Grey Bruce Farmers’ Week announces award winner

Dr. Jacky Normandeau is the recipient of the 2024 GBFW award.

Read Also

Local connections thrive at farm show

Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show is teaming up with Rural Oxford Economic Development Corporation to launch the first-ever Discover Rural Oxford Exhibit at the Woodstock, Ont. farm show aimed at highlighting Rural Oxford’s vibrant entrepreneurial scene.

The Grey Bruce Farmers’ Week committee established an annual $1000 award in conjunction with the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) 16 years ago to recognize new veterinarians entering food animal practices serving producers in Grey and Bruce Counties. The committee said in a release the award recognizes the individual’s past accomplishments but also encourages their future contributions and commitment to the rural communities in Grey and Bruce counties.

Jacky, who graduated from OVC in May, grew up outside of Uxbridge. Despite growing up in a town, the committee said she has an abundance of farm experience, having worked on a hobby farm in high school and milking cows on a dairy farm and collecting turkey eggs at a large pedigree facility while in univerisity, and also at a small thoroughbred breeding facility.

The committee said Jacky knew from age six that she wanted to drive around in a vet truck and take care of all kinds of animals, and that it would be great to work outside on the road instead of in an office. As she gradually found out more about veterinary medicine, the surgical, problem-solving, and physical aspects of the job also appealed greatly to her because she enjoys anything hands-on and active, according to the committee.

Being in a large animal practice has always appealed to Jacky due to the down-to-earth mentality about the care of animals, the group/herd aspect of animal health, and especially the physical and outdoor nature of the work. She finds a special level of care can be provided when she’s able to see an animal’s husbandry first-hand on the farm, she told the committee.

She started working at Walkerton-Hanover Veterinary Clinic right after graduation and said she is very excited to practice in Grey Bruce.

“It’s a lovely area with very friendly people. I’m most looking forward to getting out on the road and meeting everyone at their farms to help with their production animals and horses.”