Saskatchewan’s general farm organization will reduce the size of its board in an attempt to streamline and focus on policy issues.
At a meeting in Regina April 1, representatives from member rural municipalities and the board agreed that the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan has to function better to regain credibility.
But at least one representative said a smaller board wouldn’t fix the large problems the organization faces.
APAS has suffered from continual staff turnover and resignations at the board level. Former employees have complained about interference from board members and being unable to do their jobs. Rural municipal members have dropped out.
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President Glenn Blakley said this will change.
“The directors got a very strong message from the reps,” he said of the meeting. “They accepted that message.”
Reducing the number of board members to six from 12 would “change the dynamic around the board table,” he said.
There are two elected directors in each of the six districts. One director will continue to sit at the board table and the other will work within the district to enhance communication.
Larry Antonenko, representative from the RM of Biggar, said he doubted the change would occur because votes conducted at the meeting were non-binding according to the organization’s rules.
He said representatives agreed they would not speak publicly about the issues discussed at the meeting, but he considered that non-binding as well.
“A positive spin is really a lie,” he said. “Really, the meeting was fruitless.”
Antonenko has been an APAS rep since November. He said he discovered the organization is spending a lot of taxpayers’ money but is not doing what it was set up to do.
“I can honestly say that we have not had a meeting on an agricultural issue since I have been there,” he said.
“I’m supposed to be here to do some good. That is not taking place.”
He said the organization is dysfunctional, and the people involved are preoccupied with talking about whom to fire or who has quit.
Antonenko said APAS should be transparent and truthful about how it is spending money.
While Blakley characterized the discussion at the meeting as “good honest dialogue and constructive criticism,” Antonenko described it differently. He said several people called for either Blakley or the entire board to resign.
That didn’t happen, and Blakley said he received 70 percent support in a confidence motion.
“The board is in transition from being an operational board to being a directional board,” he said. “We’re going to see a different attitude.”
When APAS first began, board members had to be hands-on. Farmers started the organization and were involved in recruiting new members and setting policy. As the organization grew, those duties weren’t completely handed off to employees.
Blakley said the roles of board members and employees will be more clearly defined and the board will not be so involved in day-to-day operations.
Three staff members were recently hired to handle finances, policy and communications and membership. APAS is advertising for a general manager.
The board will focus its lobby efforts on the crisis in the livestock sector, the provincial crop insurance review and rising input costs.
