SASKATOON – Tensions between Saskatchewan cattle producers are boiling to the surface. At issue are who controls the check-off money and disagreements over who will represent them at the national level.
The tensions intensified at last week’s provincial beef conference, which brought together all cattle sectors and marked the inaugural meeting of the year-old Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association.
The SCA plans to take control of the beef checkoff once provincial legislation is proclaimed, likely this summer. Until then, the Cattle Marketing Deductions Act advisory committee is responsible for the funds.
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But the SCA also wants to choose the province’s four directors to the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. The Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association has always elected those representatives and included a cattle feeder among them.
At the SSGA semi-annual meeting last week, members were constitutionally obliged to elect two CCA directors, but the nomination process got bogged down about what they should do and whether it would matter.
“The big problem we have is the money is going to change (over) to us before this coming year,” explained SCA chair Jack Hextall. “We’re going to be accountable for the money and we’re really at a loss as to how we can provide that accountability with no representation.”
Former SSGA president Murray McGillivray said members should consider this year to be one of transition and the status quo should prevail. He urged co-operation by the two organizations.
“Let’s be smart about it and not have a public upheaval,” he told the meeting. “God knows we’ve had enough.”
The SCA interim board requested things remain as they are for the next year, until the first elected board is up and running.
“We feel that Lynn (Grant) and Pat (Hayes) should remain as stock growers directors at this point for another year,” Hextall said. “The board has requested that Bob (Ivey) and I remain where we are and (be) reportable to SCA.
“When the SCA does have responsibility for the checkoff, at this point our board has been very firm that we will absolutely have to have representation.”
CCA president Brad Wildeman said the national umbrella organization was reluctant to get involved in provincial politics.
“The best thing that could happen is that your organizations would get together, determine what’s best for the producers of Saskatchewan and send that to CCA and tell them what their wishes are,” he told the meeting.
The SSGA membership eventually passed a resolution extending the term of the current directors for another year.
President Calvin Knoss said compromise on a difficult issue is hard but the democratic process was upheld.
“We’re trying to negotiate our way through a transition,” he said.
At the SCA annual meeting later the same day, a resolution that the SCA elect their CCA directors from the floor of the annual general meeting, beginning in 2011, was defeated.
Hayes moved the motion, saying he has objected to the fact that the SCA board would choose the representatives.
“It’s important for the general membership to have a say,” added Ryan Beierbach.
But Jason Dean spoke against the motion, saying producers have already had their say through their opportunity to vote at the fall district meetings.
Although the resolution was lost, Hextall said the SCA board will consider what it heard.
