The Canadian Forage and Grassland Association (CFGA) named Ray Robertson as winner of the 2022 CFGA Leadership Award.

Nominated by the Ontario Forage Council (OFC), Robertson is the OFC’s general manager. Since taking over the OFC in 2000, Ray has worked to ensure that OFC’s membership, profile and event attendance increase yearly. He developed educational programs, equipment demonstrations, a newsletter, an active website and a respected voice for forages in Ontario. Because he recognized a far-reaching need for Canadian hay, he developed the Ontario Hay Marketing Forum from which the Ontario Hay and Forage Co-op was born. Ray was a founding and dedicated Ontario director of the CFGA, including serving a chair and past chair for several years.

Robertson has been involved in numerous forage fact-finding and marketing missions for Ontario and Canada on behalf of the CFGA, visiting countries including Nepal, UAE, China and Saudi Arabia. In 2004, he hosts delegations from Kenya, Costa Rica and Nepal. Prior to that, in 2003, he initiated, planned and managed a three-year co-op connection program between a Janaki Dairy Cooperative in Nepal and Gay Lea Foods Co-operative in Ontario.

The CFGA presented its 2022 Leadership Award at a special virtual presentation Dec. 1 during the third day of the its 13th Annual Conference, Cross Pollination: Co-Creating Ideas in the Forage Industry.

“I am most grateful to receive this distinguished CFGA Leadership Award and thank you most sincerely for this honour,” Robertson said in a recorded acceptance speech played during the presentation. “As I think back on previous recipients and reflect on their many achievements, their contributions to the forage sector and their communities, I am truly humbled. My history with the forage industry has certainly been a wonderful, enjoyable and productive journey.”

The CFGA Leadership Award was established in 2012 to recognize and encourage leadership in the forage and grassland sector. It recognizes individuals, groups or organizations who exemplify or enhance the goals of the CFGA and whose leadership has impact of national and/or international significance.

 Photo credit: Evelyn Robertson