Quinte Agricultural Hall of Fame > Reginald "Reg" McCann
REGINALD 'REG' MCCANN
1910-1985
Reg McCann dedicated much of his life to public service, the rural community and agriculture.
He and his wife Willa farmed in Brighton Township, near Codrington. To help pay for the farm, Reg worked one winter driving a team of horses building Highway #30. The original 50 acre mixed farm was expanded to 250 acres and by 1960 was concentrating on dairy and crops.
Reg was a founding member of Warkworth Co-op and was a director on Percy Agricultural Society. He was an avid supporter of Farm Radio Forum and served on Codrington United Church Board of Stewards.
For 35 years, Reg was involved with Municipal and County Councils, serving as Councillor, Reeve and Warden. During this time, he served on the organizing committee for the 1st World Ploughing Match in Cobourg. Reg helped to choose and evaluate the farmland required for Highway 401 corridor access.
Reg was a member of Northumberland Federation of Agriculture and Soil & Crop Improvement Association and went on to become President of Ontario Soil & Crop Improvement Association. In this capacity, Reg & Willa travelled much of Ontario. Reg later became an insurance adjuster with the Crop Insurance Commission of Ontario.
Reg sold fertilizer for many years and in order to convince farmers of the benefits of applying the proper nutrients, he personally collected their soil samples and was later appointed to the Fertilizer Institute of Ontario.
OMAF recruited Reg to teach a series of Agricultural Classes in Belleville where he helped young farmers learn practical farming and management skills. Reg always had a special interest in helping beginning farmers improve their operations with emphasis on increased production and attention to good management.
Reg McCann was most proud when he saw young farmers progressing and succeeding within the agricultural industry.
Nominated by Howard Sheppard