Johanne Camiré: A Committed Voice on the Board of Directors

A member of Agropur’s Board of Directors since 2022 and co-owner of Ferme Annerick Inc., located in Sainte-Hélène-de-Chester (Érable-Seigneuries region), Johanne Camiré represents the fourth generation to operate this family farm, which she took over in 2012 with her partner, Patrick Morin. Together, they raise a herd of 55 Holstein cows.

The farm experienced a major turning point in 2019 when a fire destroyed its facilities. In the face of this challenge, Johanne and her partner showed remarkable resilience by rebuilding the farm the following year. They opted for a free-stall barn equipped with a milking robot, modernizing their operations. Today, they manage the business on their own, without employees, and have doubled their quota from 32.5 to nearly 67 kilograms.

On a daily basis, Johanne primarily handles the farm’s administrative tasks while also participating in fieldwork. At the same time, she balances her role as a mother of four children, aged 7 to 16, and finds comfort in reading, family activities, and cooking.

She holds a leadership and management certification offered in partnership between the Institut de Leadership and Concordia University, as well as a certificate in business administration from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières.

In 2016, she completed Agropur’s Young Cooperative Leaders Program, a formative experience that allowed her to explore various aspects of the industry and the cooperative model. This included visits to the Saint-Hyacinthe plant and the microbrewery Le Temps d’une Pinte in Trois-Rivières, which operates as a worker cooperative. Her commitment has also been reflected in her previous roles as a board member of the Agricultrices du Centre-du-Québec and as an ACQ representative within the regional UPA union of Victoriaville and surrounding areas. These roles were particularly formative and strengthened her ability to address industry issues with rigor, strategy, and vision.

Driven by a desire to contribute to the Cooperative’s long-term success, Johanne is especially interested in innovation, supply management, the use of technology in agriculture, and issues related to climate change. She firmly believes that the vitality of the Cooperative depends on the active involvement of its members.