A man of solutions, Laurent Pellerin dedicated his 40-year career to advocating for farmers through leadership roles in provincial, national and international organizations. He’s a proud hog farmer at heart, and a tireless champion creating partnerships and alliances to benefit the largest number of Canadian farmers.
Laurent’s strong work ethic, endless energy and outstanding communication skills would see him rise in leadership positions across a broad array of agricultural organizations. His leadership and strong belief in collective action have been the driving force behind his commitment to agriculture.
As president of the Pork Producers Federation of Quebec, Laurent rallied producers to sign the first pork marketing agreement and set up an electronic pork auction. He then led the creation of the Centre for Swine Production Development – the first centre of expertise in Quebec that benefits pork producers across Canada.
Laurent was president of UPA for 14 years, a time that saw the first agri-environmental strategy for the farm organization and the development of an action plan for the protection of the environment with measurable goals for better farm practices. During these years, Laurent founded the Council for Agricultural Development of Quebec – an organization supporting innovative research projects including agri-environmental advisory clubs that offer group services to producers for best practices. He also worked to bring urban consumers and rural producers together by organizing open houses on farms across Quebec – an initiative that has engaged with 2.3 million people to date.
He’s been called on to advocate for fair trade for producers, participating in international events by the World Trade Organization and the International Federation of Agricultural Producers. Laurent’s ability to bring people together was at the root of establishing Agricord where he served as chairman for four years – an alliance that supports agricultural organizations in developing countries.
As the vice-president and then president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture – representing 200,000 producers across Canada – Laurent worked to mobilize members around common issues including improved identification for Canadian food products. He then served seven years as president of the Farm Products Council of Canada, pushing for greater cooperation and collaboration between supply managed systems.
A true visionary, Laurent Pellerin leaves an indelible mark across the Canadian agricultural landscape with lifelong accomplishments driven by his dedication, passion, generosity and determination.
