A Canadian cross-country train trip would be amazing. I’ve only gotten to explore a small
part of Canada so far, and there is so much out there still to experience.
Questions?
DairyTrace.ca
2024_DairyTrace_PrintAd_WCDN_fullpage(10x15)_V1.1.indd 1 2024_DairyTrace_PrintAd_WCDN_fullpage(10x15)_V1.1.indd 1 Provinces outside of Québec:
Phone: 1-866-558-7223
Ordering Tags: tags@dairytrace.ca
Traceability: info@dairytrace.ca
2024-11-07 2:35:50 PM 2024-11-07 2:35:50 PM