Four to enter Sask. ag hall

Four people will be inducted into the Saskatchewan Agricultural Hall of Fame on Sunday.

The four people — Maurice Delage, Thelma Howard, Carol Teichrob, and Graham Simpson — will be inducted at a Sunday afternoon ceremony at the Western Development Museum, the home of the Hall of Fame.

Delage served as CEO of Hoechst Canada, AgrEvo and Aventis CropScience (now Bayer CropScience). AgrEvo developed Liberty Link canola, the first genetically-modified crop registered in Canada, under Delage’s leadership. He established a 320-acre canola breeding operation near Saskatoon, and retired from the crop protection business in 2001.

Howard mentored many young rural women during her career in community development and leadership. Her time with the University of Saskatchewan extension division allowed to her work with many Saskatchewan residents. She worked with 4-H club members, Women’s Institute members and farm families and rural groups during her long career and spent her sabbatical time working with people in developing nations.

Turkey and egg producers will know Teichrob and her work in those industries. She served as director and chair of the Saskatchewan Turkey Producers Marketing Board, director of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and director of the Canadian Egg Marketing Agency, among other positions. She is also a former MLA and provincial minister of education and municipal affairs and former reeve of the Corman Park RM.

Simpson developed the Crop Development Centre during his time as acting head of the U of S crop science department. The centre, of which he was director from 1971 to 1974, introduced many new crops and crop varieties into Saskatchewan agriculture. He also helped established the largest growth chamber facility in the world, run by the U of S College of Agriculture.

Hall of Fame nominees must have made significant contributions to the welfare or improvement of agricultural in Saskatchewan or at a national or international level. The ceremony starts at 2 p.m. on Sunday.