‘It’s humbling and it’s gratifying’: former Sask. agriculture minister appointed to Order of Canada

Lorne Hepworth was named a member of the Order, one of 78 appointments in various categories announced by Gov. Gen. Mary Simon 

The former Saskatchewan agriculture minister has been appointed to the Order of Canada. 

“It’s humbling and it’s gratifying to be honoured in this fashion. It’s a reflection of the really interesting opportunities I’ve had during my life, and especially the people I’ve had a chance to work with,” Hepworth said in an interview Thursday morning from his home in London, Ontario.

Hepworth began his career as a farmer and veterinarian in the southern Saskatchewan communities Weyburn and Assiniboia.

 “Hepworth was also recognized for his role in modernizing agriculture through genomics and other advances”

 

Projections by CanFax, a division of the Canadian Cattle Association that tracks market data, show Alberta’s cow herd shrinking again this year, following last year’s trend. 

Brenna Grant, CanFax’s executive director, said those numbers are primarily driven by drought. 

“There are some regions that have gotten rain and have been able to replenish pasture conditions and feed supplies, but other areas continue to have a deficit of soil moisture.” 

Grant added that the number of cows being sent to slaughter is up, another indication that ranchers are choosing to downsize their herd in the midst of feed uncertainty and capitalize on high beef prices. 

But even if they are able to cash in, rebuilding those herds could take years, if they ever decide to go back down that road.

He was then elected to multiple terms under the Progressive Conservative government of Premier Grant Devine. He served as minister of finance, agriculture, education and other portfolios.

Hepworth was also recognized for his role in modernizing agriculture through genomics and other advances.

Hepworth said he is grateful to his grandfather, to those in the University of Saskatchewan’s college of agriculture, and his local 4-H club for sparking his love of farming and instilling the values of public service.

“I go back to my early days as a kid on the farm in southern Saskatchewan and a member of the 4H club, which really was the beginning of honing some of the skills that were important in leadership roles,” Hepworth said.

Hepworth is currently the chair of the Agriculture Research Institute of Ontario.

Others appointed or promoted within the Order include First Nations leader Wilton Littlechild, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Susanne Craig and novelist Kim Thúy.