By Alex Soloducha

Spritwood man inducted into Sask. Ag. Hall of Fame

Aug 12, 2015 | 6:20 AM

A local man is among the latest list of Saskatchewan Agriculture Hall of Fame inductees recently announced. 

Harold Fast, 68, is the founder of Fast Genetics. The company, which focuses on perfecting pig genetics, was started in 1982 in Spiritwood. Since then, they’ve opened a location in Saskatoon and have expanded to many other countries.

Fast said finding out he’s being inducted was humbling. 

“I really don’t feel it was as much of what I accomplished so much as the teamwork and the local people that helped build our company,” said Fast. “They’re the ones that pulled the heavy load.”

The Sask. Ag. Hall of Fame is something Fast said is both prestigious and important.

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“It’s an honour,” said Fast. “I think the process is important because something like 2 per cent of our population is now in food production so it’s very easy for the 98 per cent to forget about where our food comes from and yet eating is a basic fundamental necessity the world over.”

“So the whole program to recognize significant accomplishments in producing our food is a very positive thing.”

Inductees are nominated based on achievement and voted on by the board of directors. Fast said he believes Sask. Pork nominated him for the recognition.

Fast is no longer involved with Fast Genetics on an operational basis but said he remains a shareholder. Looking back, he said he’s proud of what they’ve accomplished.

“Our focus has been on high health status as my background is as a veterinarian and the easiest way to control disease is to not have the pathogen,” Fast explained. “We started with a very high health heard and worked very hard to keep pathogens out.”

“We’ve spent the last 30 plus years producing a better pig.”

The company provides both female and male pigs to producers for breeding and eventual slaughter.

“Our genetics goes into approximately 10 million market hogs a year in North America,” said Fast.

While Fast said the majority of their business is in Canada and the United States, they also have a joint venture in China.

“China actually consumes half the world’s production of pork,” said Fast, who explained that recently, they’ve also broken into the market in Japan.

Since 2001 they’ve had a strategic alliance with a French genetic company. Through them, they are marketed throughout Europe.

Fast said he places the company as part of value added agriculture. Besides improving the industry and economy, they’ve also provided jobs in the province, with about 100 employees in Saskatchewan currently.

“That contributes nicely to our local economy, particularly the rural economy which is still agriculture based,” said Fast.

He said they’ve always employed a lot of local people in Spiritwood and offer jobs to new Canadians.

“That’s very satisfying because we’ve always had a global perspective as a family,” Fast said.

Now, Fast spends his time lending his expertise as a member of different boards across the province, including serving as Chairman of the Prairie Diagnostic Services Laboratory Board.

He said he’s eager to travel more, having just returned from a family wedding in Georgia.

“I would very much like to go back and learn some of the history and the prehistoric history of Georgia. It’s quite fascinating actually,” said Fast. 

After all these years, Fast still has a passion for the industry he dedicated his career to.

“Agriculture is a very positive career to be involved in,” said Fast. “Agriculture in Canada is solid, especially in Saskatchewan, we have huge opportunities.”

asoloducha@panow.com

On Twitter: @alex_soloducha