The CAAR Awards were hosted during the 2021 Virtual CAAR Conference on February 10, providing award recipients the opportunity to say their thank you’s to work colleagues, family and friends.

The CAAR Awards highlight the achievements and dedication of CAAR members who serve their community and the ag retail industry. The awards celebrate excellence in various areas of retail management, agronomy, 4R nutrient stewardship, and lifetime achievements.

In addition to being recognized as a leader in the ag retail industry, the winning individual or location received an award plaque to display at their office, a $1,000 prize, promotions included in the CAAR Communicator and CAAR Network, and also inducted into the CAAR Awards Honour Roll.

Click here for more information about the CAAR Awards

This year’s recipients are:

2020 Agronomist of the Year Award
Wendy McDonald, 360 AG Consulting

Sponsored by Simplot

Introduced in 2012, the Agronomist of the Year award recognizes a CAAR member agronomist who consistently exceeds expectations through dedication to their field and their agronomic knowledge.

Wendy McDonald from 360 AG Consulting is a University of Manitoba Aggie, Certified Crop Advisor and a Registered Professional Agrologist. Wendy has been in the ag industry for over 25 years, providing advice and recommendations to farmers in Southern & the Parkland, MB regions. No two of those years have ever been alike, each coming with its own unique set of challenges and opportunities.

Wendy has worked for over 15 years as a retail agronomist and Crop Inputs Manager with Agricore United and P&H. In early 2019, Wendy was hired by 360 Ag Consulting as a Senior Agronomist.

Wendy is also an Ag in the Classroom Volunteer, Provincial Counsellor with Agrologists Manitoba, past CCA of the Year winner, Manitoba Institute of Agronomists Council participant for the past 6 years and has been involved deeply in ag industry organizations and in the communities she lived in.

Wendy loves public speaking, rural life, and learning to help people find balance and to live a life they love living.

2020 Retailer of the Year Award
Parrish & Heimbecker, Moosomin Location

Sponsored by Bayer CropScience Inc.

The Retailer of the Year Award was established in 2008 and recognizes one CAAR member that went above and beyond to serve its customers.

Parrish & Heimbecker, Moosomin’s market represents an area of approximately 45 miles around Moosomin, SK and their main crops are wheat and canola as well as substantial acres of barley, oats, peas and flax.

Cory Woywada and Gordon Ironside from the Moosomin location have both done an incredible job of leading their Parrish & Heimbecker location by offering great service to local producers with their new fertilizer facilities and crop input sales. The staff at the location has really worked hard to become a major impact in Moosomin and the surrounding communities.

Cory Woywada, Location Manager of Parrish & Heimbecker, virtually accepted the award.

2020 4R Nutrient Stewardship Agri-Retailer of the Year Award
Sylvite Agri-Services

Sponsored by Fertilizer Canada

Introduced in 2013, the 4R Nutrient Stewardship Agri-Retailer Award recognizes a team at one CAAR member location that has shown leadership in the adoption of 4R Nutrient Stewardship into their business practices.

Sylvite Agri-Services is a long-time supporter of the 4R’s and played a leadership role in the development and implementation of the certified 4R program in Ontario. Today they have worked to certify 6 of their sites in Ontario and continue to support the advancement of the 4R certified program in the province.

Sylvite continues to use its leadership in the community to promote 4R to its grower customers and continues to be a strong advocate for the adoption and implementation of 4R’s.

Cassandra Loomans, General Manager of Sylvite Agri-Services virtually accepted the award. 

2020 Retailer Hall of Fame Award
Jeff Holmes, Holmes Agro Ltd.

The Retailer Hall of Fame award was established in 2008 and recognizes an individual from one member location who has consistently demonstrated exceptional performance and dedication over time.

Jeff Holmes of Holmes Agro, an agricultural crop inputs retailer, supplies products and services in the areas of seed, fertilizer, crop protection and agronomic advice. In 1995, general manager Jeff Holmes entered into a joint partnership agreement with Agrico Canada, and Holmes Agro was born. The company celebrates being in business for over 25 years and continues to be one of the local area leaders in the industry.

Holmes Agro strives to be a service-oriented company, which sells commodities through value-added techniques, thus differentiating ourselves from others to enhance the profitability of our growers.

Jeff was also a member of CAAR’s Board of Directors from 2000 to 2003 and served as Board Chair in 2002.

2021 CAAR Board Chair Award
Don Kitson, IRM/Sherritt International

Chosen by CAAR’s Board Chair, the Board Chair Award is given to an individual who is a strong supporter of the Association and the ag retail industry in general. They are selfless in their commitment to CAAR and the betterment of the industry.

Don Kitson, Regional Sales Director at International Raw Materials (IRM) in Alberta is dedicated to agriculture. He currently sits on the board of directors for Fertilizer Canada and a member of the Alberta Institute of Agrologists with the designation of P.Ag. His areas of practice are Crop Development and Management.

Don has been an active supporter of CAAR since its inception in 1995 and sat on the board of directors from 2010 to 2020 and also held the position of Board Chair from 2019-20.

Don believes he is lucky to be in the fertilizer business as it helps produce more food, fuel, and fibre for a shrinking planet. He appreciates working for IRM as it's a great experience to gain a world perspective on the fertilizer industry. He also believes in science-based decision-making and keeping the use of fertilizer accountable and transparent to the public.

CAAR extends its warmest congratulations to all of this year’s award recipients.

Read a full profile of each winner in the upcoming issues of The CAAR Communicator.