Eric A. Meek
Eric Meek has always been a man to become involved in both his industry and his community and has always given of himself in order to make a difference
Born in 1933 and growing up on the family farm in Canning, Nova Scotia, Eric attended local schools. Upon his graduation from the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in 1954, he returned home to farm with his father full-time. They formed a partnership under the name of L. B. Meek and Son and over the years, they have had layers, broilers, potatoes, peas, beans, forage and grain, ran a beef feed lot and had 鈥淯-Pick鈥� vegetables and strawberries.
Eric believed in the future of the agricultural industry and as such became active in its organization. In 1962 he was elected President of the Kings County Federation of Agriculture. Later he served on many committees and boards including the Pea and Bean Marketing Board, Potato Marketing Board, Vegetable and Potato Producers Associations and the Farm Labor Committee.
In 1966, Eric was a founding member of the Nova Scotia Chicken Marketing Board. He was a strong voice of the province鈥檚 chicken farmers and served diligently on the Board for 24 years, 11 as Chairman.
A longtime advocate of producer-controlled marketing of farm products, Eric assumed the chairmanship of the Canadian Broiler Council at a time when an effort was being made to establish a national system of production and marketing management for chicken in Canada. In 1977, he spent much of his time traveling across Canada promoting the formation of a National Chicken Agency. His hard work and determination paid off when the Canadian Chicken Marketing Agency (now Chicken Farmers of Canada) was formed in 1978. As testament to his leadership, Eric was elected as the first Chairman.
Eric also stayed involved in the local chicken industry and served as President of ACA Co-operative Board of Directors in 1956 and again from 1977-1988. He continued to serve the industry on this Board, retiring in 2003. He was elected to the Co-op Atlantic Board of Directors in 1990 and served nine years, two of those as president.
Also a strong community supporter, Eric has been involved with the Canning Volunteer Fire Department for over 40 years, part of the time as Chief. He was on the Village Water Commission, served as Moderator of the Canning United Baptist Church, Director of the Valley Credit Union and the Annapolis Valley Funeral Home Co-op to name but a few. In 2004, Eric was recognized as one of the top 50 most influential people in the Canadian poultry industry by the Canadian Poultry Magazine.
Eric and his wife Pauline (McMahon) have four children, two of whom are currently involved in the family farm business.
Nominated by the Chicken Farmers of Nova Scotia for his contributions and leadership in the industry, Eric is a very deserving inductee of the Atlantic Agricultural Hall of Fame