“I’ve seen fire and I’ve seen rain.
I’ve seen sunny days that I thought would never end.
I’ve seen lonely nights when
I could not find a friend.
But I always thought that
I’d see you again”
-James Taylor, Fire and Rain, 1970

He had a knack for finding pig-themed ties. He loved fishing, good scotch, exotic spices and cooking Indian Food. He was a storyteller, a photographer and an educator. But of the many things for which Bernie Peet will be remembered, he will be remembered best for the remarkable contributions he made to Canada’s swine industry during the 20 years that he and his wife, Cathy lived among us.
When he and Cathy returned to England last fall, Peet said his farewells with the hope that some of the friends he had made in Canada could come and visit. That door quietly closed this spring when we learned that Peet, age 72, had died in hospital on April 20 through complications of covid-19. A memorial service was held for him in Warwick on May 12, with online access available for those who could not attend in person.
Peet graduated in 1974 from Reading University in Berkshire, UK. The university then hired him to manage its swine research unit. He later moved to a commercial hog operation in Herefordshire and went from there to manage a pig demonstration unit in Warwickshire. Among his achievements, Peet gained international recognition for his role in the development of one of one of the industry’s first electronic feeding systems.
Peet’s distinguished career within the Canadian swine industry started even before his and Cathy’s decision in 2001 to leave England and start a new life in Central Alberta.
His subsequent contributions were recognized in 2014, when Alberta Pork Congress presented him with its Lifetime Achievement Award.
“Cathy and I have always had a soft spot for Canada. We decided at the age of 50 that we would make the move. It generally worked,” he said during a video presentation created for the awards banquet.
Always passionate about world travel, the Peets had visited Alberta numerous times before making their big move, starting with a vacation in 1979, when Alberta Agriculture invited him to make an AI presentation in Leduc. They returned in 1985 for a visit to Pork Congress in Red Deer and he became a regular visitor during the 1990s as part of his business, Pork Chain Consulting.
Settling in Lacombe, Peet continued his consulting business and became involved with Rocky Mountain Pork and Danbred.
When Rocky Mountain Pork collapsed in 2007, he accepted an offer from Alberta Pork to become editor of Western Hog Journal (now Canadian Hog Journal).
Peet said during his 2014 Pork Congress interview that he had become skilled at writing articles for the industry but found it “quite daunting” to produce an entire issue, along with the constant pressure to meet deadlines.
“I actually enjoyed it tremendously.”
He was also a regular contributor to The Western Producer and Alberta Express plus played a key role during much of the 2000s in organizing and hosting the Red Deer Swine Technology Workshop.
He continued with his consulting business, including numerous visits to China, after stepping back from his duties with the magazine and the swine workshop in 2013.
The Peets sold their property in Lacombe in 2021 and returned to Warwick just before Christmas. •
— Brenda Kossowan