Maple Leaf Foods has appointed Dr. Greg Douglas as vice president, animal care. Dr. Douglas joins the company after serving more than 10 years in the public service, including with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, as chief veterinary officer for the Province of Saskatchewan and most recently, chief veterinarian for Ontario.
“The humane treatment of animals for food production is a social and ethical priority and a responsibility that we take extremely seriously,” said Michael McCain, president and CEO. As Canada’s largest protein company, Maple Leaf is committed to leadership, through modeling and advocating for higher standards across the industry. Dr. Douglas brings significant experience in animal care policy and program development, disease management, antimicrobial resistance, training and stakeholder relations to Maple Leaf. With his leadership, supported by the commitment and existing bench strength of our people and operations, we will build a world class program. ”
As chief veterinarian for Ontario, Douglas was responsible for leading the management of the province’s animal health policy and program development and delivery. He also held the position of chair of the Canadian Council of Chief Veterinary Officers (CCVO) and led the development of animal welfare guiding principles for the CCVO. Prior to these roles, Douglas was the chief veterinary officer for the Province of Saskatchewan. He is a recognized leader on the issue of antimicrobial resistance and led the response for many high-profile animal disease outbreaks in Canada including porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv), avian influenza and bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), for which he received a National Public Service award. He also created and chaired the provincial farmed animal welfare team and co-chaired the Canadian-U.S. Cross Border Livestock Health Conference. Douglas has a Bachelor of Science (Biology) with a minor in agricultural economics from the University of Saskatchewan. He received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan.
Dr. Douglas was appointed following an extensive North American recruitment process. He will work closely with Maple Leaf’s pork and poultry operations and with the company’s diverse stakeholders including customers, non-government organizationss and governments to develop and support a comprehensive animal wellness strategy, disciplines and policies.
