Dale Adolphe – 2017 Honorary Life Award Recipient

Dale was raised on a grain and livestock farm near Weyburn, Sask., and attended the University of Saskatchewan majoring in agricultural economics and accounting.

Dale’s career has included:

• Six years with the federal government in the Departments of Agriculture and Regional Economic Expansion;
• 17 years with the Canola Council of Canada (three as their agronomist in the late 1070s, eight as their market development coordinator during the time the industry launched canola and six as president during the introduction of GM canola);
• Six years with a grain trading company as their manager of planning and development; and
• From 2002 to the end of 2015, with the Canadian Seed Growers’ Association as their executive director.

Dale has traveled to over 35 countries and has been involved on several boards and advisory committees related to international marketing, export training, trade and agricultural policy, and, more recently, international seed certification standards.

He was a director and vice-chairman of the Canada Grains Council, a director, and president of the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies (AOSCA) in the United States and has been an adviser to several other private sector boards in Canada and the U.S.  

During Dale’s leadership of CSGA, the industry witnessed a comprehensive seed sector review, the National Forum on Seed, a Seed Sector Value Chain Roundtable, two new variety registration systems, revised Plant Breeders’ Rights legislation and, most recently, the introduction of alternative service delivery. Also under Dale’s leadership, CSGA received nearly $1.5 million in program support from the Government of Canada under AAFC programs like CARD, ACAAF and Growing Forward.

Dale was recognized for his contribution to Canadian agriculture and, in particular, the canola industry by being presented with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in early 2013. In 2015, Dale was awarded an Honorary Life Membership in AOSCA.

Dale and Janette reside in Ottawa. Their five children are all in Ontario. Dale’s daughter and son live in Kitchener- Waterloo. Janette has a son and daughter in Toronto and a son in Ottawa.