What are the issues facing the Canadian agriculture industry? How might the outcomes of the US election affect ag in Canada? Geopolitics, economics and current affairs here at home and around the globe can have a big impact. Hear what’s making news today and what’s on the horizon.

Join us at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 20, 2024 at the CAAR Connect Convention to hear from Cornie Thiessen (General Manager, ADAMA Canada), Jennifer Wright (Executive Director, Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council), and Craig Klemmer (Manager of Thought Leadership, Farm Credit Canada), moderated by Lisa Bishop-Spencer (Executive Director, Canadian Centre for Food Integrity).

Cornie Thiessen, General Manager, ADAMA Canada

Cornie Thiessen is the General Manager for Adama Canada. In his 5 years in the role, Cornie has invested in building a great team committed to advancing Canadian agriculture by being a hardworking, high integrity partner to distribution and retail. These investments have driven strong growth and set the stage for an ambitious future. Cornie is also a CropLife Canada board member.

Prior to joining Adama, Cornie worked for 20 years at Monsanto and Bayer in a wide variety of sales, marketing and global strategy management roles. Cornie holds an honours degree in political science from the University of Manitoba and an MBA from the University of Guelph.

Away from work, Cornie enjoys coaching youth sports. He also enjoys spending time with his wife and three kids at the lake.

Jennifer Wright, Executive Director, Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC)

Jennifer grew up working in her family’s farm equipment dealership and helping on the farm in southwestern Ontario. She has worked in the field of human resource research and development for more than twenty years. Jennifer has worked with several industries, including agriculture, leading initiatives related to inclusion and diversity, attraction and retention, work integrated learning, labour market research, skills development, training and education. In addition to her work experience, she holds a Masters of Business Administration from Royal Roads University. Jennifer worked with the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council as a consultant for more than ten years before joining the staff in 2019 and is currently serving as the Executive Director.

Craig Klemmer, Manager of Thought Leadership, Farm Credit Canada (FCC)

Craig Klemmer is the Manager of Thought Leadership at FCC. His insights guide corporate strategy and identify opportunities where FCC can influence change to help the agriculture and food industry maximize its potential. In addition to acting as an FCC spokesperson on forward-looking opportunities, Craig provides industry commentary through blogs, white papers and social media.

During his more than 15 years at FCC, Craig has led the Economics and Portfolio Risk Management teams. He has been a keynote speaker on trends impacting the agriculture and food industry, led initiatives on forecasting the operating environment, and monitored portfolio health and financial health trends.

Prior to joining FCC, Craig worked with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture. Craig has a master’s degree in agricultural economics from the University of Saskatchewan.

Lisa Bishop-Spencer, Executive Director, Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI)

Lisa Bishop-Spencer is a senior leader with over 20 years of cross-functional leadership experience spanning strategic planning, communications, and marketing. She is also a certified crisis and reputation manager. As the Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Food Integrity (CCFI), Lisa is dedicated to fostering public trust and building strong relationships within Canada’s food system. Her approach is rooted in transparent communication and collaboration, ensuring that the diverse voices of all stakeholders are valued, with a vision to create lasting, positive impacts in the industry through strategic, trust-based partnerships, and innovative program development.

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