SASKATOON (Staff) – The president of Saskatchewan Wheat Pool spent most of last weekend in a meeting room full of women.
It wasn’t his usual crowd but Leroy Larsen was there because the pool and the Saskatchewan Women’s Agricultural Network tried an experiment. The pool funded and participated in a workshop about the human face of farming presented during SWAN’s winter conference.
Larsen made an offer to extend the partnership process, which was immediately accepted by SWAN members. They passed a resolution agreeing to further their joint work and strengthen both organizations.
Read Also
Short rapeseed crop may put China in a bind
Industry thinks China’s rapeseed crop is way smaller than the official government estimate. The country’s canola imports will also be down, so there will be a lot of unmet demand.
The motion put forward by Donnet Elder also suggested working with the pool on small business development, since “the off-farm jobs aren’t there.”
“I was greatly impressed with Leroy Larsen’s attendance at our meeting and his offer” Elder said.
The Saturday workshop was an “affirming and honoring of the contribution of farm folk to our society,” said Beverly Bell, SWAN board chair.
SWAN was celebrating its 10th year of existence at the conference. With an annual budget of around $41,000 and one staff person, some judgment calls have to be made about group affiliation.
For 1995, three memberships in various groups will be dropped and different grants will be sought to get women to conferences.
“The hard work will continue … the funding constraints are major,” said Bell.
She likened SWAN’s activists to the small band of suffragettes who brought the vote to women.
This year’s board will include Bell, Linda Ungar, Marjorie Steele, Margaret Cline, Elaine Kacsmar, Robin Poff (new to the board and also a wheat pool delegate) and Noreen Johns (staff).
