Company News

It’s Official - NSAB Joins EastGen - June 1st marked an exciting milestone as we
officially welcomed Nova Scotia to EastGen. Earlier this year, members of Nova Scotia Animal Breeders (NSAB) voted to join EastGen and officially become a part of the Semex Alliance. NSAB is the twenty-first farmer-owned organization to come
together under the EastGen banner, continuing a long history of collaboration in support of Canadian producers.
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C’est officiel - NSAB se joint à EastGen - Le 1er juin a marqué une étape importante puisque nous avons officiellement accueilli la Nouvelle-Écosse au sein d’EastGen. Plus tôt cette année, les membres de Nova Scotia Animal Breeders (NSAB) ont voté pour se joindre à EastGen et faire officiellement partie de l’Alliance Semex. NSAB est la 21e entreprise appartenant à des agriculteurs à se regrouper sous la bannière d’EastGen, poursuivant une longue tradition de collaboration en appui aux producteurs canadiens.
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Semex is pleased to announce that Justin Sherrard has been appointed as an External Advisor to its Board of Directors.
In his role as External Advisor, Sherrard will provide the board with independent strategic insight, drawing on his expertise in international markets, global supply chains, investment strategy, value-based go-to-market approaches, innovation, automation, ag-tech, governance, and long-term sustainability. 
"Justin brings extensive global experience across animal protein supply chains, sustainability, innovation, and strategic growth," says Semex CEO Matt McCready. "Throughout his career, he has worked with agri-food organizations, including input providers, producers, retailers, and foodservice companies, across major international markets. We're excited to have him join us at Semex."
Most recently, Sherrard served as Global Strategist, Animal Protein, at Rabobank, advising clients on emerging opportunities and risks in global animal protein markets, supporting strategic investment decisions, and helping shape long-term strategy.
Currently, he serves as President of the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, leading international collaboration to achieve sustainability outcomes across the beef value chain. In addition, Sherrard is a director and advisor to several ag-tech and innovation-focused companies, with expertise in supply chain innovation, AI, automation, and productivity in the livestock sector.



 

 

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Progress where it counts the most - The April proof round delivered meaningful genetic progress across our dairy sire lineup. With a balanced mix of high-impact
new releases and dependable proven sires, EastGen’s lineup continues to make progress where it counts most for profit and herd performance. No matter your
breeding strategy, you’ll find sires that bring dependability
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La ronde d’épreuves d’avril a démontré des progrès génétiques concrets dans notre groupe de taureaux laitiers. Avec un mélange équilibré de nouveaux venus à for t potentiel et de taureaux éprouvés fiables, le groupe d’EastGen continue de réaliser des progrès là où ça compte le plus en matière de profit et de per formance du troupeau. Quelle que soit votre stratégie d’élevage, vous trouverez des taureaux
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This proof round kicks off the year, delivering meaningful genetic progress across our Holstein lineup. With a balanced mix of high-impact new releases and dependable proven sires, our lineup continues to make progress where it counts most for profit and herd performance. No matter your breeding strategy, you’ll find sires that bring dependability, consistent outcomes, and reliable results to your operation...
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Four new Ayrshire additions this proof round for our Ayrshire enthusiasts. We start with our new addition Republique Marvin who debuts with +3380 GPA LPI (#1 in Canada), +1766 Milk (#1), +62 Fat, +58 Protein (#1), and a pleasing +9 for Conformation. Marvin, an A2A2 carrier, is a Bournstar from a VG-87 Yellow from a VG-87 and then four more generations of VG dams...
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The 2025 EastGen Annual General Meeting, held on March 31 at The GrandWay Events Centre in Elora, ON, marked a historic day for the company, bringing members together for a full day of updates, insights, financial reports, and important decisions. Attendees heard engaging presentations from industr y leaders, making the event both informative and memorable.
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L’assemblée générale annuelle 2025 d’EastGen, tenue le 31 mars au GrandWay Events Centre à Elora, Ontario, a marqué une page d’histoire pour l’entreprise, réunissant les membres pour une journée entière de mises à jour, d’analyses, de rapports financiers et de décisions importantes. Les participants ont assisté à des présentations inspirantes de la part de leaders de l’industrie, ce qui a rendu l’événement à la fois informatif et mémorable.
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Semex is pleased to announce that Robert Chicoine has been named the International Person of the Year 2026 by World Dairy Expo. As a founding member and the first General Manager of the Semex Alliance in 1997, Robert Chicoine has left his mark not only on Semex but also on the entire bovine genetics industry. He devoted his career to advancing Canadian dairy cattle, serving as General Manager of CIAQ, pioneering the use of genetic indexes in sire selection, and was instrumental in establishing Boviteq, among many other notable achievements. Semex is very excited about this recent recognition, and we look forward to celebrating with him!

From World Dairy Expo:
Some individuals advance an industry while others help build the very foundation upon which it stands. Robert Chicoine’s life’s work has done exactly that, shaping modern dairy genetics in Canada and influencing breeding decisions in more than 80 countries worldwide.

After earning his Master’s Degree in Animal Breeding, Chicoine started his career in 1966 with the Centre d’Insémination Artificielle du Québec (CIAQ). He was a trailblazer in using data-driven decision-making for sire selection. At a time when tradition was dominant, he promoted the use of genetic indexes, an approach that would transform breeding programs and become standard worldwide. Through initiatives like the Young Sire Testing Program, he helped develop some of the most influential Holstein sires in history.

Chicoine’s vision extended beyond genetics. As a driving force behind the creation of the Semex Alliance, he established a collaborative model that continues to deliver Canadian genetics worldwide. As a builder, innovator, and mentor, his legacy lives on through the systems, organizations, and people he helped shape.

Robert will be honored at the Recognition Awards Banquet during the World Dairy Expo on Tuesday, September 29, 2026. Banquet tickets will be available at www.worlddairyexpo.com starting July ... Read More...