The president of Keystone Agricultural Producers has stepped down to seek a federal Conservative nomination.

Dan Mazier, a grains and oilseeds farmer near Justice, Man., resigned July 6 and is now aiming to replace Robert Sopuck in Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa. Sopuck represented the riding since a 2010 byelection and announced in May that he would not run again.

Mazier was in his last year of a maximum four-year term as KAP president. He has also stepped down as a Canadian Federation of Agriculture director.

KAP’s bylaws allow the board to appoint one of the two vice-presidents as president if the office becomes vacant.

The two current vice-presidents are Bill Campbell of Minto and Jill Verwey of Portage la Prairie. The board meets July 31.

The next federal election is set for Oct. 21, 2019.