Banner photo credit: Canada Beef

Charlene yungbluT, ON
President

Charlene grew up on a small commercial cow-calf farm in Niagara, Ontario. Her enthusiasm for farming led her to pursue an Agriculture Diploma from the University of Guelph Ridgetown College. After college, Charlene spent several years working in the grape and tender fruit industry. In the summer of 2021, Charlene started a new position with the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), as their Member Service Support Rep. creating resources, advocating for agriculture and providing support to Ontario farmers. Charlene is passionate about being an active advocate for agriculture and the beef industry, leading 4-H clubs and sitting as a director with the Beef Farmers of Niagara. Charlene was selected as a 2020 participant of the Canadian Cattle Young Leaders program where she completed her mentorship with Matt Bowman, who is heavily involved with the CCA and the Beef Cattle Research Council. Charlene continues to be involved in her family’s farm, and in recent years, has been developing her own herd alongside the main operation. She also serves with the Beef Farmers of Ontario as their youth representative allowing her to provide the board a young producer perspective on industry issues and communicate concerns facing the next generation of the beef industry to the provincial government.

​Scott Gerbrandt, SK
Vice-President

 ​Scott Gerbrandt was raised on a farm near Swift Current, SK. He obtained an Agriculture and Bioresource Engineering degree (with Great Distinction) from the U of S in 2010 and has been working as a design engineer in the ag machine industry since then. In 2015, Scott and his wife, Robyn, moved back to Swift Current to become more involved on Scott’s grandparents’ farm, which was a small beef and hay operation.
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Scott has enjoyed learning about the cow-calf sector and has worked on increasing their herd over the past few years. He focuses on keeping up with best practices from research results, record keeping, business management and trying to improve grazing techniques to increase production on the land they manage.  He is proud of some of the changes implemented on their operation including eliminating confined feeding in the cow herd through the use of corn grazing, bale grazing and calving on pasture, while simultaneously increasing their herd size.  He is also proud to have the opportunity to share daily chores on their Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+) operation with four active generations.
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Scott is a Canadian Cattle Young Leaders 2020 graduate and is looking forward to continuing his participation in the Canadian beef industry through the Canadian Cattle Youth Council.

Carley Stewart, BC
Past President

​Carley was not raised in agriculture, but quickly fell in love with the industry during her time living in Alberta and knew it was the place for her. She now lives in Kamloops, BC and is the Environmental Stewardship Coordinator for the BC Cattlemen's Association, the Secretary and Treasurer for the Cattle Industry Development Council and the Secretary, Treasurer and Junior Association Coordinator for the BC Angus Association. In 2017, Carley was selected to participate in the Canadian Cattle Young Leaders program and had the privilege of being mentored by Bob Lowe in government advocacy and business development. Carley looks forward to having her own cattle operation one day soon and continuing to advocate for the cattle industry. ​​

Kaylee Chizawsky
Alberta delegate

​Kaylee grew up near Vegreville, AB on a cow-calf operation where her passion for the beef industry began at a young age. Kaylee runs her cattle with her family’s farm, Foresee Cattle Co. Their ranch is both a commercial cow-calf as well as a purebred black and red Simmental operation. Kaylee graduated from the University of Alberta with an Animal Science degree in 2018 and has worked in the animal health industry since—previously working in the dairy nutrition industry and the animal health department of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). She is currently working as a Cattle and Equine Territory Manager for Zoetis and works with vets, feedlots and cow-calf producers in Central and Northern Alberta. Kaylee was a successful Canadian Cattle Young Leaders participant in 2020 where she focused on expanding her knowledge and experience in the feedlot and cattle buying sector with her mentor John Lawton of Titan Land and Cattle. Kaylee has since furthered her involvement and advocacy with the beef industry by holding a delegate position with Alberta Beef Producers and now the Canadian Cattle Youth Council.

Andrea van iterson
​BC delegate

Andrea van Iterson was raised in Westwold, BC on a small backgrounding feedlot. While always maintaining some connection to the farm, she was off farm for eight years. In 2012, Andrea and her husband made the decision to move their young family to Westwold to continue farming with her parents and brother. Their operation backgrounds 2,500-3,000 head annually.
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Aside from her job in the feedlot, Andrea works as the Executive Director for the BC Association of Cattle Feeders (BCACF). BCACF allows Andrea the opportunity to participate with the National Cattle Feeders’ Association; something she enjoys very much. 4-H was an integral part of Andrea’s childhood and she continues to work with the program as one of the leaders with her boys’ club. Expanding her presence with multiple industry groups has become increasingly important to Andrea. She recently became a board member with AgSafe BC and participates in the Public Affairs and Education Committee with the BC Cattlemen’s Association.

