Nominations closed Sept. 15 for the Saskatchewan Cattlemen’s Association first board of directors and elections will follow between Oct. 20 and Nov. 6.
Every producer who has paid a checkoff within the last two years, and has not received a refund, is eligible to vote and hold office.
Janice Bruynooghe, management consultant for the SCA, said about 35,000 producers could vote in the 11 provincial districts.
The final board of 16 will include four appointed representatives from the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association and the Saskatchewan Cattle Feeders Association, and the immediate past-president.
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The SCA has operated under an interim board as it worked toward becoming a provincial development commission similar to that of other commodities. The checkoff now collected by the province and administered through a government-appointed committee will become the SCA’s responsibility.
The formation of the new group caused concern particularly among some SSGA members who thought that the organization proposed as an umbrella lobby group and strongly endorsed by cattle feeders was trying to gain control of producer money.
Others argued that the membership-based SSGA did not represent enough producers or their views.
Bruynooghe said there has been tremendous interest shown in the electoral process from producers across the province and with various sizes of herds.
“We’re very pleased with the response we’ve had to date,” she said.
All registered producers will soon receive a mailout explaining when and where they vote and how the election works.
They will get a list of candidates and their biographies at least 21 days before the vote in each district. The information will also be posted online.
“They have to vote in person,” Bruynooghe said.
“Part of the reasoning for that was to get producers out and involved and engaged.”
Each district election will take the form of an evening meeting, with speakers and the vote, and each will be held on a different date. The idea is to allow producers to have input and speak on issues that concern them, she said. Every producer is entitled to one vote.
“No producer in the province should miss this opportunity,” she said.
The first SCA annual general meeting is scheduled for Jan. 22, 2010.
