It is with great sadness that the Canadian pork industry learned of the passing of Bill Vaags on Sept. 12 in Manitoba.
Mr. Vaags was a very well-respected leader in the pork industry throughout the nation having served as President of the Canadian Pork Council from 1985 to 1990. He was the founding director of Canada Pork International (CPI) in 1991, and the organization's chairman in 1997-1998 and from 2000 to 2005. He was also very much involved as a member of the executive committee, as director and vice-chairman until 2010.
According to Neil Ketilson, Chairman of CPI: "Bill Vaags was instrumental in building the Canadian pork brand and strongly contributed to the prosperous industry we know today. He will fondly be remembered as a visionary who contributed to building Canada Pork International and believing in the export prospects of Canadian Pork."
He was actively involved in the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and was the Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the World Meat Congress that was held in Winnipeg in 2004. His expertise in agricultural trade policy matters, domestic or international, was widely recognized and sought-out in both industry and Canadian government circles. On many occasions he acted as an international agricultural trade policy advisor to federal ministers.
"Bill Vaags was one of the very few people in Canada who has had such a strong influence in the development of modern agriculture and in the emergence of Canada as a top pork exporting country," stated Rick Bergmann, Chairman of CPC.
Thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and colleagues through this difficult time.