Kimberly Lansdall, SK
Member at Large

Kimberly developed her passion for cattle and rangelands through her family’s farm near Hodgeville, SK.  She obtained a degree at the University of Saskatchewan majoring in Plant Science (concentration in rangeland management), minor in Animal Science. It was through working for the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration  (PFRA) that she was exposed to the community pasture system, which only fostered her desire to learn about native plants, range health and pasture management. Life after university found her working as an environmental consultant throughout British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. Working primarily as a vegetation ecologist, she has had the opportunity to see many different rangelands from the mountains of Alberta to the grasslands of southern Saskatchewan. She is a Canadian Cattle Young Leaders 2019 graduate and is looking forward to joining the Canadian Cattle Youth Council to learn about policy development within the beef industry and how young producers can be apart of the industry today and into the future.
 

​Leah Rodvang
​Manitoba Delegate 

Leah was raised on a cow-calf and backgrounding operation in rural Alberta. She pursued her love of agriculture with a degree in Range and Pasture Management at the University of Alberta. In 2016, Leah moved to Manitoba to take a position as a Research Technician at Manitoba Beef & Forage Initiatives, where she does everything from data collection to animal health management. She uses skills gained in research to assist with record keeping on the family farm. 

​Leah is excited to be part of the Canadian Cattle Youth Council to gain a greater understanding of policy development, engage with other people in the industry, and represent young Manitobans in the beef industry.

Laura Plett, mb
Member at Large

​Laura Plett and her husband Ryan own and operate a cow-calf operation in Stead, Manitoba, alongside her family’s fourth generation grain farm. She started this cow herd in 2014 with the purchase of 30 bred heifers while based near Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan. Laura has since returned to her homeland (with the cows), got married, had a baby and retired from her previous career as a professional Hunting & Fishing Guide and Manager in the outfitting industry. She now works full time on their farm, raising commercial Black Angus cattle with a Hereford influence. They grow and put up their own feed, and are working to extend their grazing season and background a larger portion of their calves each year. They have also recently added a band of range sheep to diversify and better utilize the land and resources they already have to work with. A large part of the operation is within the Belair Provincial Forest. This land is a mix of forested areas and tame pasture, which was cleared by Laura’s family’s logging ventures in the early/mid 1900’s. Laura and Ryan’s operation, named “Sawmill Creek Livestock” after these historic endeavors, has seen aggressive growth over the past couple years, with plans for continued expansion.
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Victory Drury
​Quebec Delegate

Born and raised on his father’s beef farm outside of Wakefield in Western Quebec, Victor took an interest in farming at a young age. Since receiving his degree in Mining Engineering at Queen’s University in 2009, he has been working full-time on the farm. In 2017, he bought a farm neighboring the homestead and built his home where he lives with his wife and three children. He raises his own crossbred Red Angus herd, while also managing his father’s beef herd. The animals are rotationally grazed and the calves are sold as yearlings in the spring. Victor is excited to be part of the Canadian Cattle Youth Council to learn more about the cattle industry, and to see what farmers are doing in other parts of the country.  

Jacob McAffee
Atlantic delegate

Jacob was born and raised in Knoxford, New Brunswick on his family's beef and crop farm. Jacob always knew he wanted to be a beef farmer. At an early age, he started to build his own herd from two twin heifers that, funny enough, share his birthday and were given to him as a gift from his father. Jacob's passion for agriculture has never wavered and has only grown with time. At seven years old, Jacob was involved in his local 4H club in the beef project, showing in his local 4H steer and heifer shows. At age 24, he continues to be involved. Jacob currently works full-time on the family farm alongside his father and grandfather. Together, they calve 250 purebred Charolais and commercial cattle as well as growing grains and beans. They market their feeder calves in Ontario and sell purebred Charolais breeding stock throughout the maritime provinces. 

Julie Mortenson
Canadian Beef cattle check-off agency: youth member

Julie serves as the Youth Member on the Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off Agency, which is a new position established by the Agency in partnership with the Canadian Cattle Youth Council in 2022. In this role, she also serves as ex-officio on the Youth Council. 

Julie ranches with her husband near Nokomis, SK, where they run a commercial cow-calf herd of approximately 250 head, as well as 50 polled purebred Herefords. Together, they also farm approximately 5000 acres of grainland.

Julie works full time off-farm in sales at her local crop input and cattle nutrition retail location. She is the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS) rep for her RM, the Vice Chair for her local daycare Board of Directors and newly elected Saskatchewan Hereford Association Director. She has also previously been a mentee in the Canadian Western Agribition Next Gen Ag program. 

Julie strongly believes in the continuance of a unified voice and directive for the Canadian beef industry. She also understands the critical role of the Check-Off dollar and its use in research and promotion worldwide.