Board of Directors

Janice and her husband Larry own and operate Lutz Family Farm, an apple and peach farm in Rockland, Kings County. Janice has held various volunteer positions over the years and is currently a director of the Western Kings Memorial Health Society, the Annapolis Valley Farmland Trust, and also sits on the Nova Scotia Fruit Growers Association’s Health & Safety Committee. At her previous employers, and on the family farm, Janice is responsible for Health & Safety and understands the responsibility of worker welfare.

Bert grew up in agriculture, as a kid his family had dairy and pigs. As he got older, they switched to dealing dairy heifers and beef cattle. Bert started dealing beef himself at the age of 14. Fast forward to today, Bert and his family operate Hummingbird Farm in Springville. Here they run beef cows and meat goats, and last year they planted 1200 raspberry canes and several fruit trees. For the past several years, Bert has also sold livestock supplies, everything from tags, to dewormers, to aluminum gates. Currently, Bert serves as a director on the Nova Scotia Cattle Producers Board.

Jean Lynds grew up on a small dairy farm on the North Shore, and graduated from the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in 1990 with a B.Sc. Agri in Plant Science. Currently, Jean is the Farm Operations Manager at Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Agriculture. As the farm manager, Jean appreciates the importance and complexity of farm safety. She sees this as an opportunity to share experiences with people committed to the goal of improving safety on farms. Jean knows it is important to stay current and explore new options on how to change and improve farm safety culture with the students, who are training to become our industry’s future leaders.

Foster is part of Doirie Maple Farm located in Mabou, Cape Breton. Foster is passionate about safety and is getting ready to begin an Occupation Health & Safety program through the University of New Brunswick. As a skilled tradesperson, Foster has worked on over 14 different industrial job sites across the country for which he has gained ongoing safety training that he has, in turn, translated to his farming activities. Currently, he sits on the board of the Inverness Victoria County Federation of Agriculture, as well as the volunteer based Machinery Committee out of Inverness Victoria. Previous board experience includes the Cape Mabou Community Pasture.

Lauren Park is a first generation farmer who has been working in agriculture for a decade. She is a beekeeper, specializing in queen bee rearing, in the Gaspereau Valley. In addition to her farm, Forest Hill Apiary, Lauren manages the 2000 hive Cosman and Whidden Honey farm specializing in fruit pollination and honey production.

Lauren is active in a cross section of agriculture organizations. Presently a member of the Nova Scotia Young Farmers Forum, Lauren is passionate about ensuring young farmers are educated and have a strong voice in the industry. Lauren is also Past President of the Beekeepers Association of Nova Scotia and has been involved in key initiatives to ensure a sustainable beekeeping industry in the future.

Katie Keddy graduated from the NSAC with a B.Sc in Agriculture. She now lives in Woodville, working alongside her husband and in-laws on their farm growing sweet potatoes, inspected strawberry plants, raspberry and blackberry canes. Katie sits on various agriculture boards and committees all while taking an active role in her sons’ elementary school. This includes implementing the Farm to School snack program and helping out with the school garden. Katie and her husband, Phil, have two young sons, ages 4 and 6. They spend a lot of their time at the farm and show a keen interest in wanting to learn all that they can. As a farm wife and mom, she recognizes the importance of farm safety and making it an everyday conversation, not only for her own family, but also for their employees.

Jennifer van de Sande is the owner and operator of Sanhaven Farms Limited, a dairy farm in Antigonish County. Coming from outside the dairy industry, Jennifer began her agricultural journey at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College, where her passion for farming grew. Since 2001, she has been actively involved in the farm operation.

Jennifer also serves on the board of directors for the Antigonish Farm and Garden Co-operative Limited and is involved in her local agriculture community. She believes farm safety is an important aspect of farm management, ensuring a safe environment for both workers and families. For Jennifer, prioritizing safety is essential to the long-term success and sustainability of family farms.

Judi is the owner-operator of a diverse small farm raising beef cattle, meat birds, turkeys, laying hens, hogs, and managing 100 acres of hay land. A lifelong farmer and NSAC Animal Science graduate, she is committed to farm safety and self-sufficiency, providing all the meat for their family.

In addition to farming, Judi manages the Colchester Country Store and advocates for strong support systems to help the next generation of farmers thrive, whether through government support or local organizations.